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On the same day the Leon County Grand Jury begins its inquiry into Ray Sansom, David Plyer, the man who helped trigger the Sansom investigation, has filed a new ethics compaint.

This time it is against Lt. Governor Jeff Kottkamp. Plyer accuses Kottkamp of corruptly funding his travel from his home in Ft. Myers to the Capitol. Read the complaint here: kottkamp-ethics-complaint

Economists met in Tallahassee today to figure out how many students will attend Florida’s public schools next year. Unless there are major decreases in the student population over the next two years, many schools will have problems meeting class size requirements. As Whitney Ray tells us, lawmakers are looking for ways to postpone the class size amendment to save schools money.

While Florida’s schools look for places to cut spending, a costly requirement to cap class sizes lurks around the corner. Right now a school wide average is used to measure class sizes. In 2010 the state will evaluate classes individually. Some principals say meeting the required ratio will be difficult because of budget cuts.

“You can’t have it both ways. You can’t meet class size and only fund 80 teachers at a high school of 2,000 kids. It’s impossible,” said Leon High School Principal Rocky Hanna.

The class size amendment caps kindergarten through 3rd grade classes at 18 students, 4th through 8th grade at 22, and high schools at 25.

The state has spent 10.5 billion dollars to reduce class sizes. It would cost an extra 1.5 billion to reach the final goal, but lawmakers want to put the plan on hold because of dwindling state revenues. Florida’s Education Association says lawmakers are using the economy as a copout.

“Their have been people who have opposed this from the very beginning and I think a lot of those people are using the downturn in the economy to go ahead and put a dagger in class size,” said FEA Spokesman Mark Pudlow.

This year only 39 schools out of more than 3,000 failed to meet the current class size requirements. As a punishment, schools violating the class size amendment are forced to move money earmarked for teacher’s salaries and operating costs to construction projects. The Department of Education waived the penalty for the 39 schools who failed to meet the requirements this year.

Florida is missing out on 3.4 billion federal stimulus dollars for cutting billions from education.

A “maintenance of effort” clause in the federal bill penalizes states where education funding fell below 2006 levels. Governor Charlie Crist sent a letter to the US Department of Education asking for a waiver. Florida Education Association spokesman Mark Pudlow said the state will have to answer for the cuts they’ve made to public schools.

“The maintenance of effort was put in there so that states like Florida, who cut their education budget, wouldn’t be rewarded for cutting their education budget by getting stimulus money. So I think that they’re going to have to answer some questions to the federal government as to why the budget was cut for education, particularly because we are not a generous state as far as education is concerned,” said Pudlow.

Crist met with US Department of Education Secretary Arne Duncan Sunday, to talk about waving the penalty.

A plan to release 3,900 inmates from Florida prisons is being discussed in Tallahassee. Releasing the inmates would allow the state to postpone building three new prisons at a cost of 300 million taxpayer dollars. As Whitney Ray tells us, The Department of Corrections doesn’t support the early release plan, but says something needs to be done to cut down the state’s prison population.

Hear it Here: Inmate Release Plan

The state plans to build three new prisons at a hundred million dollars a piece to keep up with the growing inmate population. Florida’s biggest business lobby says it would be cheaper to release 3,900 inmates.

“We are major providers of state taxes, though the revenues that we give to the state of Florida. We want a better bang for our buck,” said AIF President Barney Bishop.

The release plan wouldn’t apply to murders, pedophiles, or armed robbers. Only non-violent offenders would be eligible for release.

The Florida Police Benevolent Association support efforts to cut down on the prison population, but questions giving out ‘get out of jail free cards’.

“It would send a shock wave through the system. I don’t think that’s good public policy,” said PBA Spokesman Matt Puckett.

One out of every three inmates released from Florida Prisons end up back in the system. The plan would require released inmate to receive job training. The Department of Corrections opposes early releases, but supports the training portion.

“Inmates that receive basic education, substance abuse training, are far less likely to go out into the community, create a new crime and come back into our system,” said DOC Spokeswoman Gretl Plessinger.

Another idea to help balance the state’s shrinking budget includes shipping prisoners out of state or to private prisons. Lawmakers say the state could save 24 million by outsourcing prison services. Police lobby groups say send inmates out of state jeopardizes the jobs of Florida’s correctional officers.

As the economy softens the state is being bombarded with applications from people who want to carry a concealed firearm. 95,000 are still waiting on their permits. As Whitney Ray tells us, the rush to legally carry a weapon comes as food stamp and unemployment numbers skyrocket.

Hear it Here: 95,000 Waiting on Gun Permits

These 18 gallon tubs full of paper represent just a few of the 95-thousand weapon permit applications the state is struggling to process.

“This is simply an explosion of applications,” said Liz Compton, a spokeswoman with the Department of Agriculture.

Applications for conceal-carry permits began to skyrocket about a year ago. Then the day after the election, fears of stricter gun laws spawned a second wave. Now the threat of a souring economy turning violent is fueling the fire.

“People are getting licenses to carry so they can protect themselves and their families,” said NRA Spokeswoman Marion Hammer.

