On the last day of the 2006 FL Legislature, Jeb's accomplishments:

[seafan]

As Floridians are acutely aware, there are knock-down-drag-out fights going on in our Republican-controlled Legislature over such things as school vouchers, school class sizes, skyrocketing insurance rates, attempts to limit the power of the state's Supreme Court, crushing fuel prices, the failure of the Department of Juvenile Justice, stem cell research, the critical lack of affordable housing for our residents, offshore drilling, and how to deal with the failure of Jeb Bush's vision to privatize everything in the state he can get his hands on, and quickly, now that his days left in the Governor's mansion are rapidly ending.


So, today, on the last day of the 2006 Legislative session, here is some of the material they are cranking out:



Florida Senate Approves Tax Break For Biblical Theme Park, called the Holy Land, in Orlando.Apparently, the IRS considers this theme park to be a religious institution and should not be required to pay taxes.



House rejects soft-money reform to make sure that lobbyists with business before the legislature can still route their fat checks to legislators without another thought. Business as usual.



Vouchers saved, but Bush won't get amendment. Jeb's voucher program, Opportunity Scholarships, which covers 733 students, allowing public money to be funneled to private schools, has been declared unconstitutional by the state Supreme Court. But, never fear, Jeb's loyalists quietly tucked this voucher pet program into another bill to rescue it. And today, Jeb vows to fight another day for his vouchers. To protect his legacy, you know.



Jeb Bush: State can help Marlins stay in Florida. Jeb says he is *open to the idea* of steering millions in state subsidies to refurbish or build new sports stadiums for two professional sports teams, the Marlins and the Magic. Why he can't steer some of this money for improving our failed juvenile justice system or reducing school class sizes is beyond me.



Tax dollars yanked from Broward and Palm Beach counties

The legislation (HB293), which takes away $16.7 million that cities and counties would otherwise get from a satellite communications tax, passed 85-27 and goes to Gov. Jeb Bush.

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The money would go instead to 29 largely rural counties pleading poverty. The sponsor, state Rep. Joe Pickens, R-Palatka, said they're "poor and getting poorer, and really have no hope for the future."

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"This is not fair," said state Rep. Ron Greenstein, D-Coconut Creek.

State Rep. Susan Bucher, D-Royal Palm Beach, said problems in larger counties are just as important as the needs in smaller ones. She said they should "increase their own taxes before they steal ours."

With several extra billion dollars in the state treasury, the Republican legislature robs Palm Beach and Broward Counties of their tax revenue. Hey, maybe it's their new tactic for the upcoming election fiasco. If there's less money for local voting reform/emergency paper ballot plans in case of machine failure, all the better, right?



Fla. to require high-schoolers to pick major, despite widespread opposition of students and parents. And there seems to be a large emphasis on vocational training as opposed to a college plan. Some kids will be intimidated by having to "declare a major", instead of just being a kid who wants to learn about many areas without this type of coercion by our micromanaging governor.

A major area could include a regular academic subject such as English, a foreign language or math, or a vocational field such as carpentry or auto repair.

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The measure also would set up a ready-to-work program for high school students who don't plan to go to college, professional-development programs for principals and special classes for struggling students.

But, then I ran across this piece in the Palm Beach Post today:



Democratic candidate for governor Jim Davis vows education improvement

Promising to reduce class size, increase teachers' salaries and spend more on education, Davis said that if he is elected governor, "We are not going to be last in the country in spending and graduation in our schools. We are going to aim for the top."

The loudest applause came when Davis reminded the crowd that "for the first time in 12 years there will be no Bush on the ballot."

Bush ran unsuccessfully in 1994 and won election in 1998 and 2002.

"This is a revolution," said Davis, "They don't see it coming. We are going to take back our state and in 2008 we are going to take back our country."

Yes. Yes we will.

[mcar]

1. Did they vote on the school start date bill

That ridiculous bill requiring Florida schools to start no earlier than 2 weeks before labor day?

[seafan]

3. It passed Legislature. Mr. Legacy has to sign it.

http://www.wesh.com/education/9166117/detail.html

[Warpy]

2. If my pop hadn't died last winter

the tax break for bible land and the defeat of the soft money bill would have turned him into a Democrat.

