Busy, busy, busy in Tallahassee

Not only is the Florida Legislature in the middle of its annual session, filled with ideas both good and bad, but there's also a tax reform commission, which meets only every 20 years, putting its own ideas on the ballot. So the air in Tallahassee is filled with all sorts of proposals.

For example -- should Florida weaken its especially strong barrier between church and state? The way our constitution is worded now, no state money can be spent in support of a religious institution. But that situation would be pretty much reversed under this new proposal tentatively approved by the Taxation and Budget Reform Commission.

Instead, if voters go along, the constitution would say that religious groups could NOT be barred from taking part in state programs, such as school vouchers. My own thinking is that we had the strong prohibition for a long time for a good reason. But I might be on the losin' end.

(Also in today's story, notice that they also voted to put on the ballot a special-interest tax break ONLY for marinas and other "working waterfront" property. It doesn't even help the mom and pop motels who need it the most. We oughta be making the tax code MORE fair, not less...)

Meanwhile, over in the Legislature:

* An apology for slavery, which seemed heartfelt and appropriate, although it is only symbolic.

* On the other hand, the apology to the wrongly imprisoned Alan Crotzer (first item in this roundup) is of a more concrete and cash variety, and rightly so.

* State Sen. Ronda Storms' so-called "academic freedom" bill, in which no one could be punished for "objectively" presenting "alternative" scientific theories (in other words, disputing evolution) is moving right along. I can't believe the Legislature would actually pass this, since it means anybody can make any danged-fool claim about anything they want and call it "teaching." No, wait. I can believe it.

* Also moving along is the "take your guns to work" bill, which passed the House. This is another weird bill. Basically it says that business owners, employers, malls, supermarkets and such can NOT control their own property when it comes to having a no-gun policy -- there would be a "right" to take your gun onto somebody's property and keep it in your car whether they wanted you to or not. The gun lobby is trampling over private-property rights, and it's winning.

Comments

[RB]

cue the banjoes

[KT]

Let me get this straight!

We voters of Florida overwhelmingly demanded that our Legislature address the insurance problem that is causing (in part) record numbers of foreclosures – even though the voters knew that the insurance industry contributed 12-million dollars to help put these pinheads in office to begin with. As a result, our Legislature has absolutely and unequivocally FALIED to respond to the will of “The People” on this issue.

On the other hand…

We voters of Florida DID NOT demand IN ANY WAY that our Legislature apologize on our behalf for something we had ABSOLUTLY NOTHING to do with. As a result, our Legislature has spent our time, our resources, and our money to apologize for something we had ABSOLUTLY NOTHING to do with.

I will GLADLY contribute my $240 joke, known as our “tax relief”, to any group that organizes a drive to RECALL every last member of the “waste of carbon” known as The Florida Legislature… so long as they through in “The People’s Mistake”, known as Chuck.

If we voters of Florida allow this charade, known as “representation” to continue… may God, and our children, forgive every last one of us.

[Rene]

Wow.

[Rich]

I'm a believer in school vouchers. The government is doing a terrible job in educating our children. Let the people decide how they want to spend their dollars on educating their kids. Religous or otherwise. That's their individual right.

It looks like our government wants to teach our kids religion anyway.

The for-profit public sector would do wonders for education. I am going to send my kids to private school and wish there were more non- religious options. I believe vouchers would help open up a market for progressive, non-religious options in the private sector that would actually teach our kids real world skills.

I don't see this as an issue seperating church and state. I'm sure the teacher's union is dead set against it. They are a monopoly and don't want to bring in competition.

[Don Mott]

You are right Rich, let the people decide how they want their kids to be educated but you are wrong about using my tax dollars to do it. Using state, i.e. taxpayer money to fund religious schools is constitutionally illegal. If they want tax money they should pay taxes as well as have their curriculum's certified by an educational board. Hooray for Alan Crotzer he is finally on his way to getting payback for the years of his life that the state took away! Now can we sue the D.A. who railroaded him in the first place? As for Ms. Storms she belongs in a circus, she would look good with one of those big red noses and size 20 shoes. There is no rhyme or reason for a law allowing guns on private property where they are not wanted by the property owners. They are certainly trampling on the owners rights. Oh I forgot their is a reason, the pols all have their hands in the NRA's back pocket!

