EDITORIALLY ACROSS FLORIDA THIS SUNDAY

The Winter Haven News Chief is supporting a series of increased taxes and fees which would, over eventually help close Polk County's severe infrastructure gap...nearly $600 million, as estimated at present.

The Lakeland Ledger and Gainesville Sun --- both part of the New York Times Florida Newspaper Group --- offer their support for the federal government's Clean Water State Revolving Fund, which provides low interest loans for community water and sewage projects...a program which Congress is cutting funding for.

In a case of "What's good for the goose...", the St. Petersburg Times offers a great idea: Corporate executives should give up their own retirement perks before dumping their companies' pension plans on the government...and on all of us.

Turning to 2006 politics, the Tampa Tribune opines that if the Republicans want a candidate for U.S. Senate that could truly challenge incumbant Democrat Bill Nelson, they should look to Hillsborough County's own Senate President Tom Lee.

The Orlando Sentinel rates Central Florida's representatives in the Florida House of Representatives as the legislative session has ended. Here are the best of the bunch, the muddled middle, and the bottom of the barrel. The Sentinel rates the area's senators Monday.

While the Florida Panhandle's military bases were spared the closure list, the proposed restructuring of Pensacola Naval Air Station reminds the Pensacola News Journal that the importance of protecting base missions should never be forgotten.

The Miami Herald is of the opinion that the recently ended legislative session actually accomplished little.

The South Florida Sun-Sentinel is touting a program begun by the Broward County Sheriff's Office which is being expanded countywide to keep parents informed of their teenagers' driving.

The Florida Times-Union once again touts doing away with the income tax and replacing it with a so-called "Fair Tax".

The Sarasota Herald-Tribune looks as what it calls an ill-advised dual-pronged proposal from Governor Bush during the legislative session: Constitutional amendments to 1) repeal the popularly approved class size amendment, and 2) establish a minimum beginning wage for teachers statewide. Both measures died.

And the Ocala Star-Banner laments the fact that Ocala/Marion County has twice in three years rebuffed two Fortune 500 suitors (Wal-Mart and Sysco) who wanted to build distribution centres in the area, and says that it can have both greenspace and industrial development.