A round-up of Sunday editorials from Florida’s leading newspapers

A round-up of Sunday editorials from Florida’s leading newspapers:

Tampa Bay Times — Pinellas budget invests in smart priorities

Pinellas County Administrator Mark Woodard sums up the county’s financial situation quite nicely: “The good old days aren’t here yet. But things are better.” The county’s proposed $2 billion budget for 2015-16, which will be the subject of two public hearings this month, makes worthy investments in areas ranging from law enforcement to the arts. But there remain issues from affordable housing to transportation that will need more attention as the economy continues to improve.

Like other local governments, Pinellas is benefiting from a recovering economy that is generating record tourism, more construction and rising property values. The result is that the county is poised to raise spending a modest 3.4 percent while the property tax rate will remain the same for the second straight year. That enables Pinellas to refocus on priorities that had to wait as the county slashed spending and cut nearly 1,700 jobs when tax revenues plummeted during the economic recession.

For example, Sheriff Bob Gualtieri would get an additional $6 million to complete a new salary plan that should enable the department to offer more competitive pay. There also would be less expensive changes to benefit the county workforce, including banning the box to check for a felony record on job applications, guaranteeing a minimum wage of at least $12.50 an hour for all employees and restoring paid time off for workers to tutor or mentor students. And the county’s workforce remains far leaner than it was before the recession, with the total number of workers at 1987 staffing levels.

Other investments are being restored, although not necessarily to pre-recession amounts. Local arts funding through the nonprofit Creative Pinellas would get $300,000 after five years of receiving no general revenue, a positive step but still far less than local arts agencies receive in areas such as Jacksonville, Miami-Dade County and Hillsborough County. The county also would set aside $200,000 for an affordable housing trust fund, which is expected to leverage more than $1.5 million in private investment. These modest contributions recognize the importance of both of these areas, but they will require more money in the future.

There are other signs of progress in this proposed budget, which will be the subject of public hearings on Thursday and Sept. 24 before it takes effect Oct. 1. Supervisor of Elections Deborah Clark would get money for technology to count votes faster. About $1 million would be spent in partnership with mental health agencies to identify the top users of mental health services so that those people can be treated more cost-efficiently. And there would be a modest investment in an emergency assistance program for families in desperate need of help keeping the lights on.

The Bradenton Herald — Cheers to partnership for bid to obtain Rubonia Community Center

Kudos to the New Path Academy and its partners, the Rubonia Community Association and the Panda Foundation. The consortium intends to reopen the long shuttered Rubonia Community Center, and indeed submitted the lone proposal to the county to acquire and operate this key neighborhood property.

With proven track records in children’s programs, this partnership makes perfect sense to win county approval, should the dollar amounts pass muster with officials as they evaluate the proposal.

The nonprofit New Path Academy operates four Manatee County facilities, serving more than 1,300 schoolchildren with the mission of improving student academic performance while “building the attitudes, discipline and routine behaviors that will help them successfully meet a full range of challenges in and throughout their lives,” the organization states.

The Panda Foundation employs tennis to attract youngsters into its programs, where the organization and its partners “strive to impress upon children the value of remaining in school, maintaining a healthy, drug free body and addressing the issue of childhood obesity and diabetes.”

The Rubonia Community Association will represent the neighborhood in this partnership, which, while primarily focused on youth will also serve adults.

The Daytona Beach News-Journal — County has tough sales job on tax

Before Volusia County officials run with the idea of asking voters to approve a new sales tax to pay for roads, they first should consider the size of the hurdles they must clear.

It appears some believe that once the starting gun goes off, it will be a sprint.

“It makes fiscal sense,” County Councilman Josh Wagner told The News-Journal’s Chris Graham. “It sells itself. We just have to figure out how far do we want to take it.”

No, it won’t sell itself, nor should it. Proponents have to justify that the additional tax is needed; guarantee that its revenues would be used specifically for what they are intended for; and show that adding to the county’s already high tax burden won’t cause economic damage.