Churches are not taxed, yet now there is to be a law that allows churches to access tax generated funds for their programs?

I own a small business with a parking lot where employees park along with patrons. I do not want guns on my property. Now there is to be a law that requires me to allow guns on my property?

Teachers won't get in trouble for teaching alternative scientific theories? What happens if a teacher offers up what he/she contends is "proof" that one race is superior to another?

When did our country take such an idiotic turn? I feel like I live in that Monty Python skit, "Stop making Sense, stop making sense, stop making...."

[Rich]

Don,

What makes you think a religious private school is the only option? I actually think entreprenuers would move in to create many new private non-sectarian options such as Carrolwood Day School or Tampa Prep. They have no religious affiliation and they do a much better job of educating their students. They have smaller class sizes and are accredited as all schools should be.

Again that should be your individual choice as to how you want to educate your child as long as the school is accredited. The government should only collect education taxes and redistribute them back to their constituents equally allowing them to choose how they want to spend the money.

By the way why should religious schools pay taxes?? Last I checked public schools didn't pay any taxes.

I say let the parents decide how to educate their kids. Don't let the government. They don't seem to do much right including hiring some of these teachers we see in the news lately.

[Kay]

I disagree with you on this one Rich. School vouchers are not the answer. If you want your child to attend a private school, simply pay for it yourself. Yes, there are problems in public schools but I can tell you that voters always side with improving public education. Not everyone would be able to take advantage of vouchers if they exist, due to location of private schools, additional $$$ needed and other factors. A better solution is for all of us to work together and keep the pressure on our officials to bring about positive change in our public schools.

[ed]

Aa tax break for "working waterfront property"!! how does this help the general public?? we already have too many sales tax exemptions!! i guess "money talks"!! this is so rediculous it is hard to believe!!

[Hammer]

As I see it… the problem with public schools is three-fold.

1. The intentional de-functionalizing of the system in order to create a public perception that privatizing (aka: diverting public funds to private industry) is the only solution.

2. Restructuring the funding source (lotto) such that the system can never maintain a balanced budget (see #1)

3. An administration (state and federal level) that voluntarily admits its ineptness and inability to operate a functional system.

Ultimately… the problem with our public education system is that it has been bastardized; from a “foundational tool” into a “political tool”… and that is as much a disgraceful blemish on our nation as allowing veterans to go hungry and homeless.

[Don Mott]

Rich, the public school system would not be in the mess it is if not for legislative interference i.e. FCAT testing etc., and the diversion of our tax dollars that were meant to go to education re; Lotto funds that allowed the government to remove existing funds from education. Not to mention the bill is aimed at religious schools. Your assessment of public schools not paying taxes is inane and moot because public schools do not charge tuition or fees for admittance, private schools do. So in essence what you are saying is I should pay taxes for public schools and private for profit schools. I don't think so. I put my son through private school until he reached middle school and paid 100%, I believe in private schools but the costs should not be borne on the backs of taxpayers, period. As I stated I agree with letting parents decide how their children are educated but do not ask me as a taxpayer to subsidize it. Instead work for better legislation to inject more money into public schools and for the government to keep their nose out of education.

[Rich]

The public schools do not need more money. Private enterprise runs things more efficiently than government ever will. Don your point about schools being in a mess because of legislative actions is exactly my point. The government has made a complete mess of education in this country/state/city.

Public schools (k-12) spend about $7,000 per student in this state. So saying they don't charge tuition is a little naive. Yes the students don't pay it directly but it is paid with taxes and we are not getting our money's worth.

Education should be local not federal or even state. Government has a monopoly on education unless you have the means to put up a lot of extra dough. So if you're not one of the very fortunate then you are stuck with a monopoly that has no incentive to improve their product.

Give every student a $7,000 voucher and let their parents decide where they want to send their kids. Carrolwood Day, Montessori, Catholic high,etc. Wherever.

I know at first there wouldn't be a lot of private options but they would grow through time. Carrolwood Day School is a not for profit private school that charges $9,000 per year. For that money you get a far better education. Imagine having the choice to send your child to a school of that quality with your $7,000 voucher and only having to pay an additional $170/month. Yes it might not be feasible for many but I guarantee schools would start to compete for your kids voucher money and that competition breeds effeciency.

