Florida Gov’t Weekly Roundup: Cabinet Takes Show On The Road
February 8, 2015
Lawmakers returned to Tallahassee this week — just in time for the center of attention to leave them behind.
Normally, the Cabinet’s annual trip to the Florida State Fair is almost as much a sideshow as the event itself, an occasion for the governor and the three Cabinet members to escape the Capitol for Tampa. This year, though, the distractions of Tallahassee followed the quartet.
Gov. Rick Scott’s handling of the forced resignation of Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Gerald Bailey continued to dominate the news and the Cabinet’s agenda. Scott took responsibility for the botched handling of Bailey’s departure.
Back at the Capitol, Scott’s budget took some hits, largely from Democrats, as it began the normal trek for a governor’s spending plan, from proposal to respectful hearing to being scrapped in favor of what lawmakers want to do. A $2 billion gamble written into the plan drew the most skepticism.
Speaking of, gambling was one of the few sins not up for debate at the Capitol this week. Some legislators bounced around the idea of “sin taxes,” while sheriffs took aim at a proposal that would legalize medical marijuana and the Senate began a new discussion about super-sized beer bottles known as growlers. The only temptations Cabinet members faced in Tampa were the fried Oreos and other goodies on sale.
FAIR QUESTIONS
Even before the Cabinet meeting, Scott’s office was trying to run damage control on the controversy — the word “scandal” has started appearing in some places — surrounding Bailey’s departure. On Monday, the governor’s office pushed back specifically on claims that Scott’s staff forced Bailey to resign immediately in December.
In an email to reporters, Scott’s office said the governor didn’t instruct anyone on staff to remove Bailey immediately. “Gerald Bailey was asked to work out his transition with his successor,” the email said.
The email, which was in the form of frequently asked questions, also gave a simple “no” to the following question: “Does Gov. Scott agree that his staff decided to force Gerald Bailey to resign immediately without the governor’s direct knowledge?” That answer became necessary because, the week before, Attorney General Pam Bondi suggested that maybe the firing was mishandled because Scott wasn’t directly involved in some of the decisions surrounding Bailey’s ouster.
Meanwhile, media organizations and open-government advocates opened up two new fronts in the battle. The Associated Press, the Florida Society of Newspaper Editors, Citizens for Sunshine and a St. Petersburg attorney filed a lawsuit alleging that the handling of Bailey’s resignation violated the Sunshine Law.
The lawsuit focuses on conversations between Scott’s staff and aides for other Cabinet members concerning Bailey’s exit. The staff discussions were a way for Scott to work around the state’s open-meetings laws, the suit contends.
Scott’s office has said no laws were broken by the discussions.
Meanwhile, the Tallahassee-based First Amendment Foundation wrote a letter to Bondi asking for a special prosecutor to look into whether the Sunshine Law was violated. (The News Service of Florida is a member of the foundation.)
“A prosecutor outside of Leon County — one who does not reside and work in the same town as those under investigation — should be appointed,” wrote Barbara Petersen, the foundation’s president. “Otherwise, public confidence in the investigation itself will be compromised.”
But after the Cabinet meeting in Tampa, Bondi said she didn’t have the authority to do that.
For his part, Scott acknowledged Thursday “it is clear, in hindsight, that I could have handled it better.” But mea culpas aside, Scott and the Cabinet rejected a request by state Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater to reconsider the appointment of Rick Swearingen, who replaced Bailey.
Scott could get a second chance at handling the removal of agency heads. The Cabinet decided to start a process at its next meeting to consider Scott’s move to possibly replace three others, including the state’s long-serving insurance commissioner.
BILLIONS WORTH OF OPTIMISM
While the governor was trying to handle criticisms of his human-resources practices, his budget was coming under siege from critics, particularly Democrats, who faulted the $77 billion spending plan for relying on federal health-care dollars to help balance the state’s books.
Democrats grilled Scott’s budget director, Cynthia Kelly, during a presentation before the House Appropriations Committee about Scott’s proposal for the budget year that begins July 1. Many of their questions focused on $2 billion pot of health-care money — more than $1 billion of which is federal money that the government might no longer provide — that Scott included despite the fact that the program is set to expire June 30.
