A Crist call, and part of the endgame

House Speaker Marco Rubio got a timely call Friday morning from Gov. Charlie Crist, sources tell The Buzz. Crist told Rubio he would not veto a $1-million-plus appropriation for the new corporation that House leaders insist on as part of a compromise on offering insurance plans to the uninsured.

Crist has consistently said the corporation is an unnecessary extra layer of bureaucracy, but the House also has agreed to pass Crist's market-based insurance proposals later Friday. As a result of the Crist call, sources tell the Buzz, the House will soon show renewed interest in two of the governor's other priorities: hospital certificate-of-need regulation and easing licensing requirements for dentists.

"Everything's coming together," said Lt. Gov. Jeff Kottkamp, a former House member, as he headed into the Senate spouses' lounge for a last-day lunch.

Comments

[Donald Lance]

Does Charlie even HAVE a veto pen? I pray that we are able to see it in action this session. To Charlie: Do you know how much the people of FL would love you if you rejected every nonsense bill that's been proposed this session? Be a man Charlie! Stand up in front of the mikes and cameras and tell the legislature that there is a new sheriff in town and you're not going to allow this to happen on your watch while the people still haven't recieved any relief. Demand that they get back to work fixing the problems that the people want fixed before they work on any "feel good" legislation. You should have told them that before the session began. You'd be a MAN in the eyes of the citizens if you did that. You'd definately have a love-fest going on if did that. Things have to change Charlie! If you don't start it, we'll elect somebody that will. We've all had enough and we demand more from you and the legislature.