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Florida’s troubled Department of Children and Families is once again under fire tonight. A whistleblower claims child abuse cases were routinely closed without investigation to make the department look better. As Chris Casquejo tells us, DCF leaders are withholding judgment unti they see the final report from their inspector general.

Hear it here: DCF Improperly Dismissing Child Abuse Cases?

The case of a 2-year-old girl beaten so severely that she had a skull fracture never made it past the DCF complaint stage. A preliminary report suggests that more than one regional office routinely closed cases without investigating.  News that doesn’t give parents like Randy Ferguson confidence in DCF.

“Because of what I’ve been reading and hearing, I’d be suspicious,” Ferguson said.

This is the same agency that lost Rilya Wilson in 2001 and didn’t know it for 15 months.

At the heart of the allegations, a whistleblower who says that DCF workers were improperly dismissing cases because of lack of jurisdiction.

DCF is supposed to investigate abuse reports within 24 hours.  But a whistleblower says in at least 300 cases, there was no investigation at all, just so DCF offices could look good in performance reviews.  DCF leaders are waiting for a final report from their inspector general.

“There’s no question in my mind that when a child’s safety is at stake, they’re not going to deal with some artificial performance measure to make themselves look better,” said DCF Assistant Secretary George Sheldon.

But parents say the state agency needs to do a better job of protecting children.

“That’s their job,” said Gustavo Aguilar, a father of two boys.  “That’s what they’re paid for. It shouldn’t be easy for them to overlook that.”

DCF leaders say they’ve made changes, replacing supervisors and adding more case workers to deal with the backlog of cases.

The inspector general’s report should be released in two to three weeks.

Florida’s program to give uninsured children health insurance signed up more than 17,000  children in October.  Florida KidCare now serves 1.4 million children in the state.  The program had a record number of applications for the third straight month, receiving more than 40,000.

“With the flu season around the corner, it’s especially important for children to have coverage so they can see the doctor when issues arise,” said KidCare consultant Rose Naff.

To enroll their child in Florida KidCare, parents can go to www.floridakidcare.org on the web or call 1-888-540-5437 to have an application mailed.

The Speaker of the Florida House says lawmakers need to be consulted before the Seminole tribe can expand gambling in Florida. The Governor’s office says lawmakers have no say in the matter, so as Mike Vasilinda tells us, at least one house of the legislature is going to court.

Hear it here: Gambling Deal Challenged

The ink on the gaming pact signed with the Seminoles is less than a week old, and it’s already in court.

Florida House Speaker Marco Rubio has asked the state Supreme Court to invalidate the pact…saying it must be approved by the legislature.

But the Governor’s Chief of staff made it clear during last week’s announcement that they didn’t agree.

“There is no provision in our constitution for a ratification of this compact and it is not our intention that the legislature will ratify it,” Chief of Staff George Lemieux said. “That’s certainly a decision that they can make. We are sending it off to the federal government for their approval.

Seminole Attorney Barry Richard also believes that the legislative approval isn’t required.

“There is nothing in this agreement that invades the legislative prerogatives,” Richard said.

The House Speaker’s office wasn’t available for comment, but they did produce a long list of compacts, interstate and otherwise, that they say needs legislative approval.

The Florida House is asking the Supreme Court of Florida to invalidate the Indian Gaming pact announced last week. Attached is a letter from Rubio, the petition to the Supreme Court, and a document listing all of the compacts Rubio says require legislative approval.

Rubio Letter

House Petition

Compacts in Force

The State Representative busted this summer for propositioning an
undercover police officer for oral sex in a park has resigned. Bob Allen
submitted his resignation Friday. Allen was convicted of a misdemeanor
and put on probation earlier this week. The House Speaker made it clear
that if Allen did not resign, he would be removed from office.
Allen wrote that serving in the House was an honor he will never regret. The letter also makes it clearAllen plans to appeal his conviction. The resignation is effective February 15th or sooner if a replacement can be elected.

Read the Resignation Letter Here

A grade changing investigation is rocking the state’s only public historically black university, Florida A&M. The news comes as new president James Ammons says the school is getting its money mess in order. As Chris Casquejo tells us, school leaders are being tight-lipped about the probe. 

