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Crist outlines his goals

He would establish nine policy councils including education, public safety and ethics. He wants to keep Gov. Jeb Bush's tax cuts, promote adoption of kids in foster care and allow homeowners to shift tax benefits to a costlier home.

By STEVE BOUSQUET
Published March 1, 2006

TALLAHASSEE - Attorney General Charlie Crist on Tuesday promised to make adoption a priority as governor, and endorsed a property tax break for homeowners who move.

In his first detailed policy speech, Crist outlined several goals and announced the creation of nine policy councils on subjects ranging from education to ethics to public safety.

More than 100 Floridians serve on the councils, including prominent Tampa Bay residents who support Crist, a resident of St. Petersburg. They include Pinellas Sheriff Jim Coats, Pinellas-Pasco State Attorney Bernie McCabe, St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Baker, Pasco Sheriff Bob White, Pasco superintendent of schools Heather Fiorentino and Nancy Riley, president-elect of the Florida Association of Realtors.

Standing on the steps of the Old Capitol with council members standing behind him, Crist backed Gov. Jeb Bush's tax cuts and repeal of a legal doctrine that lets injured plaintiffs seek more damages from defendants than their share of liability.

He also said he favors a proposed constitutional amendment that would allow homeowners to shift their tax benefits from one home to a newer, costlier home anywhere in the state.

Crist also promised to create the new post of child advocate in the governor's office and said a public service ad campaign will promote adoption to help reduce the backlog of foster children awaiting adoptions.

"We will let all Floridians know the benefits of adoption and the ways they can help promote the culture of life in our state," Crist said. "We should do more to protect Florida's children."

Crist said the state will pay foster parents $5,000 a year per child until the child turns 18, and families who adopt privately will receive $3,000 to help pay their costs of adoption. Speaking to reporters afterward, he said he did not support allowing gays to adopt foster children.

"I think we need to encourage the traditional family for adoption and that's what I support," Crist said.

Some Republican legislators are willing to consider lifting Florida's ban on allowing adoption of foster children by gays, but the proposal is stalled in a Senate committee.

Chief Financial Officer Tom Gallagher, Crist's rival for the Republican nomination, announced an adoption program six months ago that included increased benefits for parents who adopt.

In the question-and-answer session, Crist's positions weren't so clear-cut. He sidestepped taking a stand on a hotly debated measure in the Legislature that would punish business owners who refuse to let their employees bring guns to work.

"I think we ought to let the Legislature go forward, and see what their thoughts and views on it are," Crist said.

Gallagher favors allowing gun owners to lawfully take their guns to work, but has reservations about punishing businesses, spokesman Albert Martinez said.

Gallagher has issued five major policy proposals that Martinez called "real solutions and not feel-good measures." Said Martinez: "We're happy the attorney general is starting to announce his ideas."

Some members of Crist's policy councils have donated to his campaign and several are politically active fundraisers, such as Alan Mendelsohn, a Broward County ophthalmologist; Garrett Walton, a Northwest Florida home builder; and Kathleen Shanahan, a former top aide to Gov. Jeb Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney. Shanahan is now chief executive of WRS, a Tampa-based engineering consulting firm.

Steve Bousquet can be reached at bousquet@sptimes.com or 850 224-7263.

[Last modified March 1, 2006, 00:56:14]