State senators on the payroll, oh my!

If you haven't seen it yet, check out my colleague Lucy Morgan's story this morning about state Sen. Evelyn Lynn, R-Ormond Beach, being hired for a $120,000 job by Florida State University to oversee a program that, as a legislator, she helped create and fund. This now makes her a "triple dipper," drawing two state salaries and a pension as a retired educator.

To quote Borat: Very nice.

Morgan's article notes: "Lynn also happens to be chairwoman of the Senate's Higher Education Appropriations Committee, with great influence over university budgets." She quotes FSU President T.K. Wetherell: "It's just a coincidence."

Lynn is the second member of the 40-member Senate to make news recently by being hired by the state universities. Sen. Mike Haridopolos, R-Melbourne, recently raised eyebrows by getting hired as a $75,000-a-year lecturer at the University of Florida, although he has only a master's degree. Lynn has a doctorate and educational experience, at least, but it is still a fair question as to whether you should be a state legislator in charge of university budgets, creating programs that then hire you.

(State Sen. Charlie Justice, D-St. Petersburg, works for the University of South Florida, although he already had his job before he ran for office.)

It's pretty ironic that at the same time as all this, the Florida Senate wants to abolish the existing state university system with SJR 2308 and put it back directly under the political thumb of the Legislature. With the worst teacher-student ratio in the nation already, among the lowest tuition and state support, and now even more budget cuts because of the economy, Florida's universities are freezing admissions and slashing their instructional budgets -- but at least, by gum, they can still find jobs for members of the Florida Senate.

Sounds like a Sunday column to me!

Comments

[Hammer]

Don't try to tell me that crime doesn't pay!

I’m blown away by the audaciousness of these people. Cleary, Floriduuuh politicians have recognized (incorrectly I pray) the benefits of voter apathy.

Simply put; if we’re foolish enough to keep putting them in office, why shouldn’t they brazen enough to keep using it to their personal benefit.

Get your rear-ends off the couch and VOTE them all out, for God's - and our sake!

[Larry]

Very well put, Hammer. Howard, it is incredible to me that our elected officials are so brazen about this. But, as Hammer pointed out, we keep electing the fools. There must be a stupid pill that is administered when someone gets into public service, or something in the water up there in Tallahassee. Your Sunday column should be a doozy!! Have a good weekend.

[RB]

Glad to see FSU cheats at somethiing other than football.

The sorry fact is, incumbents almost never, ever loose in this state. That's why they can be so brazen and arrogant.

[Don Mott]

Larry, the stupid pill and bad water is not in Tallahassee it is in the voters who are apathetic and keep these people in office. And when it comes to the Universities crying poor mouth I have to wonder about all those scholarships going to undeserving athletes just because they can help the team win but can barely pass high school curriculums. How about the million dollar contracts for coaches and all of the the associated costs related to college sports. I think sports in college are important but when the costs take away from the intent of higher learning maybe a line should be drawn. If a college gives a full scholarship for a running back or hoopster to get a degree in basket weaving while a scientifically gifted child cannot get in is disgraceful. Enough of that rant. This is just the beginning of what will happen if the university systems are put into the hands of our legislature. I wouldn't trust them to babysit a child,(obviously they have failed that too), let alone guard and regulate the universities. This is 1950's politics at its best. I guess the "good ol boy" syndrome is deeply embedded.

[Beth]

Senator Lynn used to be very critical of FSU but has recently softened her tone. Excellent investment, TK!

[James]

She also dips im other ways. Last year she sponsored a FCT grant request to pay one of her large campaign contributors 13.8 million dollars for land the FDEP valued at 8.2 million. Stanaki Land Deal in Volusia COunty. The land was not slated for development, in fact the State had refused to grant the dvelopment rights on it . It was after that happened that she asked for State Funds targeted for preservation to buy it. Now we get to pay for it while she gets a raise from us. oh yea,

[20/20]

Howard,

Wonderful column this weekend, thank you for the courage to be candid.

[Buzzard]

It ain't illegal. Just greedy, greedy, greedy.

[Proletariatcsp]

Its amusing to watch these politicians blunder their own resolutions. Florida is no doubt the modern day Wild West. Isn’t it apparent. Our new state motto aught to be “whatever, I do what want.” With regard to the above comment “the stupid pill and bad water,” yes, we do elect these folks. However, please keep in mind that we don’t get to choose the line up. You know as well as I do that, who talks the best game gets the job. And if that doesn’t work we just end up choosing who ever is available. Just take the 2008 presidential nominees as an example! Further more, it is with great pleasure that I can say its nice to see a few opportunistic Floridians taken advantage of a broken system for their own personal gain. Or was it? It seems to me that their good fortunes have helped to expose some more important underlying issues this state needs to address. In all fairness, you can’t call this a government for the people, when we’re all losing our jobs and our homes. Hail to the great lords of legislature, and all those whom allow the citizens of this great state to be exploited then hung out to dry.
And lastly, I must not forget to mention the great lack of ethical laws in which they allow corporations and businesses to operate, inevitably sucking every last drop of blood from the tax payers. “They don’t die, they multiply.” Its all about the numbers, so lets throw our good will and health to the wind by quickly spending those tax dollars on an unnecessary water front stadium, rather than fixing the schools, roads or voting machines. And while we’re at it, lets propose to build a couple more Biological waste disposal facilities in residential outlets, after all, “they’ll never know just how much revenue these places generate, so what if a few surrounding home values decline.” I say, let’s start handing out rewards to these great businesses and lawmakers for their commitment to screwing their customers and supporters. Blockbuster and Brighthouse raised their rates again. Blockbuster increased its fee $10 and automatically debited their customers without notification. Think of the millions of dollars they made the second that transaction posted. And will they be penalized for STEALING from their customers? No, because out of those millions of dollars guess who sees a nice percentage--that’s right–the “Triple Dippers!” As for Brighthouse, they are collecting the sympathy fee, trying to convince customers they are compensating for the ATSC mandate by the FCC. Where as they have to upgrade to digital output by 2009. Its about time we got our money’s worth. And the poor corporation crying over having to give a little back, is telling us that they raised the price of cable again because the FED raised theirs. Well when I manage to free my head from the sand of the country’s “most beautiful beaches” I’ll be sure to write my local congressman and inform them of the injustice the Federal government has imposed on businesses operating within the jurisdictional boundaries of the “Wild West . . .
Sincerely, A concerned Floridian.