The county says funding for transportation projects will run out after the 2016-17 fiscal year. Without dedicated funding, officials say, the county can’t secure state and federal grants to help foot the bill for roads and bridges.

Adding a half-cent to Volusia’s current 6.5 percent sales tax would generate an estimated $32 million in the first year of being implemented, and in addition would give the county money to leverage for other government grants. Wagner has advocated for a 1-cent hike to double the revenue and allow the county to stop subsidizing programs such as Votran with general fund property taxes.

Developing and maintaining infrastructure are fundamental responsibilities of government, and revenues from the additional sales tax could be spread among all of Volusia’s cities to help them meet their road needs. Thus did representatives from the county’s 16 municipalities recently approve a plan to hire a consultant to survey the public on a sales tax initiative that would be placed on the 2016 ballot. The survey would likely consist of a telephone campaign, resident outreach meetings and forums with the business community.

The Florida Times-Union — Cheers: World Affairs Council lands great speakers

Let’s applaud the World Affairs Council of Jacksonville for lining up another fine roster of influential thinkers and doers for its annual speakers’ series.

For years now, the world affairs group has served as an influential civic force in our community by promoting dialogue about the globe’s great issues.

And the group will certainly live up to that mission during its 2015-16 speakers series.

It begins Sept. 29 with an appearance by Evan Osnos, a Washington correspondent for The New Yorker magazine.

Other scheduled speakers include:

■ Retired Gen. John Abizaid.

■ Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak.

■ Former ambassador R. Nicholas Burns.

■ Counter-terrorism specialist Richard Clarke.

■ Foreign policy expert Anne-Marie Slaughter.

All of the events will be held in the University of North Florida’s Herbert University Center.

Florida Today – It’s Gen-X’s time, but no one’s selling

Generation X makes Florida go, more so every day.

GenX gave the world Google. It made stars of U2 and N.W.A. and made craft beer a thing. It is four-sixths of Brevard County’s legislative delegation including Florida’s House speaker and Senate president.

It is the wave of people who came of age in the Reagan and Clinton years, who are now between the ages of 35 and 50. It is Florida’s biggest, most tech-savvy cohort of voters and consumers, thanks in part to immigration.

But to the people who market presidential candidates, media, fashion and cell phones here, Generation X might as well not exist.

Like other Xers, I just don’t get it.

Until the past couple of years, political parties and businesses competed furiously for the huge population of Baby Boomers as they reached the top of the economic ladder and began to retire. Boomers got cool cars, pills and housing developments designed just for them. That was smart.

Then, on a dime, the world pivoted to chase Millennials, younger people in their late teens, 20s and early 30s who live much of their lives through their smart phones. I’m sure that will be profitable too.

But look around. Millions of votes and billions of dollars in sales have been left up for grabs.

On the radio, the choice of stations skips awkwardly from conservative talk and classic rock to hip-hop and Taylor Swift.

In department and big-box stores, GenXers must choose between skinny jeans and golf attire, short shorts or Ann Taylor.

The Gainesville Sun – Cheers and jeers

How do you say insult comic in Spanish?

Donald Trump’s conservative bona fides may be in question, but no one doubts his willingness to hurl petty insults at his opponents. Fellow Republican presidential contender Jeb Bush has been the main target as of late, with Trump calling the former Florida governor “low energy” among other barbs.

Now the New York developer is attacking the former Florida governor with the same kind of ugly rhetoric that he’s used to demonize immigrants.

Jeer: Trump, for criticizing Bush for speaking Spanish. Trump said in a recent interview with Breitbart News that Bush should speak English while in the United States.

Bush, whose wife Columba is a native of Mexico, had responded to questions from Spanish-speaking reporters in Miami by saying Trump is “not a conservative” in Spanish. Reuters reported that Bush, who is bilingual and frequently breaks into Spanish at events, responded to Trump’s criticism by vowing to keep speaking the language whenever he feels like it.

