House Passes Florida Pension Changes, But Challenges Remain
March 23, 2013
A controversial plan to close off the Florida Retirement System’s traditional pension plan to future public employees passed the House on a nearly party-line vote Friday, setting up a battle with the Senate over the retirement system.
The measure (HB 7011) passed 74-42, but Rep. Richard Stark of Weston, the only Democrat to vote for the bill, later said he meant to vote against it. The proposal is a top priority for House Speaker Will Weatherford, R-Wesley Chapel.
House Republicans say the measure will keep the FRS from consuming an ever-larger share of the state budget, crowding out education and other priorities. They also said it would create stability and keep the state from having to take more drastic steps in the future.
“We will know exactly what our obligations are rather than a constant sense of uncertainty,” said Rep. Ritch Workman, R-Melbourne.
But Democrats hammered the transition from a “defined benefit” plan, like a traditional pension, to a 401(k)-style “defined contribution” plan. They said workers might not get the same return on their own investments, and would lose the security that comes from a defined benefit plan- often cited as a key recruitment tool for getting people to take otherwise low paying government jobs.
“Rewarding our state employees should not be a game of chance,” said Rep. Joe Gibbons, D-Hallandale Beach. “It should be a sure bet.”
Labor groups also blasted the House for making the changes.
“They’ve addressed an imaginary crisis of their own making with a radical change that disrespects school employees, first responders, and other public workers who enhance the quality of life in Florida,” said Alan Stonecipher, director of the Florida Retirement Security Coalition, a group tied to unions.
The measure faces an uphill climb in the Senate, where lawmakers are backing a more limited change to the retirement system. The upper chamber’s bill (SB 1392) would encourage employees to enter the defined contribution plan by making that the default plan for workers — unless they opt in to the traditional plan — and giving workers a discount on their contributions if they choose the investment option.
House leaders say they would rather the Senate accept their measure.
“I’d like to see the Senate take up the bill as it is, because I don’t think anything in there should give them heartburn,” said Rep. Jason Brodeur, R-Sanford, the House sponsor.
But Weatherford also wouldn’t rule out compromising on the measure, or even accepting the bill from Sen. Wilton Simpson, R-Trilby.
“If we weren’t eliminating defined benefit for new employees going forward, I would say his bill is better than nothing,” Weatherford said. “It’s certainly better than the status quo. But our question would be, why would we go halfway when we can go all the way?”
By The News Service of Florida
Swing Dancing Tonight At The Barrineau Park Community Center
March 23, 2013
Swing dancing is coming to North Escambia Saturday night with a masquerade night.
“Swing Molino Swing”, a family oriented event, will be held at the Barrineau Park Community Center on Barrineau Park School Road. Lessons begin at 6:30 with the dance from 7-10:30 p.m. There will be a $5 charge to cover costs, and there will be a $5 meal available. There will also be a prize for best dressed in masquerade clothing.
There is no alcohol and no smoking allowed in the Barrineau Park Community Center.
Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Northview Beats Chipley Times Two
March 23, 2013
Northview’s varsity baseball and softball teams beat visiting Chipley on Friday.
For the Lady Chiefs, it was another one in the win column of their perfect 10-0 season. The Lady Chiefs will return to action after spring break on Monday, April 1 as they travel to Flomaton.
In baseball action, Northview beat Chipley 10-6.
NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Woman Trapped In House Fire
March 23, 2013
An elderly female was trapped in a house fire late Friday night in Brent.
The single story home on Lenox Parkway was fully involved when the first firefighters arrived to reports of an older female inside the house. Firefighters were able to quickly remove her from the burning home as they knocked out the fire.
The victim was transported to an area hospital by Escambia County EMS in critical condition.
The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Florida State Fire Marshal’s Office.
The Brent, Ensley, Myrtle Grove, Osceola, Pleasant Grove and West Pensacola stations of Escambia Fire Rescue and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office also responded to the fire.
Pictured: One person was injured in this fire late Friday night near the Brent Athletic Park. NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Smith, click to enlarge.
Operation Nabs Unregistered Sex Offenders
March 23, 2013
At least 50 wanted people were locked up courtesy of a sweep led by U.S. Marshals and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office targeting the Sex Offenders who failed to keep up with their state mandated registration requirements as registered sex offenders. The week long operation known as Operation F.A.S.T.E.R. (Federally Assisting State Teams Enforcing Registration) also cleared over 50 warrants.
Escambia County was chosen because of the sheer number of people required to register as sex offenders reportedly living in the county.
“There are over 850 people who fit that requirement here in Escambia County,” said Inspector Dominic Guadagnoli of the Task Force. “When our investigators started delving into that list and saw that more and more of those people were not doing what they were supposed to; along with the Sheriff’s Office we decided it was time to make an effort to find some of these ‘missing’ offenders.”
Early Monday morning members of the Florida Regional Fugitive Task Force (FRFTF), to also include task force officers from Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa and Walton County Sheriff’s Offices and Fort Walton Beach Police Department met to kick off the round-up. During the course of the operation, the FRFTF also provided Deputy Marshals from Pensacola, Panama City, Tallahassee and Gainesville as well as equipment to support the apprehension efforts.
