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The day in Tallahassee, Wednesday, March 5, 2008

The Senate Democratic caucus agreed on six priorities for the 2008 session, dropping just one -energy and climate change – from its initial list of proposals.

Florida Republicans push ahead with budget cuts

Lawmakers vow to stay within the state’s smaller budget, a result of the economy.

House Republicans turned back a steady push Wednesday by Democrats looking to block cuts to community colleges, public schools and county health departments, forging ahead with $517 million in budget cuts.

EDITORIAL: Floridians look for help; leaders offer platitudes

Floridians face a rough year, one thats bound to get rougher after the Legislature hacks the current state government budget by $500 million before cutting an additional $2 billion-plus from the spending plan for the coming year.

Real estate tax form targets for Florida budget cuts

Speaker Marco Rubio and other Republican House leaders held a news conference Wednesday to champion the introduction of a bill to save the state $11.5 million in the first year by eliminating a real estate tax form.

‘Seat our delegates,’ Florida’s Crist, Michigan’s Granholm tell Democrats, GOP

Republican Gov. Charlie Crist of Florida and Democratic Gov. Jennifer M. Granholm of Michigan on Wednesday called their parties’ decision to penalize their states’ presidential delegates “reprehensible” and said something must be done to give them a voice at this summer’s nominating conventions.

Crist has hospital agenda

But no member of the Florida House seems interested in the governor’s deregulation ideas

In his State of the State address Tuesday night, Gov. Charlie Crist again pitched his plan to increase hospital competition.

Brown & Brown opens first overseas operation

Brown & Brown Inc. has established a wholesale brokerage based in London, . It is the company’s first operation based outside the United States.

EDITORIAL: State erects barrier after barrier to halt citizens’ ballot initiatives

Has Florida stooped to Third World tactics?

Imagine waking to being informed of the following headline: “Diebold Accidentally Leaks Results Of 2008 Election.”

Company’s house call clears the air

When Kim Ficken was getting her Seminole home ready for sale, she ran across a new service to disinfect it and thought for a few hundred dollars, it was worth a try.

State seizes $20 million from forfeiture programs

The U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Florida announced today that in 2007, almost $20 million in cash and property was recovered from criminals, with about $16 million paid to local, state and federal law enforcement, including many in Southwest Florida.

House Passes Equity Bill For Mental Health Coverage

The House voted yesterday to require equal health insurance coverage for mental and physical illnesses when policies cover both.

Storm Intensity Remains Challenge for Forecasters

The new head of the National Hurricane Center says the big challenge for forecasters is predicting the intensity of hurricanes.

Legislators Adopt Resolution in Support of Agent Licensing Registry

The National Conference of Insurance Legislators’ Executive Committee unanimously adopted a widely supported Resolution in Support of the National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR) and urged all states to fully implement NIPR services to eliminate unnecessary hurdles in producer licensing during its Spring Meeting in Washington, D.C., on March 1.

Residents sue Atlanta over sewers, water damages

Shirley Franklin bills herself as Atlanta’s sewer mayor.

Lloyds joins fray with insurance comparison site

Lloyds TSB (LLOY.L: Quote, Profile, Research) stepped into the cut-throat insurance price comparison market on Thursday and launched its own site for consumers to compare motor premiums, going head-to-head with Moneysupermarket and Confused.com.

OPINION: Homeland Security’s Struggle

The Department of Homeland Security celebrates its fifth birthday this week, and hopefully not with a bang. This has to be the only agency in government whose biggest achievement is when nothing happens.

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