Kelly said officials with the state’s Agency for Health Care Administration were meeting with federal officials to try to negotiate an extension of the Low Income Pool, or “LIP,” program. The federal government extended the program during the current budget year, but has given state officials no guarantees that LIP will be renewed again.
“It is my understanding that they are hopeful that they will be able to get an extension on those LIP funds and, that’s why we included in our budget recommendations the continuation of the LIP program as it currently stands,” Kelly said.
Democrats weren’t satisfied with the explanation. The LIP program provides extra money to hospitals and other types of health providers that care for large numbers of poor and uninsured patients.
“My concern is, are we being fiscally irresponsible by including those dollars in this proposed budget when there is a very real chance and likelihood that those dollars will go away?” said Rep. Janet Cruz of Tampa, the top Democrat on the committee.
But another key part of Scott’s spending plan was already moving. A proposal that would allow about 2,000 businesses to avoid the state’s corporate-income tax got approval from the Senate Finance and Tax Committee. The panel unanimously backed a proposal (HB 138) by Chairwoman Dorothy Hukill, R-Port Orange, that would increase a tax exemption on corporate income.
Under current law, the first $50,000 of a corporation’s income is exempt from the tax. Hukill’s bill would increase that exemption to $75,000. Scott proposed the same cut in his tax package.
That reduction, costing the state about $18.7 million annually, is just a portion of the $673 million in cuts that Scott wants. Most of Scott’s tax-cutting zeal is focused on a reduction in the communications-services tax, applied to cell-phone bills and cable and satellite television. The communications-services tax cut is projected to reduce state revenues by $470.9 million and save an average Florida family about $43 a year.
Hukill has a similar, though somewhat smaller, measure (SB 110) than what Scott proposed. Hukill said she will file an amendment that expands her bill to match Scott’s proposal.
But even with the Senate moving forward with key parts of what Scott wants, Hukill said any final tax package remains a couple of months from being completed. She expected the package will follow a process similar to the 2014 legislative session in which lawmakers gave Scott his requested $500 million in election-year tax cuts, even if the cuts didn’t exactly line up with his initial proposals.
MONEY FOR MISDEEDS
Taxes might not be going down on sin, though. There might even be some support for making it more expensive to be naughty. Patrons of strip clubs and adult theaters would have to pay a state surcharge before going in, under a proposal being looked at by state lawmakers who also want to close a tax loophole enjoyed by roll-your-own cigarette shops.
The House Finance & Tax Committee, which is usually more averse to tax hikes, agreed Tuesday to further consider separate “sin tax” bills.
One proposal would impose entry requirements on adult establishments, including a $10 fee on top of any other existing admission charges. Also, it would require the business to keep records of customers.
The second proposal is intended to prohibit businesses from masquerading as roll-your-own “clubs” to avoid charging state and federal taxes on cigarette sales. Lawmakers said the proposal shouldn’t be seen as a tax increase, but as leveling the field for businesses now charging the proper taxes on cigarette sales.
Committee Chairman Matt Gaetz, R-Fort Walton Beach, said the proposals would discourage people from frequenting the businesses and could reroute revenue to such efforts as helping victims of human trafficking.
“Should the resources that go to rehabilitate victims of human trafficking come from all 19 million Floridians,” Gaetz asked, “or should people who frequent adult entertainment establishments, which have become a focal point for that illicit trade, pay a disproportionate share to help rehabilitate victims?”
Other sins were also discussed this week. The Florida Sheriffs Association, meeting at Amelia Island, voted to oppose a bill (SB 528) filed by Sen. Jeff Brandes, R-St. Petersburg, that would allow medical marijuana and set up a detailed regulatory structure involving patients, doctors, growers and retail stores.
Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri, who is the association’s legislative chairman, said Brandes’ proposal included “loose language” that the sheriffs worried could allow “de facto recreational use” of marijuana. The organization helped defeat a November ballot measure that would have legalized medicinal pot.
Meanwhile, state regulators were grappling with how to set up a more limited version of medical marijuana that’s already in law. A panel crafting rules regulations to jump-start the “Charlotte’s Web” industry replaced a lottery system, scrapped by a judge in November, with a scorecard to pick five nurseries to grow, process and distribute types of pot authorized by the Legislature last year.
The 12-member committee also set an application fee at $75,000 and tried to find ways to avoid the need for legislative approval of the regulations in the hope of getting non-euphoric cannabis to sick children as quickly as possible.
