Welcome to The Dean's List, an Ed Dean-style look at who Florida's political achievers were (and weren't) in the last seven days. What you see here is strictly my opinion, not necessarily the editor's or the rest of the staff at Sunshine State News.
THOSE WHO MADE THE LIST
Florida Reps. Matt Caldwell, R-North Fort Myers; Heather Fitzenhagen, R-Fort Myers; Dane Eagle, R-Cape Coral; and Ray Rodrigues, R-Estero.Lee County was about to face a half-cent sales tax to pay for new school construction. Not so fast, said four of Lee's free-thinking state legislators, who came up with ways to raise the money but not the taxes.
What were they? More charter schools; selling government-owned land to fund a new high school; leasing school space; revamping school zones to reduce transportation costs. It's a lesson for school boards throughout Florida: look for solutions to costs that make raising taxes a last resort.
Florida Sen. Travis Hutson, R-Palm Coast. Sure, the Florida Senate is backing Medicaid expansion, but this newly elected senator isnt buying it and said so. "Until I see a plan that shows we will save money and not have to raise taxes, Im going to be against it, and right now I haven't seen that plan, said Hutson. Courageous, committed, correct.
Florida Rep. Janet Adkins, R-Jacksonville, and Sen. Rob Bradley, R-Orange Park. Local government pensions need to be addressed and these two legislators are at least trying to tackle the issue. Adkins had a bill establishing more transparency and setting up eight-year term limits for police and fire pension board trustees. Too bad the State Affairs Committee shot it down. Bradley has a bill easing state laws, which make municipal pensions use any surplus to enhance union benefits. Both good bills on a time-we-got-tough topic.
Incoming Florida House Speaker Richard Corcoran, R-Lutz. The next House speaker says he's ready to go to war over LIP and Medicaid expansion and he's even ready to risk his political career over it. Republicans in the Legislature have been accused of going along to get along. Corcoran might be over the top with his comments, but he's certainly showing passion in his fight -- and conservatives across Florida are cheering him.
THOSE WHO DIDNT MAKE THE LIST.
Florida Sen. Miguel Diaz de la Portilla, R-Miami. The Miami Republican won't let one of the session's edgiest bills come up in the Judiciary Committee. The campus carry bill would allow those students who are 21 and older who hold concealed weapons permits to carry guns on Florida college and university campuses. Diaz de la Portilla claims there isnt much support for the bill in the Senate -- never mind that its managed to clear two committees. He should have brought the bill up for a vote -- and Senate President Andy Gardiner, R-Orlando, should have shown more leadership here.
Florida Fight for $15. Protesters are calling for a $15-an -hour minimum wage and theyre going too far. Florida Fight for $15 is spearheading the effort, but they need to tone it down. One of their members even called Wal-Mart a terrorist corporation;" others call it "criminal" that businesses dont pay a higher wage. But, wait: President Barack Obamas $10.10 minimum wage proposal is going nowhere. Using heated rhetoric to push a doomed higher minimum wage higher still is simply counterproductive.
Florida Republicans. Do we really need a fight right now over who gets to be House speaker in 2020? Isn't the budget fight enough? As buzz about a coup against Rep. Eric Eisnaugle, R-Orlando, grew louder this week, former RPOF Chair Leslie Dougher and other Republican leaders somehow thought it was OK to jump in and gang up against the RPOF leadership of Rep. Blaise Ingoglia, R-Spring Hill. This House fight is spilling over into the state Republican ranks -- bad idea for the GOP with 2016 on the horizon.
Ed Dean, a senior editor with SSN whose talk-show can be heard on radio stations across Florida, can be reached at ed@sunshinestatenews.com. Follow him on Twitter: @eddeanradio.