In the long run we would have private schools near in quality to CDS with only a $7k voucher and no money out of pocket. Good schools would gain students and resources. Bad schools would go out of business.

I'm all for trying something different. The status quo sucks. I don't want Randa Storms deciding what my kid is going to learn in science class.

I'm tired of the government thinking they know what's best for us. Especially when it comes to something as important as education.

[Hammer]

"Private enterprise runs things more efficiently than government ever will."

Due respects Rich... but can you say Halliburton/Iraq... Enron, Worldcom, B-Sterns...etc...

If private industry truly cared about education, it would have fought this battle decades ago. It wasn’t until the Bush dad and sons, and their incessant desire to shift public funds to private industry… did the private sector give a rat’s a*ss.

Pay close attention to the ‘corn” ethanol scam going on today. Once government decided to subsidize “private” industry corn growers for “alternative fuel sources… wheat farmers scraped their fields and started growing corn to benefit from the subsidies (aka: tax dollars). Which, by the way, has lead to an increase in wheat prices near 5-fold due to supply shortages. You know, that whole “free market” thing.

Not to mention that it costs 29% more to produce one-gallon of corn ethanol than it takes to produce one-gallon of gas.

Facts are a b**ch, huh!

[Larry]

I don't get it. Floridians are facing the greatest fiscal and financial crisis in history with each passing hurricane season and we are worried about school vouchers, religion and schools? Howard, do folks not understand what will happen to this state if we have another year with two or more serious storms making landfall in a densely populated area such as Tampa Bay?

[Rich]

Hammer,

Halliburton is tied to the hip of the Bush administration. Another clear cut case of a government spending our money with us having no say. That's government corruption to the core. Cheney still gets paid millions for being a CEO of a company that does business with the government.

Enron, world-com and B Stearns are no longer in business. This is how a free market works. Somebody cheats the system and they go out of business. Those are the exceptions not the norm and the free market took care of them.

It would work the same way with poor performing schools. If they didn't work hard to educate their students then nobody would send their kids there. As it is now we have monopoly government schools that are terrible but they have no incentive to improve because they will never go out of business.

How about listing a few of the great businesses in this country??

Private non-profit industry does care about eduacation. Unfortunately those great private schools are only available to the wealthy. If you opened education up to competition then you would see a much better product.

By the way government has been subsidising agriculture for a lot longer than just ethanol. I bet you didn't know that the pols did this specifically because Iowa was the first state to vote in the primaries. They were pandering for votes and they knew if they backed something (ethanol)that tripled the price of corn then the farmers in Iowa would love them. McCain didn't believe in ethanol. That's why he sat out Iowa. He knew he would get killed in Iowa because he knew ethanol was a farce.

Funny thing is Hammer you say facts are a b**ch claiming how the free market wouldn't work with education but every example you list has government meddling all over it. I think you just proved that governmnt being involved in just about anything doesn't work.

[Kay]

Larry,
Sorry, I guess we shouldn't worry about our children's educations or anything else for that matter while we have the potential for hurricanes to be paranoid about instead. Our apologies.
Kay

[Rich]

Listen I don't think religion and government should be intertwined. I do believe in School Choice. And I do believe that parents can decide better than the government how to educate their children.

I do believe in school vouchers and I think breaking the monopoly power of the government control of education would be a good thing.

Imagine a world where kids can get a high school education that actually gave them real world job skills. Maybe a Healthcare High where for the last 3 years students study to be a nurse or orderly instead of taking geometry or Algebra 2.

A buddy of mine works in the private jet services industry. He has a high school diploma and no college. He had to learn on the job. There is a huge shortage of qualified electronics repair people in his industry. Imagine a high school that trains people for this well paying job. One could exist with a voucher program.

I understand that some students that go on to college will need geometry and that's fine but many kids will never go on to college and we leave them with out any marketable skills.

Most don't have the basic skills (balancing checkbook, household budget, not borrow more than they can afford,etc) that are required to survive in this world. But heck that Algebra class they took will come in handy.

Government has made a mess of education.