The exchange is the latest example of a Republican contest that has completely gone off the rails. Trump’s insults might be laughed off as the rantings of a blowhard reality show star, if not for the fact that he’s leading in the opinion polls. His immigrant-bashing attacks should be rejected by Americans of all backgrounds and political persuasions.

The Lakeland Ledger — Lawmakers sweep trust funds clean

Florida’s budgeting devices have become more sophisticated, thanks to technology, but state legislators and the governor rely on a simple tool — the broom — to balance the budget.

A handy “pocket guide” to the state’s budget, recently released by Florida TaxWatch, documents the extent to which the Legislature sweeps trust funds and directs their revenue to the overall budget. The 2015-16 budget approved by the Legislature in special session swept $230 million from 22 trust funds, all of which had been established for specific programs or projects.

The good news is that the sweeping total has trended downward in recent, post-recession years; just three fiscal years ago, the amount was $542 million. Nevertheless, since 2008, nearly $4 billion has been taken out of trust funds to make up for shortfalls in general revenue (mainly the statewide sales tax).

In fairness, these totals are relatively small compared with the overall budget, which is $78 billion this fiscal year.

But as stated by TaxWatch — a privately funded, independent, nonpartisan organization — the sweeps break political compacts with taxpayers. For example, the documentary stamp tax on real estate transactions was slightly increased in 1992 to bring in revenue for the state’s affordable housing trust funds. The Legislature and governor have repeatedly raided those funds and did so again this year to the tune of $80 million.

The Miami Herald — No to another government shutdown

Is there another federal government shutdown in our immediate future? That’s how it’s shaping up, if irresponsible members of Congress have their way when the nation’s elected representatives return to Capitol Hill this week after the summer recess.

The immediate issue is a vow by ardent conservatives such as Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and others to reject any spending bill that includes funding for Planned Parenthood because of its involvement with abortion. The effort is similar to a tactic they backed in 2011 in an earlier fight over abortion, and once more in 2013 in a bid to cut funding for the Affordable Care Act.

Neither worked out well for Republicans. Last time, they lost on the substantive issue, and the public blamed the GOP for the temporary loss of government services during the costly shutdown.

Yet, amazing as it may seem, they’re willing to try this kamikaze stunt again. They should know better by now. They’re likely to lose, and once more they’ll be seen as disruptive and ineffective.

It will be up to adults like Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, who promised upon becoming Republican leader in the upper chamber that there would be no government shutdowns on his watch, to block the effort. He’s no friend of Planned Parenthood and abortion, but he knows how to pick his battles. This one’s a loser.

Republicans who control the agenda should focus, instead, on other urgent national issues. At the top of the priority list: passing a bill to pay for long-term repairs on our crumbling roads and bridges.

The House passed a totally inadequate three-month extension before going on summer recess, but that merely kicks the can down the pothole-riddled road. The Associated General Contractors of America said construction employment fell in 25 states this summer as agencies waited for Congress to act on highway and transit funding. Is this any way to run a government?

The Orlando Sentinel — Give redistricting job to independent commission

If Donald Trump were still hosting his reality TV show instead of running for president, he’d be perfect to deliver a message to the Florida Legislature after its latest failure to produce constitutional boundaries for the state’s congressional districts:

You’re fired.

When Florida voters ratified the Fair Districts amendments to the state constitution in 2010, they gave clear instructions to their representatives in Tallahassee: Stop drawing districts for seats in Congress and the Legislature that are rigged in favor of a politician or party.

Yet legislators have repeatedly failed to meet this constitutional obligation. It’s time to put the work in more capable hands.

After spending millions of taxpayer dollars on futile efforts to overturn Fair Districts in court, the Legislature twice approved maps for Congress and the state Senate that violated the amendments’ mandates and were ruled unconstitutional. And when legislators met in a special session last month for a third attempt to draw a congressional map, they adjourned after two weeks, having failed to reach agreement.

