Oh, nuts, and other Friday topics

This is almost too obvious a point to make, but -- doesn't the Florida Legislature have anything better to do than to debate fake testicles that some folks choose to hang from the back of their trucks? As my colleague Jennifer Liberto reports this morning, this issue has taken up precious time over the past couple of days in Tallahassee. My own thinking is that the "truck nutz" are tacky but not obscene, and not exactly the business of the government. If you have a coherent argument as to why this is a legitimate exercise of the police power of the state -- other than, "I don't like it'' -- I am all ears.

Elsewhere:

* This is a novel idea from state Sen. Dan Webster, R-Winter Garden, to let the state's tobacco trust fund "buy" Alligator Alley for $500-million, and then collect tolls over future decades. My first reaction is that it's a step better than just turning over the state's major arteries to private corporations.

* Florida's sheriffs who have taken over child abuse cases from the Department of Children and Families have generally done a good job. But they can't do more work for less money, and this is one place where their warnings of budget cuts should be taken seriously. I also thought we had a strongly written editorial this morning about the Legislature's refusal to close even the smallest tax loophole to meet any of the state's needs.

* My co-columnist Sue Carlton lets the headlines do the talking about the history of Hillsborough Elections Supervisor Buddy Johnson.

* I'm planning to get back to our weekly live chat at noon on Tuesday -- a separate announcement to come, but I figured I'd throw in an early plug. Topic A these past few days has been the proposed baseball stadium -- if you haven't checked out the lively comments on the past few blog posts, give it a whirl.

Comments

[guy]

Howard, This mornings letters to the Ed, really made me feel like a million bucks.
It is so good to know that for once it looks like this city will not be left on the short end of the stick.
We might keep what few beautiful things we have left because the people are beginning to speak up, and take a stand . this is GREAT.

[the "little" people]

With such a pressing issues as “Truck Nuts”… to think we’ve wasted so much time on little things like a war, a foreclosure crisis, an economic crisis, a healthcare crisis, a national debt crisis, a property insurance crisis… oh wait… scratch that last one, we haven’t done a damn thing about that.

Well, now that we’ve dealt with truck nuts, baggy pants, paying off crackhead parents, guns-to-work (as if), slipping 700-million tax dollars to CSX, and making damn sure that Florida politicians can continue to suck of the public’s dime while running for higher office… maybe now we can spend a little time on those aforementioned “little things”.

[Rich]

Legislators represent the lobbyists and special interest groups that fund their campaigns not the people who actually vote them into office.

Campaign reform is desperately needed so these legislators at all levels of government aren't at the lobbyists beck and call. We must get rid of the incentive to work for the special interests and replace it with an incentive to work for the people.

[Kay]

Who presently owns alligator alley? I assumed the state government did but apparently not.
I'm confused over the sheriffs statements. How can he NOT investigate child abuse. I thought his #1 job was to investigate crimes.
They really shouldn't waste time on auto decor since it isn't an interference to the driver.

[Don Mott]

Remember this, when the corporations whom support our supposed legislators in Tallahassee can't recruit knowledgeable employees due to a failed education system they will just pack up and leave or hire cheap labor from overseas, see Nielson. These eggheads cannot see the forest for the trees. Or should I say the money? Our education system was on its knees it will soon be lying on its back like a turtle that can't get up. Of course by then they will be consultants or board members as gratitude for pushing the companies agenda which is to suck up as much state money as possible in the shortest amount of time. What a sad state of affairs when our so called elected leaders put corporate interests before the education of our children.

[Don Mott]

http://www.tampabay.com/news/localgovernment/article463167.ece I think the ship is taking on water.