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Lawmakers Call for Tax on Out-of-State Sales

April 8, 2010 - 6:00pm

Florida could become the 24th state to collect sales tax on purchases from Amazon.com and other online and out-of-state vendors if some lawmakers and business advocates get their way.

In a Friday press conference to generate support for their stalled bills, Sen. Evelyn Lynn, R-Daytona Beach, and Rep. Michelle Rehwinkel Vasilinda, D-Tallahassee, urged Florida to implement the Streamlined Sales and Use Tax Agreement and reap the bounty of a vast supply of uncollected taxes.

Abortions on Decline in Florida

Kevin Derby

April 8, 2010 - 6:00pm

Statistics released this week from Florida Right to Life -- compiled from data gathered by the state Agency for Health Care Administration -- show that Floridians are having fewer abortions.

The number of abortions in Florida dropped in 2009 to 82,038, the lowest levels the state has seen since 1997.

The number of abortions in Florida peaked back in 2006 with 95,586 abortions performed in the state that year. Since then, the number has decreased, with 91,954 in 2007 and 87,520 in 2008.

Benson Edges Bondi for 2nd in GOP AG Fundraising

Submitted by Kevin Derby on April 9, 2010 - 3:50pm

Former Agency for Health Care Administration Secretary Holly Benson, a candidate for the Republican attorney general nomination,just released her fundraising figures for the first quarter of 2010. Benson raised just under $242,000 during that period.

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PSC Re-org Clears Committee, Senate Future in Doubt

Keith Laing The News Service of Florida

April 8, 2010 - 6:00pm

The House bill to split the Public Service Commissions staff from the beleaguered panel was unanimously approved by the House Appropriations Council Friday with minor tweaks that did not address wide disparities between the plan and a measure already approved by the Florida Senate.

Bondi's Not the Frontrunner: GOP AG Candidate Hauls in 240k

Submitted by Kevin Derby on April 9, 2010 - 3:29pm

Pam Bondis attorney general campaign just announced that they raised $240,000 for the first quarter of 2010. This places the Hillsborough County Republican behind three of her rivals who already announced their fundraising from that period.

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Florida's Space Industry on High Alert

Kenric Ward

April 8, 2010 - 6:00pm

Calling President Barack Obama's NASA budget "unacceptable," U.S. Rep. Suzanne Kosmas joined Rep. Bill Posey in demanding a greater commitment for space exploration from the White House.

Kosmas, D-New Smyrna Beach, and Posey, R-Rockledge, spoke Friday at a congressional forum in Cocoa in advance of Obama's scheduled visit to Florida on Thursday.

Governors at the Governors Inn

Submitted by Kevin Derby on April 9, 2010 - 2:48pm

The historic Governors Inn in downtown Tallahassee will be holding its grand reopening on Wednesday and there will be governors galore in attendance.

The inn will be naming rooms after four former governors who will all be in attendance. Former Governors Claude Kirk, Reubin Askew, Bob Graham and Bob Martinez will be present at the reopening. Gov. Charlie Crist is expected to attend.

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Marathon Debate Not Long Enough for SP Times

Submitted by Kevin Derby on April 9, 2010 - 10:13am

While the House of Representatives was in the middle of a roughly 9-hour debate on teacher performance pay, the St. Petersburg Times was jumping the gun with an editorial that called the deliberations, which lasted from 5 p.m. Thursday to 2:26 a.m. Friday, a "rush job."

In an editorial titled "An arrogant attempt to reform schools" and released Thursday at 10:48 p.m, before the debate ended, the Times stated:

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Peformance Pay Plan on Its Way to the Governor

Kevin Derby

April 8, 2010 - 6:00pm

After a marathon debate that dragged into the early hours of Friday -- and increased speculation that Gov. Charlie Crist plans to veto the measure -- the House joined the Senate in passing a bill that creates a performance pay standard for Floridas teachers.

The bill passed 64-55 at 2:26 a.m. with 11 Republicans joining all 44 Democrats in opposing it.

New Day, New Session?

Submitted by Kevin Derby on April 9, 2010 - 1:26am

The Houses handling of teacher performance pay will continue even after the debate.

The House leadership will attempt to adjourn and start a new legislative session in order to move the bill back to the Senate and send it to the governor as soon as possible. The Democrats promise to fight the measure to prove they will not roll over on the issue.

This means the House will be in session (or is that sessions?) for the better part of 12 hours and possibly longer.

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