8.1 percent unemployment and a flood of food stamp applications are overburdening state employees. DCF Secretary George Sheldon said people are getting desperate. Sheldon wants to speed up the food stamp application process.

“If somebody’s hungry, they’re not planning to be hungry 30 days from now. They’re hungry today,” said Sheldon.

DCF wants more money to keep up with the demand for food stamps, which could keep people from getting desperate. The Department of Agriculture will use money from a conceal-carry trust fund to handle its backlog.

There is a slight bright side to all the increases. Pawnshops and gun stores are seeing a spike in sales and the state is creating jobs to handle the licensing and food stamp applications.

The Department of Agriculture is taking applications to hire 61 temporary workers to help with the backlog. DCF hopes to use federal stimulus and state dollars to create 288 positions.

People hungry and fed up with long waiting periods to get food stamps are turning to food banks to feed their families.

Florida’s food banks gave away 72 million pounds of food last year. Food bank workers say it’s getting harder to meet the demand. They’re asking the state to speed up the food stamp application process. President of the Florida Food Bank Association David Reaney said charities are picking up the slack.

“We can’t keep up with the demand if the food stamp program is also not keeping up with the demand. That’s why getting the program working is so important,” said Reaney.

The Department of Children and Families should receive 22 million federal stimulus dollars. DCF is also asking the state for an additional six million. The department wants to use the money to create 288 jobs to help speed up the food stamp application process.

President Barrack Obama and Governor Charlie Crist are neck and neck in a popularity contest.

According to a Quinnipiac Poll released today 64 percent of Florida voters says Obama is doing a good job. 67 approve of the job Crist is doing. The stimulus package isn’t as popular. 51 percent of Floridians think it will have a positive impact on the state’s economy, but Pollster Peter Brown says 49 percent don’t like the giveaway.

“They are much more pessimistic about the state and national economy than they are about their own wallets and their own pocket books. More than 9 in 10 Floridian classified the state and national economy as not so good, but only slightly more than have say they would classify their own finances that way,” said Brown.

Sixty percent of Floridians polled say they don’t think the stimulus package will help their finances.

Florida’s seven pari-mutual tracks in Dade and Broward made a pitch today for a “level playing field” with the Seminole Tribe.

The pitch was made to Democratic house members who heard from the Seminoles last week. The tracks say since gaming on Seminole reservations began in May 2007, their profits are down dramatically. The tracks say leveling the playing field includes a lot of things.

“The playing field we are referring to is more about product, hours of operation and being able to compete in the market area. Tax is a big part of competing and that’s why we’re saying it needs to be reduced to a level that when we ran the campaign we were comfortable with,” said Dan Adkins, CEO of Mardi Gras Gaming.

The tracks in South Florida also want the legislature to give them black jack and the other games being operated by the Seminoles. But the Tribe says if those games are legalized at the tracks, the Tribe won’t have to pay the state a dime.

Florida Insurance regulators got into a sparring match with the industry
today over whether it is proper to use credit scores to set auto
insurance rates. As Mike Vasilinda tells us, the contentious hearing
could result in the scores being outlawed for rate setting purposes.

Hear it Here: Credit Scores Affect Car Insurance Rates

How much you pay for car insurance depends more on your credit score than
your driving record.

Testifying under oath, insurance executives sparred with regulators over
the accuracy of using credit scores to set auto insurance rates. They
contend credit scores more accurately predict losses than driving
records. What they couldn’t explain was why.

“What you think is a weakness, and not knowing why there is a correlation, is not a knowable thing,” Michael Miller with the Florida Insurance Council said.  It’s not knowable for any risk factor.”

Two bills have been filed in the legislature to stop the use of credit scores in setting auto insurance rates.

Sponsor Ronda Storms says it just isn’t fair.

“The credit scoring has no impact on their driving skills, on their ticketing,” Storms said.

Hundreds of companies advertise ways to improve your credit score.
Economist Birny Birnbaum says the some time inaccurate scores do not
reflect risk.

“Would you call someone financially irresponsible, if their spouse was in the hospital with cancer and they decided that instead of paying the credit card bills, they were going to pay the hospital?” Birnbaum said.

The insurance industry countered by saying that without credit scores in the mix, half of
all minorities could see their auto insurance go up.

After today’s hearing, regulators will sift through the testimony and make recommendations to the legislature. Previous attempts to ban the use of credit scores for rate setting have failed.

Chanting “Pass the Buck,” hundreds of volunteers from across the state rallied on the steps of the state capitol today to push for a dollar increase in the state cigarette tax.

The tax has not been raised since 1990 and Florida’s 33.9 cent tax is the 45th lowest in the nation. Bill Sponsor Representative Jim Waldman told the crowd not to accept anything less than a dollar per pack increase.

“It’s the dollar that’s going to make the difference. 65 cents, 75 cents that’s not what we need,” Waldman said. “We need to stop teen smoking, and the only way we’re going to do that is to hurt them where it hurts and that’s in the pocketbook. So please, don’t compromise on it.”

Even Republicans seem to be eying a cigarette tax increase, but their bill would raise the tax just 65 cents. A dollar a pack could put as much as a billion dollars a year in the state treasury.

