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Being fast should not be confused with being efficient, particularly when it comes to spending the public's money. So lawmakers should see the state's chief financial officer, Jeff Atwater, is right that empowering his agency to review state contracts and stop faulty ones could save the state millions of dollars.
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It seems to be open season on law enforcement officers. Seven Florida officers were shot to death in 2011. Nationally, 68 officers were gunned down, the second-highest number of the last decade. More officers were killed by guns last year than by automobile accidents, a rarity.
The IRS does a good job of not leaking personal information we taxpayers are required to report. It is also good at guarding the confidentiality of someone pretending to be you and stealing a big refund in your name.
Tampa International Airport, one of the world's easiest for passengers to navigate, is surrounded by as confusing a knot of roads as a traveler is likely to encounter. The many merges and irreversible choices can frustrate even an alert driver, especially in heavy traffic.
We hope lawmakers paid close attention to House Speaker Dean Cannon's opening day speech, which addressed a serious threat to Florida's economy.
Republicans are just starting the exciting job of picking the best candidate to represent them in November. Tuesday's strong victory by Mitt Romney in New Hampshire eliminated no one.
Gov. Rick Scott is no inspirational speaker, and his State of the State address Tuesday was hardly inspiring. But we give the governor credit for consistency and sincerity.
The weekend arrest of a suspected terrorist accused of plotting to blow up sites in Tampa has two reassuring aspects.
"Revenue" is not a four-letter word, though it has been turned into one by the forces that pretend to lead this state. So, with that in mind, here's your civics test for the day:
Gambling opponents in Florida were already facing a tough fight this legislative session against the well-financed push for casino resorts in South Florida.
Economists warn that the Florida budget, already turned upside down and shaken by a previous Legislatures looking for every spare dime, is coming up about $2 billion short again this year.
On the last day of the 2011 legislative session, Florida senators were asked to vote on 43 conforming bills that contained 2,200 pages of changes to state law that most of us had never seen.
Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn knows various jurisdictions and private interests would love to seize control of the city's reclaimed water. Lawmakers, the Southwest Florida Water Management District and private companies have all targeted the roughly 55 million gallons of treated wastewater that the city dumps into Tampa Bay each day.
The concept of "women and children first" has its origin in the sinking of the HMS Birkenhead in shark-infested waters a few miles off South Africa in 1852.
Let's be honest: We all know you're not really gonna quit smoking, start exercising and eat more kale. As Emerson wryly remarked: "All promise outruns performance."
The great thing about Iowa is that no matter whom the voters select in their neighborhood huddles, it doesn't really matter. Placing in Iowa might land one a talk show (see Mike Huckabee), but the preferences of a handful of Americans belonging to a committed, ideological subset of a committed, ideological party do not a national trend suggest. The presumptive candidate proceeds apace.
"A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds."
Despite the media frenzy, the Iowa caucuses are a modest sideshow in the long political process of selecting a presidential candidate.
Despite their political differences, key Florida leaders are showing a united front on behalf of the Everglades, which should encourage citizens who care about the state's natural wonders.
The Hillsborough County Commission deserves credit for capitalizing on the past to create new economic opportunities.
Granted, the nation has too much costly litigation, but citizens also should watch closely whenever lawmakers begin monkeying with their rights. Too often the politicians end up stacking the legal deck for special interests.
The Tampa economic recovery is gaining speed, and many well-informed people expect the acceleration to continue in 2012.
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection has no basis to continue delaying a decision on ludicrous plans to permit a garbage landfill adjacent to the environmentally sensitive Green Swamp in east Pasco County.
Outside the aviation community, some folks were surprised when FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt resigned soon after being charged in Virginia with driving drunk earlier this month.
When two members of the Florida Board of Governors pummeled University of South Florida President Judy Genshaft last week for removing an insubordinate administrator, they revealed a higher education system in shambles.
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