The panel spent more than 25 hours Wednesday and Thursday hashing out a rule to provide a regulatory framework for the new industry.
And discussion of alcohol was also on tap this week, as the Senate Regulated Industries Committee tried to address the issue of “growlers” — but the bill (SB 186) ended up getting put on the shelf instead.
The measure, by Sen. Jack Latvala, R-Clearwater, is a straightforward proposal to end the state’s prohibition on brewers being able to fill 64-ounce growlers for off-site consumption. Florida allows brewers to fill other size containers, but the half-gallon size is considered the most popular.
But some proposed changes in the bill failed an initial taste test with large distributors and some lawmakers, leading to the temporary hold.
STORY OF THE WEEK: Gov. Rick Scott and the Cabinet continued to discuss personnel issues following the forced resignation of former FDLE Commissioner Gerald Bailey.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK: “You don’t smoke medicine.”—Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri, opposing a measure that would legalize medical marijuana.
by Brandon Larrabee, The News Service of Florida
TaxWatch Analyzes Governor Scott’s Proposed Budget
February 8, 2015
The latest Budget Watch Report from Florida TaxWatch, released Thursday, analyzes and explains Governor Rick Scott’s proposed $77 million budget plan for FY 2015-16.
“We are pleased to present our annual review of the Governor’s budget recommendations to help taxpayers understand what it is in the 350 page budget proposal and how the spending plan will affect them,” said Dominic M. Calabro, President and CEO of Florida TaxWatch, the independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit public policy research institute and government watchdog. “Understanding the state budget is critical for citizens to be truly informed about their government. In addition to the Budget Watch series, which reports on Florida’s budget process throughout the year, we encourage taxpayers to review our two-page primers on different Florida government programs, to learn what the budget funds and why.”
The report highlights important spending issues and analyzes proposed tax cuts and cost savings recommendation, and shows how the budget will impact the general revenue fund. It also compares the proposed budget, by agency, to both current year expenditures and the agency legislative budget requests.
The proposed budget contains tax cuts, forward-thinking investments and efficiency improvements recommended in Florida TaxWatch research. One of tax cuts included in the $673 million package is the reduction of the state portion of the Communications Services Tax. Florida’s statewide Communications Services Tax levy is the highest in the nation. In addition to calling for a reduction in the Communications Services Tax, Florida TaxWatch has also recommended that the Legislature eliminate the sales tax on commercial leases.
“The Governor’s budget includes smart investments like cutting taxes, while increasing spending on things that are important to Floridians, such as education and the environment, and still maintains healthy reserves,” said Kurt Wenner, Vice President of Research of Florida TaxWatch. “Florida TaxWatch will continue to urge the Governor and the Legislature to include other cost savings and policy improvements in the final budget, such as those included in the 2015 Florida TaxWatch Government Efficiency report, which will result in billions of dollars of savings for Florida taxpayers for years to come.”
To read the full TaxWatch report, click here.
Steven Merrill Still
February 8, 2015
Infant son Steven Merrill Still, passed away Monday, February 2, 2015, in Bay Minette.
He is preceded in death by his grandparents, Merrill and Pat Still and Steve Merchant.
He is survived by his parents, John B. Still and Stephanie Merchant; grandmother, Mary Merchant; two brothers, Hayden Thrower and Jon Christian Still; two sisters, Hannah Thrower and Mikaela Still, all of Atmore.
Graveside services were held Friday February 6, 2015, at Judson Cemetery at Poarch, with Bro. Cornelius Phillips officiating.
Interment will follow in Judson Cemetery.
Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home is in charge of all arrangements.
Obie Coleman
February 8, 2015
Mr. Obie Coleman, 68, passed away on Thursday, February 5, 2015, in Nokomis, Alabama.
Mr. Coleman was a native of Lottie, Alabama and a resident of Nokomis for most of his life. Mr. Coleman was retired from Swift Lumber Co. with 26 years of service. He loved to farm and he farmed for several local farmers. He is preceded in death by his parents, William & Allean Coleman; sister, June Coleman; and four brothers, James, William, Major and Don Coleman.