“As usual when governmental agencies partner in the spirit of cooperation, success is almost a given,” said Escambia County Sheriff David Morgan. “We are proud to have been a part of this effort led by the U.S. Marshal’s Task Force and the State Attorney’s Office in taking known sexual predators off the streets of Escambia County, thereby ensuring the safety of our children.”
Although unlike on numerous occasions in the past where the FRFTF, state and local law enforcement agencies have rallied together to arrest violent fugitives; Operation FASTER is the first effort led by the U.S. Marshals and the Escambia Sheriff’s Office, with the full support of the State Attorney’s Office that was completely coordinated and executed on placing emphasis on the capture of just sex offenders. The U.S. Marshals adopted such interagency teamwork in the early 1980s, when they combined their resources and expertise in fugitive apprehension with the local knowledge and unique insight of officers on the street level.
Commander Frank Chiumento who oversees the FRFTF added, “The officers that work these operations live in the communities they serve,” Professionally, they feel they have an obligation to the community, personally they want their neighbors and their families to feel safe and they are doing something about it,” said Chiumento.
Pictured top: State Attorney Bill Eddins, Escambia County Sheriff David Morgan and U.S. Marshal Inspector Dominic Guadagnoli at a press conference Friday. Courtesy image for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Florida Gov’t Weekly Roundup: Getting Serious In Tallahassee
March 23, 2013
Forget the pomp and niceties that start every legislative session. This week meant business.
The House and Senate, in their third week of the annual 60-day session, quickly moved forward with bills aimed at shutting down Internet cafes across the state. Also, compromises resolved a dispute about an Everglades bill and a years-long battle between optometrists and ophthalmologists.
But as legislation developed, it also became clear that the House and Senate have significant differences about issues such as revamping the state retirement system, changing campaign-finance laws and coming up with an alternative to expanding Medicaid.
The House on Friday approved its retirement system bill (HB 7011), which is a top priority of Speaker Will Weatherford, R-Wesley Chapel. The key part of the bill would close off the traditional “defined benefit” pension system to new employees, requiring them to enroll in a 401(k)-type “defined contribution” plan.
Weatherford and his Republican allies argue that the traditional system is antiquated, as private companies have shifted en masse to 401(k) plans. Supporters of the bill also were careful to note that the changes would only affect future employees, not those already in the state retirement system.
“The time has come for pension reform,” Weatherford said in a prepared statement after the vote. “I am proud of the House’s passage of this reasonable proposal that will provide savings for Florida’s taxpayers and financial certainty for our state, while most importantly offering future employees a meaningful retirement benefit they control.”
The plan, however, met fierce opposition from Democrats, who argued that it would take away long-term security from state employees. They said, in part, that those employees often work for lower salaries than people in the private sector.
“Go pick someone else’s pocket, leave our public servants alone,” said Rep. Irv Slosberg, D-Boca Raton.
But while Democrats couldn’t block the bill, Weatherford’s push to overhaul the system could run into bigger problems in the Senate. Republican senators said this week they don’t want to go as far as the House, instead backing a bill by Sen. Wilton Simpson, R-Trilby, that would give workers incentives to enter an existing 401(k)-style plan but would still allow them to choose the pension system.
Sen. Jack Latvala, R-Clearwater, said of the House bill, “I think it’s wrong, it’s ill-conceived.”
Weatherford has also sought to make changes in the campaign-finance system, getting rid of a type of fund-raising vehicle known as “committees of continuous existence” and increasing contribution limits to candidates. The House approved the measure (HB 569) on Friday.
But the House will still have to bridge differences with the Senate. As an example, the House bill would raise a contribution limit for legislative candidates from the current $500 to $3,000; the Senate campaign-finance bill would keep the limit at $500.
Resolving those campaign-finance differences, however, might pale compared to the House and Senate trying to reach agreement on a plan to offer health coverage to low-income Floridians. Republicans in both chambers have said they don’t want to expand the Medicaid program under the federal Affordable Care Act, but they also say they want to come up with an alternative.
The Senate Appropriations Committee on Thursday started moving forward with a proposal, dubbed Healthy Florida, that would offer private health insurance to hundreds of thousands of people who would otherwise be eligible for the Medicaid expansion. The proposal would rely on federal funding, but Appropriations Chairman Joe Negron, R-Stuart, tried to draw a distinction between Medicaid and Healthy Florida, which he described as “premium assistance for people who go to work every day.”
While House Republican leaders say they want to find a way to offer more coverage, they also have repeatedly expressed skepticism about relying on billions of dollars in federal money. That likely will be the key issue as the House and Senate try to reach agreement in the coming weeks.
“The biggest difference is certainly funding,” said Rep. Richard Corcoran, a Land O’ Lakes Republican who is chairman of a House select committee on the Affordable Care Act.
BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH FOR INTERNET CAFES?
The House and Senate, however, don’t seem to have any problems agreeing to shut down Internet cafes.
Less than two weeks after raids and arrests rocked the industry — and Lt. Gov. Jennifer Carroll resigned because of her ties to the prime target of the investigation — the House voted 108-7 on Friday to approve a bill that would ban the electronic games used in Internet cafes and adult arcades. A ban also started moving in the Senate this week.