Hear it here: Grade-changing at Florida A&M?

Allegations of grade changing are striking another blow to the credibility of Florida A&M University. How, who and how many are still unknown because police at the school aren’t saying much.

“I have no information that I can reveal or even suggest there may be criminal charges,” said Calvin Ross,” FAMU’s Department of Public Safety Chief.

But the Florida Department of Law Enforcement has been brought into the investigation. In April, state auditors warned FAMU to keep a closer eye on those who had access to grades. Word of the latest investigation spread quickly on campus. Students are hearing all kinds of stories.

“Somebody tapped into the system and changed the grades,” said FAMU student Kiara Decoursey.

FAMU President James Ammons was out of town and not available to comment. But in a statement, he said, “We have zero tolerance for this kind of behavior.”

Some students were not surprised suggesting that cheating happens every day, and not just at FAMU.

“Cheating on tests,” said FAMU student Chris Davis.  “They might look at the student’s next to them’s paper. Or they might have a little cheat sheet.”

Despite the school’s money problems and threatened loss of accreditation, students believe the university will persevere.  The investigation is just one more challenge for a president who’s only been on the job 5 months.

Because of the accounting irregularities from the previous presidency, FAMU must still prove to lawmakers and outside auditors that it can manage its own affairs.

A panel of leaders studying Florida’s tax system agreed to review certain sales tax exemptions.  The Taxation and Budget Reform Commission also wants Florida to be among states that have joined forces to support the taxation of goods sold over the Internet.  Former Senate President John McKay, now a Bradenton real estate broker, has proposed a constitutional amendment that would require lawmakers to choose and repeal exemptions and exclusions from sales taxes.  They would then use the money to replace local property taxes that fund public schools.

“Courier services or services incurred are exempt from taxation,” McKay said.  “And I thought, I use a courier service all the time to get from Bradenton to Sarasota and it saves me gas, and it saves me the time or employee time.  And if I had to pay 60 cents on 10 dollars to take something down to Sarasota, big deal.  I’m still saving employee time and gas money.  So there are lots of services in there that perhaps should be taxed.”

McKay’s proposal needs support from two-thirds of the 25 commission members to reach the November 2008 ballot.  Then 60 percent of voters would have to approve it.

Governor Charlie Crist signed an Open Bill of Rights that directs state agencies to  treat people with courtesy, respect and professionalism when they ask for public records.  It also requires officials to respond promptly, says agencies cannot charge more than the law allows for copies and bars them from demanding that requests be put in writing unless specifically required by statute.  The First Amendment Foundation praised the governor.

“It’s the bedrock of our democracy, to have people in this country be able to participate in their government,” said Adria Harper, with the First Amendment Foundation.  “Our public records laws and our sunshine laws give us a window into our government; our right to oversee it, and our right to participate.”

Crist established the Bill of Rights through an executive order, acting on a recommendation from his Commission on Open Government.

The U.S Fish and Wildlife Service has green-lighted the U.S Army Corps of Engineers to cut the amount of water flowing from Lake Lanier down into the Apalachicola River.  Georgia, Alabama and Florida have been fighting a water war 17 years.  New attention focused on the dispute because severe drought led to a water shortage in Atlanta.  But Governor Charlie Crist wants to protect the commercial fishing and oyster industry on Apalachicola Bay.  90 percent of Florida’s fresh oysters come from the bay.  The governor expressed disappointment in the ruling.  He’ll meet with Alabama’s and Georgia’s governors next month in Tallahassee.

Florida’s money problems are getting worse.  Economists predict that the state will collect $1 billion dollars less than previously expected between now and next July.  Lawmakers already cut $1.1 billion from the budget in a special session last month and will have to slash again.  As Mike Vasilinda tells us, schools worry that a new round of budget cuts could hit them hard.

Hear it here: Educators Worried About More Budget Cuts

Voters are being asked in January to cut $12 billion from property taxes while being promised schools won’t be hurt. But the vote will come just as the state may be forced to dip into its savings account or cut the state budget for the second time this year.  Wayne Blanton with the Florida School Boards Association says lawmakers need to find another revenue source, or else.

