Republicans Abandoning the "Kill Florida's Future" Amendment

The horrible tax plan they've spawned now isn't good enough for some Florida Republicans:

Sen. Lisa Carlton, R-Osprey, on Thursday told a Sarasota audience that she is "leaning no" on the Jan. 29 constitutional amendment, concerned the proposal does not go far enough to fix Florida's property tax problems.

Other Republicans who are waffling on their own idiotic plan:

Mike Bennett
State Rep. Doug Holder

Their explanation? It doesn't go "far enough." It certainly goes far enough in destroying the future of the state. So, good for them, I guess, for doing the right thing, even if it is for the wrong reasons.

Sneak Attack

We really need to keep an eye on this guy:

Sen. Don Gaetz,a Niceville Republican and chairman of the Senate Education Committee, this morning asked a committee of the Florida Taxation and Budget Reform Commission to put a constitutional amendment on the 2008 ballot to overturn the state Supreme Court decision that outlawed one of Florida's voucher programs. Gaetz also suggested offering voters a swap: Freeze class size reduction efforts at their current levels to offset the projected loss of money for schools that may occur if voters approve next year's supersized homestead exemption. That exemption goes before voters next Jan. 29.

Gaetz also railed against the Board of Governors, which has just recently asserted that it has the power to set university tuition rates. He said the Board of Governors should not have the power to "tax students and parents" while also forcing the Legislature to spend more money on Bright Futures scholarship programs. "They become the automatic pilot on appropriations," said Gaetz, who urged an amendment to make it clear that lawmakers should control tuition.

Gaetz really does appear to be a bad guy. I really am tired of these Republican "double jeopardy" attacks on progressive policies. We need to enact at least a 10-year moratorium on making the public re-vote on an Amendment. And maybe we should actually put a stipulation in there that the government has to actually try to achieve the amendment before we repeal it.

Welcome

This is a new state blog for Florida's Senate, designed to keep an eye on the activities of the Republicans who misrepresent us in Tallahassee.

If you are interested in posting at Florida Senate Watch, drop me a line at quinnelk@hotmail.com with some idea of your Democratic and/or progressive credentials and I'll add you as a blogger.