Critics have repeatedly argued that Internet cafes offer illegal games that are akin to slot machines. Sen. John Thrasher, R-St. Augustine, said the investigation showed how the businesses have exploited state laws.
“This is a loophole that cries out to be closed,” Thrasher said.
But opponents of a ban said it would close legitimate businesses and put people out of work. Rep. Elaine Schwartz, D-Hollywood, also said many seniors enjoy adult arcades and that regulation would be a better option than a ban.
“There’s no reason it should be a criminal activity,” Schwartz said.
SINGING KUMB-EYE-YAH
Optometrists and ophthalmologists have been fighting in Tallahassee for years. And farmers and environmentalists don’t exactly always agree about Everglades issues.
But this week, the groups held hands — well, figuratively — and reached compromises that defused two potential legislative fights.
The House on Friday approved a bill (HB 239) that would allow optometrists to start prescribing oral medications, an idea that ophthalmologists have repeatedly blocked in the past. The bill includes limits on optometrists, but it apparently did enough to satisfy both sides of the debate.
“Let this be proof that ophthalmology and optometry can work together for the benefit of Florida patients,” Charles Slonim, president of the Florida Society of Ophthalmology, told a Senate committee, which also approved the compromise.
The full House also approved a compromise that is the latest version of a plan to restore the Everglades. The bill (HB 7065), which got the backing of sugar farmers and Audubon of Florida, short-circuited a potential battle about who pays for the Everglades project and how much responsibility agricultural permit holders bear.
“While it’s not exactly everything everyone wanted to get, it is something everyone can agree to,” said Rep. Matt Caldwell, a Lehigh Acres Republican who shepherded the bill through the House.
STORY OF THE WEEK: The House approved a series of high-profile bills, including measures that would revamp the state retirement system, change campaign-finance laws and seek to shut down Internet cafes.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK: “I would think it would be a cold day before we would change our position on this bill.” — Sen. Wilton Simpson, R-Trilby, when asked about assurances that the Senate would not accept the House’s proposal for changing the retirement system.
By The News Service of Florida
Man Critically Injured In ATV Crash
March 22, 2013
A man was critically injured in an 4-wheeler accident Friday afternoon off West Quintette Road.
The man, in his mid-20’s, was airlifted to Baptist Hospital as a “trauma alert” following the crash about 3:40 p.m. in a remote location off Stolis Alley. The accident is under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol; the man’s name has not yet been released.
Stolis Alley is an undeveloped, unmarked street in a new subdivision north of West Quintette Road between Highway 29 and Highway 95A.
Two People Die In Separate Wrecks On I-10 And Creighton Road
March 22, 2013
Authorities have released the identities of two people killed in separate traffic accidents during the last 24 hours.
I-10 Crash
The Florida Highway Patrol said 50-year old Laurie Ann Povinelli of Milton was traveling west on I-10 between Avalon Boulevard and the Escambia Bay Bridge when she veered across the median. Her 2005 Chevrolet Aveo slid into the eastbound lane and the path of a 2008 Jeep Liberty driven by 28-year old Joshua Poole of Milton.
Povinelli died from her injuries, while Poole suffered serious injuries and was transported to Sacred Heart Hospital, according to the FHP.
Creighton Road Pedestrian Killed
Pensacola Police said 67-year old Laurence Gardner was hit by a truck while walking his dog on Creighton Road about 8:30 a.m. Gardner was killed when 63-year old Philip Masino of Navarre drove onto the shoulder and struck him, according to police.
The cause of the incident remains under investigation; no charges have been filed. The dog, which was not hurt, returned home on its own.
Deputy Shot In The Leg Released From Hospital
March 22, 2013
The Escambia County deputy shot in the leg Wednesday night in the Scenic Hills neighborhood has been released from Sacred Heart Hospital.
Sheriff David Morgan said Sgt. Shedrick Johnson is recovering at home following his injury.
Johnson responded to a house in the 8800 block of Burning Tree Road in the Scenic Hills area off Nine Mile Road in an attempt to locate a robbery suspect, later identified as Jonathan Brett Chappell, 24. He was shot by Keenan Ross Finkelstein, 23.
Finkelstein was charged with attempted murder of a police officer, and Chappell was charged with armed robbery with a firearm, grand theft of a firearm and possession of a controlled substance.
Rain Chances Increasing, Colder Next Week
March 22, 2013
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
- Tonight: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after 1am. Cloudy, with a low around 59. Southeast wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
- Saturday: Showers and thunderstorms. Some of the storms could be severe. High near 76. Southeast wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%.
- Saturday Night: Showers and thunderstorms. Some of the storms could be severe. Low around 60. South wind around 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%.
- Sunday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 74. Breezy, with a southwest wind 5 to 10 mph increasing to 15 to 20 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 25 mph.
- Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 38. Northwest wind 10 to 15 mph.
- Monday: Sunny, with a high near 61. Northwest wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
- Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 35. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
- Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 61. Northwest wind 5 to 15 mph.
- Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 33.
- Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 62.
- Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 38.
- Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 70.