Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Julie DelegalMay 31, 2015

The Florida Legislature reconvenes Monday in a special session to do its only real job – pass a budget. The impasse, between Republicans in the House and Republicans in the Senate over expanding healthcare for uninsured Floridians, prompted House members to pick up their ball and leave the playground three days before the regular session’s […]

Julie DelegalMay 3, 2015

Just as House lawmakers were putting together their annual “trains” – cramming multiple, tangentially related bills into hundreds of pages of amendments so they could pass them all at the eleventh hour – a funny thing happened. They upped and quit. On April 27, House Speaker Steve Crisafulli prematurely banged his gavel, ending the session […]

Julie DelegalMay 3, 2015

Just as House lawmakers were putting together their annual “trains” – cramming multiple, tangentially related bills into hundreds of pages of amendments so they could pass them all at the eleventh hour – a funny thing happened. They upped and quit. On April 27, House Speaker Steve Crisafulli prematurely banged his gavel, ending the session […]

Julie DelegalApril 19, 2015

On April 9, the Florida Legislature quickly and quietly passed an educational testing reform bill that Gov. Rick Scott signed into law on Tuesday – a significant victory for advocates and educators. But – except for the Duval County PTA – advocates don’t appear to be taking credit for its passage. House Bill 7069 reduces […]

Julie DelegalApril 19, 2015

On April 9, the Florida Legislature quickly and quietly passed an educational testing reform bill that Gov. Rick Scott signed into law this past Tuesday, a significant victory for advocates and educators. However, except for the Duval County PTA, advocates don’t appear to be taking credit for its passage. House Bill 7069 reduces duplicative testing, […]

Julie DelegalMarch 16, 2015

I have to laugh, or else I’d be crying. Certain religious fanatics offer a constant supply of fodder for TV comedians and columnists like me. Who doesn’t poke fun at Pat Robertson’s contention that “demonic” religions (like Buddhism!) can infect items you buy at the Goodwill store? But in truth, Christo-fundamentalist ideology is dangerous. As […]

Julie DelegalMarch 4, 2015

Rep. Debbie Mayfield, R-Vero Beach, has been listening to parent complaints about high-stakes testing. Mayfield, like most parents and educators, is so frustrated with the entire standards-based accountability system that she wants to give entire school districts the ability to “opt out” of standards-based tests altogether. Judging from an action alert obtained from a Tea […]

Julie DelegalMarch 2, 2015

Part one of this two-part series examines one senator’s move to lower the stakes in Florida’s high-stakes education accountability system, and how the stakes got so high in the first place. For several years, parents and teachers have bristled against the centerpiece of education reform in Florida. “Teacher accountability” is the political term for it, but what […]

Julie DelegalJanuary 22, 2015

Jacksonville needs to get on top of police-and-fire pension reform, and failing to do it now amounts to playing politics with taxpayer money. And contrary to what a recent direct mail piece would have us believe, it’s not the mayor who’s playing fast and loose with our tax dollars. Our past rates of payment on […]

Julie DelegalJanuary 14, 2015

I live in paradise. A broad, blue river runs through my city, crossed by seven bridges – three or four of them works of art in themselves. The skyline at night, sparkling in the mirror-blackness of the St. Johns, never fails to take my breath away. I love Jacksonville as I would a member of […]

Tag: Julie Delegal

Julie Delegal: Are poor less worthy of American Dream that includes healthcare?

Julie Delegal: Slackers in the Florida House leave 800,000 Floridians exposed

Julie Delegal: Slackers in the Florida House leave 800,000 Floridians exposed

Julie Delegal: Silent victory for Florida's education activists

Julie Delegal: Silent victory for Florida’s education advocates

Julie Delegal: Faith, fear and climate science

Julie Delegal: Tweaking the tests – Common Core pushback

Julie Delegal: Tweaking the tests – what to watch in education legislation

Julie Delegal: Pension politics squanders millions in Jax tax dollars

Julie Delegal: Axe Handle Saturday dims; Civil Rights Saturday shines