On Friday, the Florida Supreme Court directed Leon County Circuit Judge Terry Lewis to consider rival House and Senate maps and make a recommendation to the justices. Meanwhile, legislators are scheduled to reconvene in October for another special session to take another stab at drawing state Senate districts. Who knows if this third time will be the charm, or strike three?

It’s too late to revamp the redistricting process for the 2016 elections. But it’s not too soon to get working on a plan to avoid another legal morass for the next round of redistricting following the 2020 census.

Democrats, who fare worse in redistricting as the minority in Tallahassee, are more interested in shaking up the status quo than Republicans, who control the process as the majority. But reform is not a partisan project. It’s about giving voters in both parties real choices in elections.

The Ocala StarBanner — Breaking trust

Florida’s budgeting devices have become more sophisticated, thanks to technology, but state legislators and the governor rely on a simple tool — the broom — to balance the budget.

A handy “pocket guide” to the state’s budget, recently released by Florida TaxWatch, documents the extent to which the Legislature sweeps trust funds and directs their revenue to the overall budget. The 2015-16 budget approved by the Legislature in special session swept $230 million from 22 trust funds, all of which had been established for specific programs or projects.

The good news is that the sweeping total has trended downward in recent, post-recession years; just three fiscal years ago, the amount was $542 million. Nevertheless, since 2008, nearly $4 billion has been taken out of trust funds to make up for shortfalls in general revenue (mainly the statewide sales tax).

In fairness, these totals are relatively small compared with the overall budget, which is $78 billion this fiscal year.

But as stated by TaxWatch — a privately funded, independent, nonpartisan organization — the sweeps break political compacts with taxpayers. For example, the documentary stamp tax on real estate transactions was slightly increased in 1992 to bring in revenue for the state’s affordable housing trust funds. The Legislature and governor have repeatedly raided those funds and did so again this year to the tune of $80 million.

The Pensacola News-Journal — Nine online: Lucky to be here

It was the winter of 1991 when my car flipped on an icy road. I was traveling south in the darkness of the late afternoon to visit friends in a nearby village when I hit a patch of “black ice” and started skidding.

It’s true an accident can seem like it’s in slow motion. I recall the car slowly flipping counterclockwise as it slid off the road and into a steep culvert before coming to rest on its roof. It was dark and cold as I sat there suspended upside down. I calmly – and comically – put the car, a 1988 Beretta – the first vehicle I’d ever purchased – into park.

My seat belt saved my life.

That’s why last weekend’s news that two teens died in separate wrecks really hit home. The drivers weren’t buckled in. Nor was a passenger. Their lives cut short because they chose not to ride safely by failing to use a seat belt. Perhaps it’s coincidence, but the new school year typically involves a few fatal accidents involving teens.

I’m not here to judge their poor decision but to plead with parents to make sure their children wear seat belts. Lead by example and show your children and their friends that wearing a seat belt is a must. Also, passengers should refuse a ride if the driver won’t take the few seconds to buckle up.

I kept thinking about the teens last weekend and wondered what could be done to prevent others from dying or being injured. That led me to Ginny Hinton from the University of Florida Extension Office in Milton.

“It breaks my heart,” she said Wednesday during a phone call. She offered some heart-wrenching statistics, including that not buckling up is the top cause of death among children. Those who fail to use the seat belt have an 80 percent chance of being ejected from the vehicle. “That’s the worst thing that can happen,” she said.

Ginny suggested I do more research with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Here is what I found:

“Teens buckle up far less frequently than adults do,” the website said. “Despite efforts aimed at increasing belt use among teens, observed seat belt use among teens and young adults (16 to 24 years old) stood at 80 percent in 2008 – the lowest of any age group. In fact, in 2009 the majority (56%) of young people 16 to 20 years old involved in fatal crashes were unbuckled.”

