On the eve of the 2010 legislative session, all the upper echelons of state government are in flux. Lawmakers are facing a lame-duck governor running for U.S. Senate, a Senate president running for chief financial officer and the CFO and attorney general running for governor. And that's not all.The entire state cabinet is turning over, mid-term elections are looming for scores of legislative seats and a former House speaker is under criminal investigation. The state Republican Party is searching for unity after jettisoning its chairman, the state economy is in the tank and nearly everyone, from businesses to homeowners to 1 million unemployed workers are asking for help. So, the question could fairly be asked, who is in charge of state government?
For the first time in 121 years, all four seats on Florida's Cabinet will be turning over. Thanks to term limits, 14 state Senate seats and 30 state House seats are open. The most powerful players in the Legislature -- the individuals who can get the work done may be counted on your fingers and toes. They range from next years 2011 designates House speaker and Senate president to relatively little known freshmen who have demonstrated early a talent for such things as tactical strategy and fundraising. [See accompanying story: Florida Lawmakers with Juice.]
You may not have heard of the lawmakers Will Weatherford or Andy Gardiner, for instance. But stay tuned. Its fresh faces like these in the Florida Legislature who will play key roles this year, and in future years, as they grapple with the big issues. Gov. Charlie Crist also will play a critical role -- if he chooses. Even if the governor stays out of the daily fray of the Legislature and instead focuses on campaigning for the U.S. Senate, he has a powerful tool at his disposal to persuade lawmakers to give him what he wants line item veto power over the budget. The question is whether in this lean budget year there will actually be anything in the budget worth threatening to veto.
Under normal conditions, election years are not the time when controversial or groundbreaking legislation is passed. Thus, for example, it is unlikely lawmakers will vote this year to approve giving the Cabinet power to authorize oil drilling off the coast. Who wants to have to explain that one to voters for whom the issue might rank high? This is not a normal year, however. And the states business leaders are making that clear in innumerable ways. Theyre out to make this a game-changer election year.
Reshaping Government
Business leaders, including executives from the Florida Chamber of Commerce and Associated Industries of Florida (AIF), are making a concerted push to reshape and reform state government.
"Florida doesn't have a strategic plan. It's always been more about the next election than about the next generation," complains Mark Wilson, president of the state Chamber.
Year in and year out, the state Chamber and its local affiliates outspend other organizations in political races. But this year, along with the money will come a rigorous focus on what Wilson calls the "Six Pillars" education, economic development, infrastructure, business competitiveness, governance and quality of life.
"We'll ask every candidate about the Six Pillars. We're looking at a 20-year plan that puts the next generation first," Wilson says.
Though business groups historically favor Republicans, Wilson notes that the state Chamber's chief lobbyist is a Democrat. "We couldn't care less about party. Fact is, there are a lot of smart people in government with some really dumb systems."
AIF President and CEO Barney Bishop says his group's prime directive is to ensure that a balanced budget doesn't come at the expense of business.
"We're working with TaxWatch to get $2 billion to $4 billion in (budget) cuts," Bishop says. But business leaders say the formula isn't simply about shrinking government or slashing services. Ask executives about their top three priorities and you'll hear jobs, jobs, jobs. "Jobs are created where there's stability and predictability," Wilson says. "We're asking the Legislature to do nothing on taxes."
Credible Candidates
While the gubernatorial contest is advertised as a showdown between Republican Attorney General Bill McCollum and Democratic Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink, state Sen. Paula Dockery, R-Lakeland, could challenge McCollum for the GOP nomination. Susan MacManus, a political science professor at the University of South Florida, says that all three have credibility on jobs and the economy.
"McCollum has banking experience and a good sense of the federal-state relationship. Dockery sees the frustration of small business people and the need to cut regulatory red tape," MacManus said. "Sink knows how to create jobs and she's not a typical spend-spend Democrat."
In the race for Agriculture commissioner, retiring U.S. Rep. Adam Putnam, R-Bartow, catches the private sector's angst over creeping "Californication." "We have a lot of issues from the boom years. We need to peel back the red tape. We're losing jobs to neighboring states. It's not enough to have no tax. We have to look at the regulatory climate," Putnam said. Unfortunately, some 1,200 new state rules were imposed in the first nine months of 2009, according to John R. Smith, chairman of Palm Beach County's BizPac.
While the Chamber, AIF, Florida's homebuilders and a host of other trade groups will issue endorsements and campaign contributions, USFs MacManus says the business community will be best served by pushing its agenda in the open.