Survivors include his wife of 46 years, Euline Coleman of Nokomis; two daughters, Wendy Coleman (Don) Moye of Atmore and Cindy Coleman of Nokomis; two brothers, Cecil Coleman of Atmore and Curtis Coleman of Georgia; four sisters, Jean (Jerry) Searcy of Nokomis, Christine Cormier of Nokomis, Minnie (Willie) English of Walnut Hill and Nancy Haselback of Georgia; and two grandchildren, Cierra Moye Wilkins and Amanda Colleen Moye.
Funeral services were held Sunday, February 8, 2015, at the Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home with Bro. Allen Chase officiating.
Burial was at the Oak Hill Cemetery.
Pallbearers were Wayne Harrison, Michael Harrison, Glendon Harrison, Cory Flowers, Jimmy Flowers and John Ault.
Honorary pallbearers were Josh Ray, Jim Harrison, Scotty Flowers and Randy Johnson.
Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Homes is in charge of all arrangements.
Diana Faye Tremer Robinson
February 8, 2015
Mrs. Diana Faye Tremer Robinson, age 63 of Castleberry, AL, passed away Friday, February 6, 2015, in a Montgomery, AL hospital.
Mrs. Robinson was born in Hattiesburg, Mississippi and had lived most of her life in Castleberry. She was a homemaker and was of the Baptist faith. Mrs. Robinson was preceded in death by her husband, James Robinson; and a sister, Libby Madden.
She is survived by two sons, Adam (LaDana) Robinson of Castleberry and Jonathan Robinson of Castleberry; three daughters, Teresa (Ryan) Burt of Millbrook, AL, Tracy (Phillip) Blackmon of Holtville, AL, and Ashley Weaver of Castleberry; one brother, Tommy Tremer of Brewton; three sisters, Betty Townson of Century, Mary Louise Brawner of South Carolina, and Carolyn Keely of Cantonment; and 12 grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held on Monday, February 9, 2015, at 2 p.m. from the chapel of Craver’s Funeral Home with speaker Claudia Langley officiating.
Interment will follow at Cedar Creek Cemetery.
Visitation will be held at Craver’s Funeral Home on Monday, February 9, 2015, from 1 p.m. until service time.
Pallbearers will be Adam Robinson, Jonathan Robinson, Keith Robinson, Tim Robinson, Phillip Blackmon, and Ryan Burt.
Donnie Leon Mimms
February 8, 2015
Mr. Donnie Leon Mimms, age 72 of Flomaton, passed away on Friday, February 6, 2015, at Atmore Community Hospital.
Mr. Mimms was a native of Pensacola and a member of the Flomaton community for 35 years. He was a veteran of the United States Army and United States Navy. He worked as a contractor in the construction field and was a member of First Baptist Church of Flomaton.
He is survived by his wife of 43 years, Mrs. Mary Mimms of Flomaton; brothers, Ronnie Mimms of Roundrock, TX, Roy Mimms of Magnolia Springs, AL and Charles Mimms of Pensacola; sisters, Velda Cook of Grapevine, TX, Velma Pinton of Baghdad, FL; brother-in-law, Jim (Sandy Henry) Nieznany of Flomaton; brother-in-law, Vernon (Betty) Leonard of Azle, TX; and neice, Laura Henry of Dothan, AL.
Graveside services will be held for Mr. Mimms on Monday, February 9, 2015, at Flomaton Cemetery at 10 a.m. with Rev. Dustin Stockstill officiating.
Flomaton Funeral Home directing.
Paul M. Brown
February 8, 2015
Paul M. Brown, 89, of Cantonment, passed away on February 4, 2015, after a long illness. Paul was a native Floridian, born on December 19, 1925, near Lakeland to Lee and Pauline Brown, and grew up at Bratt in Escambia County. He was a veteran of World War II. He worked at Cantonment’s paper mill for 36 years, retiring from Champion Paper Co. in 1991. An avid fisherman, he and his wife Betty spent much of his retirement years on their houseboat near Stockton.
He is preceded in death by his wife, Gladys ‘Teenie’ Brown; and son, Roland.
He is survived by his wife, Betty Frances Brown; sons, Russell G. (Karla) Brown and Randy K. Brown of Cantonment; Rodney M. (Faye) Brown of McDavid; Randy W. Hall of Mobile; daughter, Wanda A. Hall of Atmore; 14 grandchildren, 20 great-grandchildren and sister, Grace Long. A granddaughter penned this of him: “The cutest, sweetest, kindest, most amazing man EVER! Heaven has certainly gained another beautiful angel today.”