The Palm Beach Post — GOP’s lack of inclusion equals political suicide

Nine years ago, aboard a National Review cruise, I debated immigration policy with my colleagues and the cruisers. It was a good discussion that touched all the familiar bases. Are there really jobs Americans won’t do? Are big business and big agriculture enmeshed in a corrupt bargain with liberal Democrats whereby business gets cheap labor and Democrats get new voters?

I argued then, as I do today, that there are many serious immigration reforms we ought to be undertaking. We have a valuable commodity — the right to live and work in the U.S.A., and in some cases to become a citizen — and we should not be handing it out to just anyone. We should swiftly deport criminals even as we should be more welcoming to those who earn PhDs or bring other skills. But I also argue that illegal immigration, particularly from Mexico, is steeply declining and likely to continue to; that even most Republicans, to say nothing of the larger electorate, are moderate on immigration; and that immigrants tend to work hard.

I respect the restrictionist position, but there is one argument they advance that I do not understand. They say that unless we stop immigration — legal and illegal — there is no chance for conservative governance or for the Republican Party. I say, unless Republicans refrain from causing a stampede to the Democrats by denigrating Mexicans as “rapists” and urging “deportation” — even of American citizens! — we will not win another national election.

The demographic reality is already baked into the cake. The share of the electorate that considers itself Hispanic grew by 49 percent between 2000 and 2012, compared with 5.8 percent growth for the non-Hispanic portion. Hispanics are disproportionately young. The median age for native-born Hispanics is just 18, compared with 42 for non-Hispanic whites. The vast majority of Hispanic youths (93 percent) are native-born and thus eligible to vote when they turn 18, as 800,000 Hispanics do yearly. Generational replacement alone could double the number of Hispanic voters by 2032.

Hispanic voter participation rates are among the lowest of any race or ethnic group. Only about half of eligible voters participate in presidential years and many fewer in off years. But that could change very fast. The presence of Barack Obama on the ballot shot black voter participation rates through the ceiling in 2008 and 2012. A Hispanic Democratic nominee might do the same for that demographic — as could the presence on the Republican ticket of a candidate who favors deporting American-born children of illegal immigrants.

The Panama City News-Herald — Harrop: Why don’t we try staying home?

Generals have marked their operations by putting pins on wall maps of the world. I could do the same for friends and neighbors who have just gotten back from some place and are about to leave for another. They often move in battalions meeting friends or family — who themselves have traveled great distances — in some center of cultural/culinary/scenic excellence.

A few appear to spend fewer nights in their gracious homes than in airport hotels, preparing for a pre-dawn flight out. There may be no place like home, but elsewhere always seems preferable.

Are we to believe that their travels are as fabulous as their Facebook posts suggest? Note the pictures showing them in some sublime Croatian village, never at overcrowded Gate 42B.

The dreaded FOMO — fear of missing out — may contribute to this perpetual need to venture far. Oxford Dictionaries defines FOMO as “anxiety that an exciting or interesting event may currently be happening elsewhere, often aroused by posts seen on a social media website.”

The mania for making bucket lists further inflames this angst. The book “1,000 Places to See Before You Die” is the mother of them all.

When someone asks the author, Patricia Schultz, to cite her favorite trip, she responds, “My next one.”

Given her mile-long list of destinations, one can well believe Schultz’s contention, “It is rare that I return to a place where I have already been.”

How about the quality of time spent traveling? You’ve seen those “36 Hours in Madrid” travel pieces listing four hot restaurants/bars, three markets and two museums in addition to the Prado. The reality is you and a million other tourists racing around the plazas to witness the “relaxed” Iberian culture enjoyed by old Spaniards who themselves never go anywhere.

As for Italy, Schultz raves about the Piazza del Duomo in Parma, adding that one might want to visit the city during the Festival del Prosciutto.

That would knock off two items in one day.

The South Florida Sun Sentinel – Make more room for Fido on beach

Imagine Snoopy bounding across the shoreline.