I guarantee it.

[seafan]

4. I'm sure you are right, Warpy. Bet he's up there pulling for us now!

:hug:

[seafan]

5. Jeb's privatized space agency approved by Legislature

Space Florida gets final approval

By PAIGE ST. JOHN
FLORIDA TODAY
May 4, 2006

TALLAHASSEE – Gov. Jeb Bush got his new space agency from the Florida Legislature today, despite efforts by two local lawmakers to slow down the shutdown of what’s there now.

The House today passed legislation that creates Space Florida, under the wing of the state’s privatized economic development agency, Enterprise Florida. In doing so, it scuttles existing economic development and research agencies and boards.

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The impetus is NASA’s coming plans to shut down shuttle operations and shift to the Crew Exploration Vehicle, with yet unnamed contractors.

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Whether Bush or his successor has control over the agency has been a constant thorn between local lawmakers and the governor’s office over the reorganization bill.

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And we see who was crowned the winner.

When so many people in Florida are in critical need, we see once again how Jeb uses our state as his personal cash cow and playpen.



A little background info on Jeb's forceful effort to privatize his pet space project: All clips below are from Florida Space News, 3-18-06

Griffin: KSC (Kennedy Space Center) Ready for Future (Source: Florida Today)
NASA Administrator Mike Griffin told state legislators last week that KSC could adapt itself to any new needs the space industry has for decades to come. He assured House members that NASA's vertical launch systems at KSC and commercial structures at Cape Canaveral are adequate, despite increased attention to the development of horizontal launch sites. But should horizontal launches become the standard platform, NASA can adapt, he said.

"I'll note that on the north side on Merritt Island is quite a lot of undisturbed land that could accommodate whatever runways need to be built," Legislators also wanted to know how much money is enough to keep the space industry in Florida. Griffin instead told them to improve state schools. "The quality of life an area offers strongly influences the quality of its employees," Griffin said. Gov. Jeb Bush is pushing legislation to collapse several state space-related agencies into one, Space Florida, under the wing of the governor's office and Florida's privatized business development agency, Enterprise Florida.

Brevard Delegation Fights for Space Interests (Source: Florida Today)
Behind the scenes in Tallahassee, the Legislature and governor's office are squabbling over how to reorganize the state's space agencies to best capture the space flight business, who will control it and where it will be based. The governor's bill creates a single agency, Space Florida, under the wing of the state's privatized economic development agency, Enterprise Florida. The bill gives the governor's office and Enterprise Florida broad authority over business development and space education programs, now housed among several small state agencies based in Brevard County.

But it is a problem for some local lawmakers, who say Bush is ignoring local needs while overreaching, creating a new bureaucracy instead of honing the existing one. A competing bill offered by the House Spaceport and Technology Committee, led by Rep. Bob Allen, preserves the state's business and education space agencies under the umbrella of a revived Space Florida Management Council. That, in turn, would answer to the new Space Florida. "I would remind (Lt. Gov.) Toni Jennings that the Brevard boys are the ones who have to watch two, three, four-thousand people laid off at a whack," Allen said. "It's our community."

NASA Chief is Right on Importance of Good Schools, Housing and Transportation (Source: Orlando Sentinel)]
In recent years, Gov. Jeb Bush and Florida lawmakers have invested big bucks in financial incentives to lure high-wage employers to the state. Such efforts are just part of a comprehensive approach to diversifying Florida's economy. As NASA Administrator Michael Griffin told lawmakers this week, his agency's ability to attract well-qualified workers also depends on improvements in transportation networks serving Cape Canaveral as well as high-quality schools and affordable housing in the area.

While Mr. Bush's latest package of economic incentives for high-wage employers deserves a good look from lawmakers, they would be foolish to neglect the priorities that NASA's chief mentioned. It shouldn't take a rocket scientist to figure that out.

Sorry, Mr. Griffin, and the good folks in Brevard County.... Jeb ONLY cares about bringing in big business contractors and somehow maintaining control even after he is forced out of the Governor's mansion in 7 months. And we also know how he feels about education.