April 7, 2011 - 6:00pm
More Muck Unearthed at South Florida Water Management District
Submitted by Nancy Smith on April 7, 2011 - 6:28pm
The shenanigans at South Florida Water Management District just keep on coming.
This time they involve bad ethics and bad purchasing practice (favoritism in selecting the contractor), bad equipment ($1.5 million in pumps that failed after being installed), bad follow-up (no attempt to collect on the pumps' five-year warranty), and abysmally bad decision-making that makes a joke of fiscal stewardship.
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Ed Stein Cartoon
April 7, 2011 - 6:00pm
Shutdown Nears as Democrats Boot Military Pay
April 6, 2011 - 6:00pm
"Non-essential" federal employees will be getting an extended weekend if Republicans and Democrats in Washington don't reach a spending agreement by midnight Friday.
How long workers would be off the job is anyone's guess, as congressional negotiators and President Barack Obama continued to spar into the night Thursday.
Roughly one in four workers who collect federal paychecks could be furloughed in a government shutdown beginning Saturday. Military personnel and Postal Service workers are exempt from any layoffs.
Clock Ticks Toward a Federal Shutdown; Evening Meeting Scheduled
Submitted by Anonymous on April 7, 2011 - 3:28pm
Counting down to a shutdown, congressional negotiators are still at loggerheads over a spending plan that would keep the government running past midnight Friday.
After a meeting with President Barack Obama Thursday afternoon, House Speaker John Boehner and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid confirmed that no deal had been reached. Reid said discussions would resume at 7 p.m.
Reid, D-Nev., sounded more optimistic than he did earlier in the day, but Boehner, R-Ohio, was less upbeat after Democrats dissed the House's latest funding plan.
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Gov. Rick Scott given 'Pink Slip' Protest over Unemployment Benefit Cuts
Submitted by Kevin Derby on April 7, 2011 - 1:35pm
Hundreds of protesters gathered outside Gov. Rick Scott's office in the Capitol to protest proposed cuts in unemployment benefits and state-worker pensions. Most were clad in pink, chanting "Pink Slip Rick!"
Natalia Jaramillo, an organizer with Florida New Majority, a coalition of progressive groups which helped gather the protesters, said that while the anger of unemployed workers is largely directed at Scott, bills that hamper unemployed benefits in both chambers are the source of true anxiety.
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House Passes Dorothy Hukill's Deregulation Bill
Submitted by Kevin Derby on April 7, 2011 - 12:54pm
On Thursday afternoon, the House passed a bill sponsored by Rep. Dorothy Hukill, R-Port Orange, deregulating 20 industries. Hukill maintained that the measure would help more than 103,000 Floridians in those businesses. The bill passed 77-38 on a vote that is close to party lines.
Unnecessary government regulations hurt businesses and cost consumers money, said Hukill. This bill will retire a host of many unnecessary regulations.
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Line-Item Veto Bait for Rick Scott: Senate Hikes SunPass Charges
Submitted by Anonymous on April 7, 2011 - 12:41pm
So much for the no-new-taxes pledge: The Senate on Thursday approved a bill that abolishes the 25-cent discount SunPass users get every time they pass a Florida toll booth.
Of course, politicians call it a fee (or toll), but it's not chump change. Senate budgeteers calculated that the move will bring in an additional $100 million a year.
For me, I think thats worthwhile doing, said Sen. J.D. Alexander, R-Lake Wales.
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On Party Lines, Judiciary Committee Sends Court Reform Package to the House
Submitted by Anonymous on April 7, 2011 - 12:31pm
The House Judiciary Committee passed a softened version of a court-reform package on Thursday, but not before Democrats ripped it as"vindictive," "underhanded" and "unacceptable."
Florida Bar President Mayanne Downs was more measured.
"We're heartened by the progress so far, and we want to continue that process," she told Sunshine State News after the vote.
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Democrats Bash, House GOP Passes Court Reform Bill
April 6, 2011 - 6:00pm
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