Funeral services will be held at Faith Chapel Funeral Home North in Cantonment on Monday, February 9, 2015, at 2 p.m.
Graveside service will follow at the family cemetery at Christian Home Church in McDavid.
Pallbearers will be his grandchildren, Barry Brown, Jarrod Brown, Andrew DuFrain, Randy Hall Jr., Matthew Gunter, and Shay Thigpen.
Faith Chapel Funeral Home North is in charge of arrangements.
Geneva Rolin Shivers
February 8, 2015
Mrs. Geneva Rolin Shivers, 76, passed away on Thursday, February 5, 2015, in Pensacola.
Mrs. Shivers was a native of Atmore and a resident of Flomaton for most of her life. Mrs. Shivers was a tribal member of the Poarch Band of Creek Indians and a charter member of Unity Baptist Church. Her parents; three brothers and two daughters-in-law precede her in death.
Survivors include her husband of 59 years, Roy W. Shivers, Sr. of Flomaton; two sons, Roy W. (Wendy M.) Shivers, Jr. of Atmore and William Kenneth Shivers of Flomaton; five brothers, David (Dorothy) Rolin of Atmore, Clarence (Diane) Rolin of Canoe, Rayford Rolin of Atmore, Raymond Rolin of Atmore, and Norman Rolin of Atmore; three sisters, Mabel (Sherrel) Lambert of Atmore, Joyce Kuhn of Atmore and Debra Strickland of Atmore; five grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Funeral services were held Saturday, February 7, 2015, at the Unity Baptist Church with Rev. Gene Pickern officiating.
Burial will follow at the Springhill Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery.
Pallbearers were Frank Williams, Gene VanHoosen, Danny King, Joe Shivers, Jr., Charles West and John West.
Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Homes is in charge of all arrangements.
Great, Warm Weekend Weather
February 7, 2015
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
- Saturday Night Increasing clouds, with a low around 45. South wind around 5 mph.
- Sunday Mostly sunny, with a high near 71. South wind 5 to 10 mph.
- Sunday Night A 20 percent chance of showers after midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 50. South wind around 5 mph.
- Monday A 20 percent chance of showers before noon. Partly sunny, with a high near 70. West wind 5 to 10 mph becoming northwest in the afternoon.
- Monday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 38. North wind around 10 mph.
- Tuesday Sunny, with a high near 59. North wind 5 to 10 mph.
- Tuesday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 37. North wind around 5 mph.
- Wednesday Sunny, with a high near 69.
- Wednesday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 38.
- Thursday Mostly sunny, with a high near 59.
- Thursday Night A 20 percent chance of showers. Partly cloudy, with a low around 31.
- Friday A 20 percent chance of showers. Sunny, with a high near 50.
Progress Continues On New Escambia 4-H Facility
February 7, 2015
Progress is continuing toward the completion of the new Escambia County 4-H facility on Chalker Road in Molino, with construction underway on six pole barns on the property.
Six companies bid on the on the installation of one 40×60-foot, two 30×60-foot and three 24×48-foot pole barns on the 4-H property located at Chalker Road and Highway 99. Low bidder on the project was J. Miller Construction Company at $82,196.91. Other bids ranged from $91,500 fro Trammell Construction to $140,000 from Dominguez Design-Build.
The site includes two parcels — a 79.5 acre lot that already includes a covered barn and will be home to most 4-H activities and a 28.7 parcel that will be used for livestock activities.
Construction should be complete within one to three years on facilities set to include restrooms, a small classroom, nature trails, campsites for tent camping, fire pit for outdoor cooking and group events, bird blind, archery area, low ropes course, a horse arena, and livestock facilities for shows, clinics, animal science seminars and field days. The facility will also allow 4-H’ers to study astronomy, meteorology, animal science, plant science, soil science, water quality, health sciences, environmental science and more.
In 2012, the children and teens on the 4-H County Council voted to sell their 240 acre Langley Bell 4-H Center to Navy Federal Credit Union.
Pictured: Progress on barn construction recently at the new Escambia County 4-H facility on Chalker Road in Molino. Photos for NortheEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