“I don’t see the legislature or the public willing to take larger class sizes and teachers not getting any pay raises and overcrowded classrooms again,” Blanton said.  “I don’t see that happening.  But those are some of the consequences that could come about.”

The gambling deal with the Seminole tribe plugs just a small amount of the budget hole. 

“There’s no question that the additional revenue is needed and will be able to fund some of the programs, fully fund, some of the programs that have been cut,” said Rep. Curtis Richardson, a Tallahassee Democrat.

But Governor Charlie Crist believes the January vote is a key to jump-starting the housing market.

“It’s a challenging time,” Gov. Crist said.  “But so long as we maintain education dollars to the classroom for the children, everything will work out.”

Whether lawmakers wait until regular session to cut the budget again, or have another special session, or dip into the state savings account, has yet to be decided.

Florida sales tax collections have been down for 12 straight months.

The U.S. Supreme Court stopped the execution of convicted child killer Mark Dean Schwab, hours before he was to die by lethal injection at the Florida State Prison.  Schwab was convicted in the 1991 raping and killing of 11-year-old Juny Rios Martinez.  Schwab was the first death row inmate scheduled to die in the state since a botched execution last year.  Governor Charlie Crist reacted to the latest ruling.

“When you realize the horrible nature of the crime that was committed, this young boy was kidnapped, raped, tortured and murdered,” the governor said.  “There’s nothing.  It’s horrible.  It’s tragic.  And if you believe in the death penalty as I do, then I think it’s important to have justice done.  There are consequences to actions like that.”

The U.S. Supreme Court is considering the appeals of two Kentucky inmates challenging the same lethal three-drug combination used in Florida.  The issue likely won’t be resolved until next summer.

The Allstate Insurance Company appeared before state regulators Thursday.  The company wants to increase some property and fire insurance premiums by a quarter to more than a third.  Allstate says it is losing money in Florida, despite posting near record profits companywide.  Allstate says it is committed to doing business in Florida.

“We are committed to the Florida property market and I wouldn’t want to speculate about on what may or may not happen with this particular rate hearing,” said Allstate spokesman Adam Shores.  “But we are committed to our customers here.  We’ve made a commitment to be there for them, to meet the promise we’ve made to them. And we’re going to stand by that commitment.”

Allstate is one of several companies that will have to answer to regulators next month about possible collusion.

The federal government still has to sign off on a 25-year agreement between the Seminole tribe and the state, but that step is a formality.  In return, the Seminoles will have card games like blackjack, slot machines, but not roulette or craps, at 7 Indian casinos.  The state gets a $50-million dollar payment upfront and a cut of the tribe’s gaming revenue going forward.  The deal could be worth $1 billion over the first 5 years, but horse and dog track owners worry that it will mean fewer customers for them.  Governor Charlie Crist says he did not want to risk the state getting nothing.

“The same thing would have been made available to the Seminole tribe and no money would have come to the taxpayers of Florida that we could hopefully utilize to pay teachers,” Gov. Crist said.  “So given that circumstance, I don’t really feel like I had a choice.”

If lawmakers ever approve an expansion of gambling in Florida, the state gets nothing from the tribe.

The numbers from state economists show bad news for Florida.  Lawmakers already cut more than $1 billion dollars from the state budget.  Now, new estimates show that Florida is facing a $2.5 billion shortfall heading into next year, meaning lawmakers will have to cut an additional $1.4 billion.  Governor Charlie Crist says voters can do their part by cutting property taxes on January 29th.
 
Sales tax revenue has declined in Florida for 12 straight months, for the longest period since 1992.

Governor Charlie Crist is pledging to do all he can to help the Tampa Bay Rays build a new stadium in downtown St. Petersburg on the waterfront.  The governor hopes it will be similar to AT&T Park, the Giants stadium that overlooks the San Francisco Bay.

“I view as a significant part of economic development what sports does for Florida, whether it’s at the college level or at the professional level,” Crist said. “It provides jobs, jobs for a lot of people.  It’s not just about the owners and the players.  It’s about the people in those communities.  This one happens to be my community.  But I also would be supportive of one in Miami.”

The governor offered few specifics on funding.  The state is facing a $2.5 billion dollar budget shortfall into next year.