For Charlie Brown and other (real-life) dog owners, such a sight remains rare. Most local beaches are off limits to canines, and the few that allow dogs restrict their access to very early or very late in the day.

C’mon South Florida, loosen the leash. If you’ve ever seen dogs romping through the waves, you know many are made for sun and surf. Like all the sights and sounds of the beach, a joyful dog is captivating to watch and brings a smile to many faces.

Of course, some beach dwellers will complain about the presence of dogs, even in limited areas. They will claim dogs leave messes in the sand, scare children or run with no bounds.

Maybe that’s true, but official reports and anecdotal evidence suggest little cause for concern, though we’ve seen plenty of messes left by two-legged visitors.

The good news is more communities are warming up to the idea of allowing dogs on parts of the beach.

For the third time, Delray Beach commissioners are considering a request for a dog beach, a plan that comes with reasonable restrictions. Given the positive experiences elsewhere, Delray should give the proposal a big paws-up.

Hillsboro Beach also is talking about allowing dogs on its small public beach, a good idea except for the part about making them wear neon-yellow bandanas to signal they have city permits. It’s also concerning that Hillsboro might try to restrict the sale of permits to residents only. This is a public beach, after all, something city leaders should remember as they seek the public’s help with beach erosion.

Neither should Hillsboro follow the lead of Boca Raton, which charges non-residents an arm and a leg to bring the dog to the beach at Spanish River Park. Charging non-residents $165 per year for a single dog permit sends an exclusionary message that reflects poorly on the city. By contrast, Fort Lauderdale charges non-residents $45 for an annual pass and Hollywood charges $60 for a six-month pass. Indeed, the website BringFido.com, which helps families book pet-friendly vacations, says a lot of beaches across the country charge no fee at all.

Speaking of Hollywood, it’s time the city allowed dogs at its biggest tourist draw, the Broadwalk. When going out for a stroll along this lovely beachside walkway, families should be able to bring their leashed dog.

The Tallahassee Democrat – Triumphs, trials and tribulations

When State Attorney Willie Meggs announced last week he will not run for another term, he said he wants to help assistant state attorney Jack Campbell get elected to the job.

“I can be for or against him,” Meggs joked, “whichever helps him most.”

Sometimes things said in jest contain some truth. Being for him would probably help Campbell more than endorsing someone else. But maybe not by much.

Meggs is respected in legal circles, but could probably do a better job as a politician. He’s been re-elected enough to be one of the longest-serving state attorneys in Florida, and could probably win again if he wanted to run, but this office is one in which incumbency is not always an advantage.

If Meggs had won universal admiration for his 30-plus years as the Big Bend’s prosecutor — or if, conversely, everybody was glad to see him go — it would mean he hadn’t done his job very well. (Of course, if he was that unpopular, the voters would have dumped him long ago — as they did his predecessor in 1984.)

Even more than governors or legislators, state attorneys seem to court controversy. Meggs, an outwardly easy-going but dogged prosecutor, has not worried much about public perceptions of how he does his job.

He came into office amid controversy, defeating former State Attorney Don Modesitt by a margin of 18,420 votes to 10,050. In 2012, Meggs beat challenger Pete Williams (who’s running again) with 73,453 votes to Williams’ 66,776. Aside from population growth, that shows the political wear and tear on a high-profile office holder — Meggs went from 65 percent of the vote in 1984 to 52 percent last time out.

Over the years, he has been roundly criticized as too tough — he once joked that one way to clear the backlog on Death Row would be to replace the electric chair with “electric bleachers” — and too indulgent with the rich and well-connected.

The most recent example of the soft-on-powerful-people rap came early this year when Meggs decided not to investigate Gov. Rick Scott and his staff for Sunshine Law violations in the ouster of former Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Gerald Bailey. A year earlier, it was quarterback Jameis Winston, whom Meggs declined to prosecute on a rape accusation.

The Tampa Tribune — Congress, Planned Parenthood and governance