After eight months in his new office, Sen. Joe Negron -- chairman of the powerful Senate Judiciary Committee and a legislator who hangs with some of the upper chamber's most powerful voices -- could be in a peck of trouble in his home district as he heads into a reelection season.
Negron, R-Palm City, sparked the ire of children's services advocates in Republican-dominated Martin County by championing a bill that calls for voters to regularly decide whether to close or continue their esteemed Children's Services Council. A public outcry ensued, including columns and an editorial in the local newspaper against it, and the announcement of a possible primary challenge from popular, long-serving Martin County Sheriff Bob Crowder.
Many of Negron's constituents argue that Senate Bill 1216 is unnecessary and merely an excuse for Tallahassee to interfere in local government.
The bill, scheduled for its second committee meeting before the Senate Community Affairs Committee Wednesday, requires that voters approve the existence of a Childrens Services Council by referendum every six years.
I dont think that we should be putting the CSC in the position where they have to go out and campaign for themselves, said Rob Ranieri, chairman of the Martin County Childrens Services Council.
The Children's Services Council of Martin County, overwhelmingly voted in by referendum in 1988, spread about $5.26 million across 33 local children's programs in 2010-2011.
Negron believes the opposition is obfuscating the issue.
Anytime you take a bold initiative that empowers the voters over special interest groups, there's going to be some political fallout, Negron said. This isnt about children. Thats a distraction.
Florida has 11 Children's Services Council districts that fund development, prevention, treatment and rehabilitation programs for local children.
Three of the states agencies are dependent special districts, meaning they dont have taxing authority.
The rest, including those in Martin, St. Lucie and Palm Beach Counties in Negrons district, are independent. They gained voter approval to levy as much as much as 50 cents on every $1,000 of taxable property in a county.
Sean Boyle, executive director of the Children's Servicres Council of St. Lucie County, told The Fort Pierce Tribune, " ... the CSC reports quarterly and provides a year-end accountability report to the County Commission, which has the authority to place a CSC on the ballot for dissolution at any time if it feels the CSC is not living up to its stated purpose or is not representative of the people.
"I am not sure if there is another example of a government entity that has that much representation throughout its history and operation," Boyle said. "In my opinion, SB 1216 is unnecessary and threatens a Florida success story."
Florida is the only state to allow voters to give Childrens Services Councils special taxing authority. The eight independent districts serve 43 percent of Florida children. The Martin County district spent about $7 million in the 2007-2008 fiscal year.
The Martin County Commission, in Negron's district, already has the power to call for a referendum vote on its council. But Negron said it never has, and the state needs to institute a regular review system for the special taxing district.
The issue has compelled Crowder, whose wife is a former Martin County CSC board member, to consider running for Negrons Senate seat in the November election.
Hes trying to characterize this issue as a difference of opinion on accountability, Crowder said. And this is not the case.
The well-regarded Republican, who announced his intention to possibly run Friday, believes dissatisfaction with Negron may have risen to a point where he could gain an advantage.
I think Joe has a tendency to be overly influenced by certain groups, he said. I dont think he thinks things through using his own judgment.
Running would require Crowder to exchange his current $120,000-a-year job, for which he would reach retirement in two years, for a job that pays $30,000. Crowder said hes not sure he could afford to do it, but hes received several calls of support from locals.
Crowder and Negron have disagreed on Childrens Services funding in the past. When Crowder was running a successful boot camp for juveniles, Negron, who served in the state House for six years, denied it an increase in funding. Crowder then refused to endorse Negron for a seat in the U.S. House, which Negron lost.
Negron said Monday he thinks the vast majority of voters support his bill. In a voicemail left Friday after Crowder announced he was considering running against him, he said, "I respect the sheriff, but we have a difference of opinion. I believe voters should have special oversight of special taxing districts, and the sheriff does not."
Crowder disagrees.
I believe there are a lot of people in the Republican Party who care about the same issues as I do, he said.
He said he is now analyzing his chances and researching issues he would run on if he chose to enter the fray. He said he will make his final decision within six weeks.
Ranieri said Crowder is a good choice for an opponent for Negron because the sheriff has shown he supports childrens programs. Ranieri's opinion is shared by personnel at social service agencies, their volunteers and who-knows-how-many hundreds of concerned citizens, he said.
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Martin County, to which Negron offered $2 million intended for a new Children's Services Council headquarters, is opposed to the bill, said Suzanne Wentley, a spokeswoman for the agency. The club receives roughly $600,000 annually from the council for education and career exploration, and it refused the offer because it was unfair.
Wentley said the council could not announce whether it would support Crowder, if he decides to run. But he does share its priorities.
He supports the Childrens Services Council. And we support the Childrens Services Council, she said.
Executive Editor Nancy Smith contributed to this story. Contact Alex Tiegen at atiegen@sunshinestatenews.com or (561) 329-5389.
