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A gathering of Democratic candidates for governor is a friendly affair. "We all agree on everything,'' one says.
By ADAM C. SMITH
© St. Petersburg Times, published November 17, 2001
ORLANDO -- Democrats vying for the gubernatorial nomination are taking their gloves off -- so that they can more easily hug one another.
A gathering of the four major Democratic candidates in Orlando on Friday night often sounded like a mutual admiration society. They nodded in vigorous agreement as their opponents spoke. They hailed each other as terrific leaders and public servants. Most offered nearly identical platforms.
"What would you go after them about?" state House Minority Leader Lois Frankel asked after sharing a private laugh with Janet Reno before the speeches. "We're all friends. We all agree on everything."
They agreed that incumbent Republican Gov. Jeb Bush has been a disaster. They agreed that education is the top priority, in dire need of more resources. They agreed the state's economy is in a shambles, largely because Bush spent too much money dolling out tax breaks to corporate interests and upper-income Floridians.
About the only thing they disagree on is who makes the strongest candidate.
While the candidates were cozy with one another, the forum held by the Central Florida Association of Women Lawyers showed that the Democrats are stepping up their rhetoric against Gov. Bush. A consistent message: He has failed to invest in Florida's long-term needs.
Both in Orlando and during a Tiger Bay speech in Tampa earlier Friday, Bill McBride cited a recent St. Petersburg Times study and one from the Florida Chamber of Commerce Foundation. Both found Florida losing ground to other states in key indicators, from education to per capita income.
"The report card for Florida would be a D or an F, so my view is that this current CEO, this current governor, should be given a voucher to go back into private life," said McBride, the former head of the Holland & Knight law firm who lives outside Tampa.
The forum drew plenty of talk about the state's budget woes, but few specific proposals for balancing the budget. Mostly, the Democrats argued for more investment in education to improve the long-term prospects for Florida's economy.
Where that money would come from was left mostly unclear. The candidates steered away from advocating tax increases but agreed that the state should hold off on cutting the intangibles, or investment, tax. They also agreed that the state needs to remove the many sales tax exemptions that lawmakers have approved in recent years.
"We show Florida what an early investment in people can do and the money saved, the prisons that don't need to be built, the crimes that don't happen, remedial programs that aren't necessary," said former Attorney General Reno. "We develop the priorities for the people of Florida, the priorities that say we will take care of those people that cannot help themselves, the fragile and elderly, the Alzheimer's patients. We will be a humane and civilized society, and we will raise our children to be competitive in the world and have an economy that can be sustained in good and bad times."
State Sen. Daryl Jones of Miami also advocated more drug treatment as a way to save money on incarceration.
Frankel said Florida's current tax base is inadequate for its needs.
"Politicians are not supposed to say that, but we need tax reform," she said. "That doesn't mean raising taxes. It means fairer taxes and taking a look at every exemption for everybody that bought an exemption from the Florida Legislature in the past 10 years."
Their platforms -- better schools, protecting the environment, diversifying the state's economy -- were largely similar. Jones offered the most specifics, calling for, among other things, expanded vocational training in high schools, expanded infrastructure to improve foreign trade and more commitment to revitalizing inner cities.
Jones scoffed at Bush's promises to focus on inner cities.
"Nothing's changed," he said. "I've sat through three budgets and seen him not even ask for enough money to get the job done -- from a legislature that's given him everything he wanted."
Karen Unger, Bush's campaign manager, said Democrats are lobbing attacks at the governor while he's focused on issues such as homeland security, economic stimuli and the state budget.
"It's too bad they have nothing more to offer the people of Florida than empty attacks and unsubstantiated criticism," she said.
Also at the Orlando forum was Bob Kunst, an obscure candidate from Miami Beach who focused on the "stolen" presidential election in Florida.