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Strong leader, lasting legacy

It is hard to imagine Florida's political landscape without Jeb Bush. He has shaped elections and state government for more than a dozen years, through three campaigns for governor, two races for president by his brother and eight years in the Governor's Mansion. As he moves from Tallahassee and returns to private life in Miami, he remains popular among Floridians and leaves a lasting legacy.

Bush was the rare politician who relished both the rush of campaigning and the minutiae of public policy. The son and brother of presidents came from privilege but felt comfortable in Miami's inner city schools, Tampa's suburbs and North Florida's town squares. He could discuss the intricacies of economic development or education theory, and he had little patience for legislators or reporters who did not approach such issues with the same intellectual vigor.

The office of the governor is much stronger now than when Bush arrived in 1999. Voters cut the number of statewide elected Cabinet members in half, reducing the number of potential rivals. Now the governor also has complete control over judicial appointments, public education, higher education and elections. Bush used those new powers to his advantage at every opportunity, ensuring that his conservative agenda will long outlast his tenure.

The first Republican to be re-elected governor also leaves a significant imprint in any number of policy areas. He aimed high and never lacked confidence in his vision for the state. With an often compliant Legislature, Bush pushed through record tax cuts that will make it more difficult for the state to weather economic slowdowns. He won national attention for his overhaul of public education, which overemphasizes standardized testing and has produced mixed results. His privatization of government services in areas such as foster care, Medicaid and the state's human resources system have been flawed will require more scrutiny. So will the full impact of his elimination of affirmative action in university admissions and state contracting.

There are no such reservations about Bush's performance during hurricanes. During the record number of storms that hit Florida in 2004 and 2005, he provided strong leadership and a steady hand in particularly difficult times. His drive, compassion and attention to detail proved to be ideally suited to dealing with hurricanes and the recoveries that followed. We are all grateful and proud of those efforts.

Like any departing governor, Bush leaves behind some festering issues. The crisis in property insurance will have to be addressed by incoming Gov. Charlie Crist and the Legislature. So will property tax reform, the future of privatization and problems carrying out executions by lethal injection. Higher education also didn't get the attention it deserves during the Bush years.

As the state grapples with those challenges, changes in tone and attitude will come more quickly in Tallahassee. After years of being dominated by the executive branch, the Legislature can be expected to assert itself again. Bush held tight to conservative values and was slow to compromise or accept opposing views. He had little use for legislators who challenged him or judges who disagreed with him in areas ranging from tuition vouchers to the Terri Schiavo feeding tube controversy. Crist is more of a populist whose early appointments reflect his greater willingness to delegate responsibility and hear alternative views.

As Bush leaves public life (at least for now), he leaves behind a state government with an impressive AAA bond rating and significant reserves. Despite a housing slump, the economy remains relatively strong with low unemployment and an annual job growth rate that is more than twice the national average. The crime rate is lower than it has been in decades, and the woeful high school graduation rate has risen by some measures. The governor deserves a measure of credit for these positive trends, although how much is due to his policies and how much should be attributed to other factors will be up to historians to decide.

Although Bush's administration was plagued by the occasional ethical lapse, the governor's personal integrity was never in question. His concern was genuine for improving the lives of the less fortunate among us who could use a helping hand toward a better education, a bigger job and a brighter future. We continue to have significant philosophical and policy differences, but we admire the intensity and energy he brought to an extremely challenging job. Even Bush's strongest critics could not doubt he had Florida's best interests at heart.

Bush probably can't resist remaining engaged in public policy, possibly through his nonprofit Foundation for Florida's Future. But it is time for new leadership and a new direction. We wish the departing governor well as he begins the next stage of his life - hopefully, in the private sector.

[Last modified December 30, 2006, 21:46:12]