Conflict brewing over Republican Rick Scott's agenda in Legislature

TALLAHASSEE -- When voters swept Republican Rick Scott into office and gave Republicans the kind of party dominance no governor has seen since Gov. Bob Graham was elected 32 years ago, the new governor-elect declared it the ``end of politics as usual in Tallahassee.''

But if history is any indication, absolute numbers won't translate to absolute agreement. Conflict is already brewing between Scott's campaign promises on budget cuts, immigration, abortion and what leaders of the Republican-controlled House and Senate are willing to do.

Incoming Senate President Mike Haridopolos, R-Merritt Island, said last week that while he wants to enact more conservative policies, he may not see things the same way as Scott.

Scott campaigned on a promise of cutting $1 billion from the state prison budget. Haridopolos said Senate leaders are open to prison reform, but instead of wholesale cuts, they are looking at other steps to determine prisoners' means.

``If they qualify for Medicaid, let them in. If they are really wealthy, make them pay,'' he said. ``We are looking at all options.''

On immigration reform, Scott wants an Arizona-style law. Haridopolos is not ready to sign on: ``If we choose to go this direction, we're going to create a Florida-style plan that works for Florida,'' he said. ``Arizona's a different state.''

Haridopolos said he supports reviving a law Gov. Charlie Crist vetoed to require women seeking abortions to view an ultrasound of their fetus. Scott supports a law similar to Nebraska's, which would prohibit abortions in most cases after the 20th week of pregnancy, but Haridopolos will say only that such a proposal will get a hearing. And Scott opposes moving ahead with Central Florida's $1.2 billion SunRail commuter rail project unless the federal government is willing to contribute more money.

The project, approved by the Legislature in a special session last January, is a priority for the hometown of incoming House Speaker Dean Cannon, R-Winter Park. Cannon says Scott's concerns are valid and that he looks ``forward to talking with him about it.''

Also working against Scott's ability to dominate the legislative agenda is the Republican's supermajority in both chambers. Like in Graham's first term, Scott faces a Legislature with enough votes in his own party to override his veto.

``One of the hallmarks of Graham's first four years was his difficulty with the Legislature,'' said Jill Chamberlin, Graham's former press secretary. ``It really is going to depend on how firmly Scott wants to stick to his guns because there will be times when the Legislature is going to disagree with him.''

Scott comes into office with no legislative experience and a promise of being an outsider. But legislators depend on their staff and lobbyists, both of whom are woven through state government and are resistant to change.

For example, David Murrell of the Police Benevolent Association, which helped to bankroll Scott's opponent, Democrat Alex Sink, said he is confident that legislators won't buy into Scott's plan to replace salaried prison employees with private contractors.

``On both the House and Senate side, there are some legislators who don't want to go as far as Scott, so that'll be interesting,'' Murrell said.

Scott's victory speech included some clear shots at the status quo, something that both Haridopolos and Cannon have been a part of for six years.

``Some are beginning to wonder if anyone in Tallahassee can turn things around,'' Scott told supporters.

Cannon said he didn't interpret that as a criticism: ``What he said is we need to be more bold and more dynamic -- take a common sense approach.''

With Scott at the helm, Republican lawmakers will be able to enact many of the proposals that were rebuffed under Crist: linking teacher tenure with student performance, expanding school choice for public school students, and limiting liability for healthcare providers who serve Medicaid patients.

Jon Mills, a former Democratic speaker of the House when Martinez became the first Republican elected governor in over 100 years, said that no matter who is in power, the Legislature and governor will be forced to find agreement or voters will send them a message in two years as they did to Democrats this year.

``People are cognizant they are representing the whole state -- people who agree with them and those who don't agree with them,'' he said. ``And all those folks have to run again''

Mary Ellen Klas can be reached at meklas@ MiamiHerald.com

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