Winner of the week: Mark Wilson. It may be a lousy climate for business in Florida, but the CEO and President of the Florida Chamber of Commerce (left in the photo) found a terrific legislative climate for the Chamber. From corporate tax credits for voucher supporters to anti-lawyer workers compensation legislation to the controversial growth management bill, there were very few Chamber priorities that didn’t wind up winning support from the legislature and governor.
Loser of the week: Pat Bean. Congrats to the Hillsborough County 
Administrator for becoming the new poster child for breathtakingly out of touch government bureaucrats. At a time when the county is preparing to lay off hundreds of employees and the unemployment rate is bumping up against double digits, Bean thinks it makes sense to award her six top deputies, already earning more than $100,000, salary increases from seven to 17-percent.
From the writers of the St. Petersburg Times, The Buzz offers the latest news in Florida politics. This is a public forum sponsored and maintained by the St. Petersburg Times. When you post comments here, what you say becomes public and could appear in the newspaper. You are not engaging in private communication with candidates or Times staffers.
Spending has grown out of control under Bean's watch. During the 2001-07 boon years, property taxes soared 90 percent in Hillsborough County -- and every penny was spent.
Posted by: Living in a tent | June 13, 2009 at 05:23 PM
Loser of the week in Tampa Bay is CAIR. Thank you, Mayor Iorio! Good move!
Posted by: Rockabilly | June 13, 2009 at 05:38 PM
I hope your LOSERS of next week will be the BOCC if they let Bean stay on as Administrator.
Posted by: The real losers are the taxpayers supporting Bean and her henchmen | June 13, 2009 at 07:35 PM
The smartest move the Chamber made this year was staying out of the FMA's way on SB 1122. They knew better than to mess with Senator Gaetz and the doctors.
Posted by: BCBS | June 13, 2009 at 07:38 PM
Wilson is a wind-up doll. He can't talking without speaking points and he thinks his you know what doesn't stink......don't take my word for it.....sit him down for a real interview.
Posted by: Chamber needs to mean business | June 13, 2009 at 08:07 PM
Pat Bean is one of the nicest people I know, but when the Sp Times starts calling her out, something is desperately wrong.
The BOCC has taken a cut in salary and a decrease in travel allowance. County management staff, starting with (but not limited to) Ms. Bean's top deputies should do the same.
Posted by: Common Sense | June 13, 2009 at 10:17 PM
Wilson is a snake. The special interests bought ad keep on buying our elected officials. He gets no winner award. All he did was give, and promise to give more and more money to Republican candidates. That is how he "won" all those lousy anti-consumer bills. The trial attorneya are idiots who cant even get along with themselves and they keep cutting deals with Republicans, only to get their throats cut time and time again. The people of rhis state lose once again to the sell outs elected officials. So, please spare me the "winner" of the wek garbage. The people LOST. The special interests, with no interest for the consumers, bought what they needed.
Posted by: blank | June 14, 2009 at 12:24 AM
I will say this about the Chamber - they are much better to deal with than AIF, which is a total joke of an operation. The fact is, however, the business community in FL is pretty weak.
Posted by: term limited | June 14, 2009 at 07:43 AM
Another loser are the empoyees the Chamber of Commerce screwed out of fair representation and access to the judicial su=ystem. A winner is the worker comp insurers who gain more profit because of screwing the employees who get hurt. Thanks Charlie and the legislators who supported this bill.
Posted by: Bob from south walton | June 14, 2009 at 07:50 AM
The Chamber and AIF are both losers. They both can be bought off. Just ask Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida.
Posted by: the real winner of the week | June 14, 2009 at 08:39 AM
The injured workers lawyer is the only one limited,if tan can man wanted to really limit legal costs BOTH legal teams would be limited.
This bill winds up costing the state,many wind up on medicaid.I myself am on medicaid because of an injury received at work,(I also now get food stamps)but hey,as long as the insurance companies are happy they will contribute campaign $$$!
Chuck and the chamber screwed injured workers out of equal representation!
Posted by: The work comp bill only limits injured workers attorney | June 14, 2009 at 10:27 AM
All of the major business groups and most of the major business entities had the same agenda as the Chamber. The listed accomplishments actually resulted from the concerted efforts of lots of folks and the Chamber was certainly part of the overall effort. However, claiming primarycredit for the work of so many others is as typically Mark Wilson as taking it at face value is so typically SPT.
Mark is a hot dog who'd take credit for anything he can get away with and who's building his rep on the actions of others. The Chamber has, in fact, started to come around in several ways, primary of which is in self-marketing as opposed to real power. Then again perception IS reality sometimes, especially in the eyes of a gullible Press....
Posted by: I Was There... | June 14, 2009 at 10:33 AM
Big business congrats you continue to srew working folks ..Not fer long boys we know who you are and the redistrictin amendment is coming up
Posted by: Jason Straight | June 14, 2009 at 10:59 AM
Bean is, unbelievably, out of touch.
I've been unemployed 20 months, no insurance, a big tree just fell on my carport. Thank the Lord that my vehicle didn't get hurt. I can't afford healthcare anymore and don't qualify for any aid. I've spent all of my savings and retirement and have to find ANY job so I can keep my home. I've worked for over 38 years and this is the worst financial situation I've ever seen. I can't find a full-time, temporary, or part-time job...nothing legitimate.
Posted by: Struggling to Survive | June 14, 2009 at 11:53 AM
Yes 10:33,it's true the chamber didn't do all these things alone,BUT it gives us a target!
If we regular folks just target against what the chamber is pushing it will trickle down,kind of like trickle down politics.The chamber has no interest in middle class American workers,therefore,they are the enemy!
Posted by: Glenda | June 14, 2009 at 12:02 PM
Pat Bean's foolishness demonstrates why Hillsborough County should have a county mayor. The mayor would be a brake on the Commission and certainly would know better than to give raises at this time.
Posted by: Boca Grande | June 15, 2009 at 12:26 PM
Back when I was working for the Tampa Bay Federal Credit Union I could see all the nice hefty increase in checking accounts of county commissioners, HCSO, and Administrator. Especially right before elections. But I was bound by contract not to say anything or could face being fired. But they fired me for other reasons so I can tell anyone what I seen in these government officials checking accounts.
Posted by: Mark Ferguson | June 19, 2009 at 11:40 AM
Also when I was working for Salvation Army Misdeamnor Program in conjunction with the HCSO dept it was interesting that those offenders had to pay a fee towards the HCSO dept as part of their probation. so why is Bean giving all these raises to deputees if they are getting all those fees from probationers?
Posted by: Mark Ferguson | June 19, 2009 at 12:46 PM