[Hammer]

Rich,

You make some good points, but miss mine at the same time. From my perspective, that answer isn’t to outsource education because the current system is flawed. The answer is to fix the flawed system.

For all its mistakes, I believe that certain things belong in the hands of government, and education is one of them. Of course competition is a good thing. But make no mistake about it… corporations are not shipping our jobs oversees because of “intellectual competition”. They are shipping them oversees to take advantage of cheap labor, and to increase profits.

BTW, our tax dollars just bailed out B-Sterns.

School do not “perform” poorly, students perform poorly. When student A and student B receive the identical teaching, and student B fails the class… that is not because “the school” performed poorly. The sooner we get away from that political framing, the sooner we can address the performance issues.

You can’t just blame government for providing tax dollar subsidies, and absolve private industry for taking them. Both are guilty. And I’ll lay you 10-1 odds that regardless of who wins the Presidency, private industry subsidies will not end, although they should… because THAT; runs in direct conflict with your so-called “free” market “competition” concept.

Funny thing is, Rich… the one thing I have proven is that government involvement in “some things” does in fact work well… for those private corporations that profit from it.

[Rich]

Can't disagree with your last point. The one common theme is that government involvement is usually not a good thing.

By the way Bear Stearns was not bailed out. They were either going bankrupt or were going to be bought out. If they were bailed out then the FED would have lent to them directly. They did bail out wall street though.

I hate the fact that governemnt gets involved with the supposed Free Market. I will be the first to admit that we live under a centrally planned economy controlled by the government. Privatize the profits and socialize the losses. I don't agree with it and it only happens BECAUSE the government gets involved. anybody who claims we live a free market society is fooling themselves.

As far as shipping jobs overseas, many of those are manufacturing jobs. We are no longer a manufacturing country. We can't compete with the high cost of labor here. 95% of the jobs at the turn of the last century were agriculture jobs. Due to technology and outsourcing many of those jobs became obsolete and we turned to manufacturing. No we go from manufacturing jobs to more technical jobs. We are woefully undereducated. If we don't start educating our kids to compete intellectually then we don't stand a chance.

We can agree to disagree on the point about government doing a good job with education. I say they have had enough time and plenty of resources. They have proven that they can't get the job done.

[Hammer]

Rich,

As for Bear-Sterns; A rose by any other name...

I completely agree with your third paragraph.

I somewhat disagree with your fourth paragraph for the simple fact thet we control the actions and direction. Our technical jobs went overseas as well.

We've created a service and management economy. Bottom line, there aren’t enough corporations to support our push for a nation full of CEO’s… and we taken to importing illegal immigrants to cover the service sector… again; to increase profit.

I never said that government was doing a good job with education. Go back and read my first offering. I believe the systems needs to be fixed, not outsourced. We can change every school name today, from “Public” to “Private”, and transfer all funding… and in one year’s time… we will see no difference at all. Moreover, we will soon see degreed teachers traded in for 10-an-hour immigrants in the interest of corporate profit… (See FCAT Graders).

We certainly can agree to disagree… but from my perspective, you simply cannot state that “government getting involved” with the free market is the problem, when the “free market getting involved” with government is equally as problematic.

It is never the concept that is the problem; it’s those who implement the concept.

[Jon McPhee]

How’d They Do That?

Why do so many parts of today's news call to mind Penn&Teller, David Copperfield and Criss Angel?

Just try to keep your eye on the political legerdemain surrounding the Stadiums, the financial levitation that is re-floating the sub-prime submarine, or the vanishing act of billions of dollars and all common sense in the Iraq miasma. Try not to be distracted by the babes in the American-flag bathing suits and stiletto heels, making come-hither gestures to draw our attention away from the busy little magicians that somehow make dollars disappear wholesale and turn White Elephants into Black Holes - while we wildly applaud the trick.

Think we live in an informed and vigilant democracy? Just try to follow the prestidigitations of Mayor Rick, and the Rays boys, and our state and national leaders, as they lead us to focus not on the slick move but on the "vision." Third-world dictatorships order these things a lot better. They don't waste time pulling the wool - they go straight to whooping it up with the babes while the rest of the population is getting screwed.

Pay no attention to that man behind the Sail - er, surge - ah, bail – uh, curtain.

Sincerely yours,

Jon McPhee