State: Bush's goals taking hold at midterm

TALLAHASSEE -- On a frigid day in the capital two years ago, new Republican Gov. Jeb Bush delivered an inaugural address that would become a prophecy.

"I want to protect people, not bureaucracies," said Bush, a businessman who had never before held public office.

Today, at the halfway point of his term, Bush is putting those words into action, determined to change the face of state government.

He is moving to cut the state's work force, turn government services over to private contractors, rely more on technology to provide faster service to the public and consolidate what he says are redundant state programs.

"I want it (state government) to be moving toward truly being an enterprise, not a group of sections and bureaus and divisions," Bush said last week when asked about his vision for Florida over the next two years.

It is a scary picture to some because of all the unknowns: How many state workers will lose jobs? Will citizens get better or worse service when private contractors take over state programs? Will the cost to taxpayers go up or down?

Mark Neimeiser, political director for the American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees, which represents state workers, is pessimistic. The plan to privatize -- Bush prefers to use the word "outsource" -- is a throwback to the days of political patronage and cronyism, Neimeiser said.

"What they really mean is we're going to give any work we can steal from the state to our friends," he said. "We're not going to do it cheaper or better."

Bush insists Florida will get a better deal by allowing private contractors to handle some state services. Some programs, particularly in social services, already are handled by outside contractors.

"If it isn't (cheaper), we shouldn't do it. We're not going to do it if it can't be justified," Bush said.

Shrinking state government doesn't mean services will be cut, Bush says. He also said he will continue his push to give Floridians more tax breaks. Phasing out the intangibles tax on stocks and bonds remains a top priority.

"Its elimination is solid public policy, and it competes with building roads and educating kids," Bush said.

Revamping state government is only part of Bush's agenda for the next two years. He and the Legislature will be taking on some of the most difficult and politically dicey problems facing Florida.

Amid successes, challenges lurk

Bush, 47, has had an impressive string of victories in his first two years, from tax breaks for businesses and citizens to education reforms to tough sentences for repeat criminals.

"I've never seen a governor in his first year be so strong," former Republican state senator Curt Kiser said at the close of the 1999 session.

These days, though, Bush faces a difficult political climate as he decides whether to run for re-election in 2002. Though polls show Bush remains popular, he has been criticized for charging ahead without building consensus, what some call a "my way or the highway" approach.

Politically, he has been hurt by the tumultuous presidential race, in which Florida's election problems came under national ridicule.

Bush also alienated minorities -- including the Legislature's black caucus -- with his move to end most state affirmative action programs.

Still, Bush heads into the last half of his term with a solidly Republican Legislature. Republican House Speaker Tom Feeney was Bush's running mate when he ran for governor in 1994. Senate President John McKay is one of Bush's golfing buddies. Of the 160 lawmakers, 64 are new -- a good thing for Bush, said Kiser, now a lobbyist.

"Freshmen tend to follow leadership until they get their feet on the ground," Kiser said.

But Bush and legislative leaders will have to navigate a difficult path. The issues facing them generally have no simple, or cheap, solutions. Among them:

Election reform. Bush named a task force to investigate Florida's election problems. Under consideration: whether Florida should get new voting equipment and standardize voting methods around the state, which could cost $200-million.

Growth management. In a state where sprawl is gobbling the countryside, any changes to Florida's 15-year-old land development rules are bound to be controversial.

After a battle last legislative session, the state convened a study commission. The group's report is due Feb. 15, in time for the 2001 Legislature. Bush wants to relax some of the state's "command-and-control" development rules and give more power to communities. Critics complain that's the same approach that left Florida with ugly sprawl and crowded roads.

Bush isn't hopeful of a solution in the coming year. "Of all the things we're working on, this is the one that's really important to me, and I'm not as confident about it passing," he said.

Nursing homes. One in four Florida nursing home beds is operated by a company in bankruptcy. A task force investigated ways to keep the industry afloat. The largest controversy -- and this year's likely legislative fight -- may center on setting a cap for damages when people sue nursing homes for neglect or abuse. Bush and Lt. Gov. Frank Brogan, who headed the task force, say the state needs to set some sort of cap because big jury awards are sending nursing homes' liability insurance rates through the roof. Lawyers representing people who sue nursing homes say the state shouldn't just set a cap, it should make nursing homes improve.

"We have a crisis. It's not made up," Bush said.

Energy needs. Bush says the state's growing population means Florida needs to start planning new power plants now. "We need to build capacity, or eight to 10 years out we're going to start having brownouts and blackouts," Bush said.

Tax reform. A task force is looking at improvements for Florida's tax system, and Senate President McKay wants to review more than 300 sales tax exemptions. But Bush is cautious. "I"m a little cynical about tax reform," he said, because in the past, it has meant tax increases.

Education. Florida is proceeding with a controversial plan to eliminate the Board of Regents, which sets policy for state universities, as well as rewrite the formula that funds public schools. Lawmakers are sensitive to the funding formula because it dictates how much money they'll bring home to local schools. Florida also faces a major teacher shortage over the next decade, which Bush says may require higher pay and other incentives to recruit new teachers.

Though Florida's economy remains healthy, the state budget will be tighter this year because of higher-than-expected Medicaid costs and other issues, Bush said.

His staff has looked carefully at all state agencies to come up with savings, Bush said.

Plans fit in with philosophies

Bush's philosophies on reshaping state government have taken hold. Across the board, state agencies are trying to eliminate duplication and give government work to private companies.

The Department of Environmental Protection plans to use water pollution inspectors from a private engineering company and private companies to maintain some state parks.

The Department of Health wants to privatize a computer system that handles some physician records, and wants to turn over a state program that helps people with brain and spinal cord injuries to a private entity.

The state's law enforcement agencies want to combine 33 communications centers around the state, where dispatchers take reports, into seven regional centers. They would serve a variety of agencies, from the Florida Highway Patrol to the state fire marshal's office. Law enforcement agencies are looking at ways to combine recruitment and training.

There's also talk of combining all the various state agency personnel departments into one giant personnel office, and even giving some state personnel business to private contractors.

"If we can get a vendor to come in and to process payroll for us at 25 to 30 percent of what it costs now, I think we ought to take a look at that," Bush said.

Florida needs to reform the system that governs the way state employees are hired, fired and paid, Bush said. He stopped short of endorsing the full report of the Council of 100, a high-powered group of business leaders, which recommended that all state employees become "at-will," meaning they can be hired or fired at any time.

"I'm not sure it's necessary to do that," Bush said. However, he does advocate paying state employees more, and allowing bonuses for good performance.

Said Bush: "The work force will be better motivated, higher paid, probably a little smaller."

Past coverage

It was a fun year with Jeb (January 16, 2000)

Learn to lead (September 12, 1999)

Gov. Bush's summer essay of woes (August 22, 1999)

That inaugural spirit (January 10, 1999)

Gov. Jeb Bush is sworn in with a people-first pledge (January 6, 1999)

On inaugural's eve, Bush campaigns (January 5, 1999)

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Lucy Morgan

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