"Business people need to get up and ask questions of the candidates in public forums. They need the media to hold these candidates' feet to the fire."
Many Open Seats
With so many open seats up for grabs, Florida's business leaders say they are steering clear of rote partisanship. That means, for example, that state Sen. Dan Gelber, D-Miami Beach, could be a palatable choice for attorney general. Lt. Gov. Jeff Kottkamp is considered the favorite for the GOP nomination for attorney general, though he's being challenged by Pam Bondi, assistant state attorney for Hillsborough County, and Holly Benson, a former Pensacola legislator who most recently served as secretary of the Agency for Health Care Administration.
Sink is hoping to break the GOP hold on the governor's mansion by working with bankers. Supporting a federal initiative that will provide $30 billion in loans to small businesses, she is encouraging Floridas 167 community banks to give small businesses the tools they need to kick-start the state economy. The AIF's Bishop likes the idea of leveraging a portion of Florida's multibillion-dollar public pension fund to back bank loans to ensure that small businesses have access to needed capital. This type of public-private partnership is a logical extension of the Florida Growth Fund, which taps the bottom 2 percent of the pension fund to invest in selected firms.
There are limits, however. Just ask Gov. Charlie Crist, who is encountering stiff opposition from Tea Party groups and conservative Republicans who accuse him of being too loose with the public's purse and too cozy with business interests.
Last month, state Rep. Alan Hayes blasted Crist's plan for expanded gambling at Seminole Tribe casinos, saying the state needs a compact "that benefits Floridians, not Seminoles and Miccosukees." Calling the compact "the biggest piece of garbage ever foisted on the people of the state of Florida," the Umatilla Republican objected to "about 3,500 people getting $3.2 billion."
Watch for other state politicians to use the casino issue pro or con to garner political popularity. And the Legislature will undoubtedly be tussling with this issue -- which could also pour $400 million into the state trust fund for education -- right up to the point the traditional handkerchief is dropped signaling sine die. The pressure on the state to adopt some form of expanded gambling in Florida has only mounted as the state's budget coffers have grown leaner. For the Chamber, all policy decisions rest on the Six Pillars.
For instance, a candidate who supports education reform that limits tenure rules and injects performance-based pay will get favorable treatment, regardless of party affiliation. "There's bipartisan support for these pillars," Wilson says.
Support for Chamber
Lawmakers supporting the Chamber effort include Senate President-designate Mike Haridopolos, R-Merritt Island, and House Speaker-designate Dean Cannon, R-Winter Park. But they will need the help of other influential lawmakers to carry the day, including state Sen. Dan Gaetz, R-Niceville, who chairs the Select Committee on Florida's Economy; Mike Fasano, R-New Port Richey; Garrett Richter, R-Naples; and current Senate President Jeff Atwater, R-North Palm Beach (who is running for chief financial officer).
Democrats who earn high marks from business leaders include state Sens. Ted Deutch of Delray Beach and Jeremy Ring of Margate. On the House side, Speaker Larry Cretul, R-Ocala; Will Weatherford, R-Wesley Chapel; Mike Horner, R-Kissimmee; and Tom Grady, R-Naples, earn praise as fiscal reformers. Democrat Keith Fitzgerald of Sarasota also gets good grades. Last week, another GOP lawmaker moved up the ladder when Rep. Chris Dorworth, R-Lake Mary, secured enough votes to become leader of the House Republican conference in 2014.
This means Dorworth is in line to become the next House Speaker following Reps. Cannon and Weatherford. Arguably, top GOP legislators now wield more clout than Crist, whose Senate campaign continues to sink in the polls. With several staffers jumping Crist's ship last week, his chief rival, former House Speaker Marco Rubio, is in a position to shift the leadership standings in his favor -- both inside and outside the party -- by commanding more media attention.
With eight months until the November elections, plenty of things could happen. So no one is going out on a limb to handicap statewide races just yet. But interviews with business leaders make it clear that they're looking for politicians the ones in office or the ones seeking election who want a measured approach to state government. "It's really about streamlining government, not just shrinking it," says one.
Wilson offersas an illustration the administrative bloat found in the public sector. "We have 67 school districts, each with its own payroll and benefits departments. Miami-Dade's district alone has 100 people in those departments. Wal-Mart, the world's largest corporation, has 10 people in its payroll department. "It's all about reforming and reprioritizing."
