SUNDAY FLORIDA EDITORIAL ROUNDUP

We begin this morning with the Miami Herald, which says that while it's hard to disagree with President Bush's decision to make a national security a priority in his proposed budget, his other priority to continue cutting taxes means the likelihood of bigger deficits (IMHO, just as much of a danger to national security than terrorists blowing up buildings).

Meanwhile, the Tampa Tribune sees it from a different point of view: That the budget, which features cuts in the rate of increases for many domestic programmes, will get fat unless the president has his veto pen at the ready.

The Florida Times-Union is concerned with how Jacksonville City Council meetings are held, noting that meetings often begin late and end very late. They agree with Council President Kevin Hyde that changes are due, and offers some suggestions.

Can quality of life and development be compatiable? That's the question that leaders and residents of Santa Rosa County in the Western Panhandle have to ask themselves, according to the Pensacola News Journal editorial, which says that with the population and development explosion current underway there, some real challenges are ahead.

This morning's opinion in the South Florida Sun-Sentinel salutes the Florida Department of Children and Families and Child-Net for settling an apparant impasse and agreeing on a new contract to provide child welfare services in Broward County. Saying that DCF dodged a bullet with the agreement, the editorial reminds them that ultimately the responsibility for success remains with the state and it's agency.

Here at home, the Lakeland Ledger reminds lawmakers as they head back to Tallahassee that while things seem good for Florida now, they should begin now to prepare for the future. This reminder comes as the Council of 100 business think tank notes of a number of challenges that cannot be ignored, as well as a report released earlier by the LeRoy Collins Institute which gives an even gloomier assessment of Florida's fiscal future.

And while they're at it beginning March 7, the Space Coast newspaper Florida Today provides a reminder of it's own for legislators: Floridians expect consumer oriented reforms to resolve the insurance mess that it says puts the state's entire economy at risk. It's one of the strongest-worded editorials I've seen since I've been posting this feature and certainly worth reading.

The Fort Myers News-Press is suggesting today that the Legislature rethink it's idea of offering up to $18,000 each to buy a home in Florida in an effort to resolve the state's teacher shortage. The editorial makes the point that while the idea is laudable, what about those who have already come here...or what about police officers and other emergency and service workers who it says are equally deserving?

As Central Florida continues to grow at a rapid pace, the Orlando Sentinel opines today that most Orange County cities have acted irresponsibily to deal with school overcrowding issues, while the School Board has been "far too willing" to let others lead the charge. That said, it salutes School Board Chairwoman Karen Ardaman on calling for a summit of city and county leaders to address differences over growth issues.

On a similar note, the Ocala Star-Banner laments the growing affordable housing crisis in Ocala/Marion County, suggesting that developing a plan to deal with the issue now is only prudent in order to insure that the area's economy remains vibrant.

"Eat, Drink, and Be Wary". That's the headline over today's editorial in the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, which notes that due to staffing cuts in recent years among other problems the state Department of Hotels and Restaurants have not met inspection mandates for several years. But auditors concluded that while 78 percent of the state's hotels and motels and six percent of it's restaurants were not inspected as often as mandated during the past fiscal year, the quality of inspections is better than in the past.

The Palm Beach County Commission will select a site for the new Scripps Research Institute on Tuesday, and the Palm Beach Post weighs in with it's analysis of the four choices, and favours 30 acres located in Abacoa on the campus of Florida Atlantic University.

The Gainesville Sun reminds us that it believed that the money used to lure Scripps to Florida could have been better used supporting the State University System --- led by, of course, the hometown University of Florida. But it applauds Governor Bush for his budget recommendations this year that it says would have a more direct impact on the work being done at UF and other state institutions.

Vocational education is the subject of today's editorial in the Tallahassee Democrat, which agrees with comments made by State Representative Marco Rubio (R - Coral Gables) last week that while there was much to commend a college education, it's not for everyone. It notes that with supporters such as Representative Rubio and Education Commissioner John Winn, much-improved vo-tech edu has a fighting chance to succeed.

Finally, the Naples Daily News editorial reminds us of a part of Southwest Florida history still being used today: Bonita Springs Elementary School's facility marks 85 years since it's dedication as the community's school for all grade levels. It was noted that it the then-three room school was fenced in, but to keep cattle out.

Make it a great Sunday, and KEEP WARM...preferrably with someone close at hand.