Florida business leaders want stimulus money spent on infrastructure. Tax groups, economic experts, and construction contractors have looked at different ways to spend the money, and as Whitney Ray tells us, they have a plan to spend half of Florida’s 12 billion stimulus dollars to create 150,000 jobs.

Hear it Here: Business Leaders Push ‘Wise’ Stimulus Spending

As state gas tax revenues dwindled this summer, so did the road construction jobs they funded. Since September road builder Craig Elmore has laid off 50 workers.

“We’ve been in business for 56 years and I don’t know how much longer we can go on if we don’t get some help,” said Elmore.

Help is around the corner as Florida looks for ways to spend 12 billion federal stimulus dollars. State Senator Mike Fasano is siding with business leaders who say the 1.3 billion earmarked for roads should be used as soon as possible.

“It’s making certain that every dollar goes to exactly what it’s suppose to, resurfacing, building and repairing,” said Fasano.

Some of the money could be spent to update water treatment plants and pipelines.

“Getting money to stimulate change in infrastructure makes it better for you and me to drink water and it also puts people to work,” said Chuck Carden, Director of Operations for Tampa Bay Water.

And if the money begins to trickle down, business and retailers are asking consumers to shop locally. An estimated 12 billion dollars that could be spent in Florida stores is being spent online or in other states. And for every 100,000 of those dollars spent out of state, one Floridian loses their job, causing businesses to close their doors.”

Floridians are not only being encouraged to shop locally. Business leaders are also asking them to take instate vacations. Business leaders are also asking lawmakers to lift building permit restrictions in order to speed up construction projects.

Many Floridians with kidney diseases have to drain their bank accounts before they qualify for federal help with medical bills.

Lawmakers want to lift restrictions that keep many Floridians under 65 from qualifying for Medigap insurance. Medicap is an insurance plan that helps customers pay for health care cost. State Representative Ritch Workman said some families have to unload thousands of dollars saved for retirement in order to afford the help they need.

“No one chooses for their kidney’s to fail. When that happens, and you’re not 65, you’re only choice is to clear your assets until you get on Medicaid,” said Workman.

Lawmakers say providing Medigap coverage for kidney patients will save the state in the long run, by keeping people off the Medicaid rolls.

Florida voters want Governor Charlie Crist to run for re-election, but say if he throws his hat in the US Senate ring they’ll back him.

Crist says he’ll make a decision about his political future after the legislative session ends in May. The governor’s job approval rating remains high at 67 percent according to a new Quinnipiac poll released Wednesday. Pollster Peter Brown attributes Crist’s popularity to his ability to stay in the political center.

“He’s convinced a large swath of voters, regardless of their ideology or personal affiliation, that he’s doing a good job and he has their interest at heart. That’s why he does so well in the polls. That’s why you don’t see people lining up to run against him, no matter what office he runs for,” said Brown.

Quinnipiac also asked voters how they fell about expanding Seminole gaming. 63 percent think the state legislature should enter into a compact with the Seminole tribe.

Florida’s small counties are pushing lawmakers to offset tax breaks given to land owners. Voters approved the breaks last November, and as Mike Vasilinda tells us, the breaks are driving the counties into the red.

Hear it Here: Conservation Land

Scenic Jefferson County faces a problem all small counties are facing. Thousands of acres are being taken off the tax rolls because of voter approved Amendment 4. The amendment lets land owners to  put property into conservation and avoid taxes.  Leonard Bembry represents 10 small counties.

“When you talk about the percentage of money that they have to educate their children with, the impact is tremendous,” Bembry said.

Schools here are almost broke. Bembry wants lawmakers to reimburse small counties when land is taken off the tax rolls.

There are more than a dozen small counties scattered across the state that are all worried about losing their tax base if large chunks of land go into conservation.

36 thousand privately held acres are already off the rolls in Jefferson. Another 140 thousand acres could be. Media mogul Ted Turner is one of the county’s biggest land owners.

“We don’t reduce the taxes on our land when we put conservation easements on it,” Turner said. “No, we may put it under protection but we don’t intend to pay less taxes.”

Former State Senator Kurt Kiser moved to Jefferson 8 years ago because of its rural nature. He says small counties will survive.

“It’s going to preserve the rural way of life and the really nice farms and acreage that we have out here now,” Kisner said. So I think it’s going to help improve the tax role eventually.”

The real tax crunch for small counties hits next January.

Just under three hundred thousand acres are already under private conservation efforts across the state.  1 of every 8 acres is in Jefferson County.

A joint House-Senate committee has dampened one of the Governor’s legislative priorities.

The Governor is pushing the adoption of tougher auto emission standards developed by California. The joint legislative panel now says it is unconstitutional for Florida to let other states set our policies. Today, Crist called their decision “over thinking.”

“I don’t know that there’s so much of a problem with it,” Crist said. “I think we just need to control our emissions and make sure that we’re protecting the air. I’m excited about the possible success we could have this session with that initiative.”

Passage of the emission plan has always been a long shot. It is opposed by every large car maker in the country.