New House Democrats training to become a stronger minority

Florida's newest Democratic House members felt their training had a conservative bias, so they had their own retreat.

By SHELBY OPPEL

© St. Petersburg Times, published January 9, 2001

TALLAHASSEE -- Not only are Democrats in the Florida House outnumbered by Republicans 77 to 43, more than half are first-term lawmakers.

All the more reason, say the minority party's leaders, for Democrats to do their homework. They began in earnest this week, with a two-day retreat aimed at providing a counterbalance to the official, Republican-flavored training for all 63 new House members.

"We know that perhaps they weren't getting the full picture," Rep. Bob Henriquez, a Tampa Democrat, said Monday.

Democrats have complained that the official training sessions have a conservative bias, emphasizing the success of school vouchers, for example, and the value of tax cuts. The James Madison Institute, a conservative think tank based in Tallahassee, organized the sessions at the request of House Speaker Tom Feeney, an Oviedo Republican.

The Democratic retreat was sponsored by the Center for Policy Alternatives, a Washington, D.C.-based think tank that describes itself as non-partisan and progressive. The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, another Washington-based group that examines how fiscal policies affect people on lower rungs of the economic ladder, sent a speaker to explain Florida's tax structure.

Lawmakers heard an economist with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, a labor union, speak against privatizing government functions. Improving government efficiency by contracting with private companies, a priority of Republican Gov. Jeb Bush, is expected to be a major theme of the legislative session that convenes March 6.

House Democratic Leader Lois Frankel, D-West Palm Beach, said the Democratic caucus hasn't taken a position on such issues, though most members appeared to have made up their minds.

"Intellectually we all agree this is not a good thing," said Rep. Loranne Ausley, a Tallahassee Democrat, referring to privatization.

To attempt to have a voice in state budget decisions, Frankel said, Democratic leaders will approach Feeney soon, instead of waiting until the budget reaches a vote on the House floor and then trying to make changes. She also wants to push Republican leaders to address the state's financial health during the next five years before approving new tax cuts.

"They might not listen to us anyway," Frankel said, "but at least we're going to start earlier."

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