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As one of it’s last acts, the Taxation and Budget Reform Commission voted to put two amendment on the November ballot dealing with vouchers. The Florida Supreme Court found unconstitutional a state program that allowed parents to enroll their children in religious schools with partial payment from the state. One amendment eliminates a 140 year old prohibition blocking state money going to religious institutions. The second re-authorizes vouchers. The ACLU has opposed both measures.

“So the two combined essentially rips a hole in the law of separation between church and state, and says there’s nothing wrong, in fact we encourage, the use of public money to fund parochial schools, private schools, faith-based institutions,” Larry Spalding with the ACLU said.

Both proposals must be approved by voters and both require a 60 percent margin of approval.

The ink is barely dry on a proposal to swap a portion of your property taxes for a higher sales and other taxes. Groups are already talking about campaigns  supporting or opposing the idea. Voters will make the final decision this November, but as Mike Vasilinda tells us, they may tired of hearing about it by the time election day rolls around.

About 25 cents of every dollar you pay in property taxes goes to schools. A powerful commission wants you to vote to swap those taxes for a higher sales taxes and maybe a services tax. A 1987 services tax was national news and saw boycotts of the state.

The tax lasted just six months. Florida Broadcasters will likely lead the revolt this time as well.

“‘87, there was a revolt once people realized it was on the books,” Pat Roberts with FBA said. “But we’re not going to let this go on the books.”

Dan Wolfe and his family were visiting the Capitol from Jacksonville. We asked about the swap.

“Consumables and those kinds of things would increase as well,” Wolfe, a medical equipment dealer, said. “So I think I would prefer to stay with what I had.”

Realtors were able to make sure home sales wouldn’t be taxed in the swap. They will lead the effort to pass it.

“We proved again with Amendment One, that we can rally the troops,” John Sebree with the FL Association of Realtors said.  “We’ll work harder than anybody. We’ll out work them all.”

If the swap passes, lawmakers will have to decide which taxes to raise or create by 2010. Mike Haridopolus expects to be Senate President.

“The numbers do not add up,” Haridopolus said. “It’s a bait-and-switch that will cost the voters big time.”

“Supporters believe the swap will be an economic stimulus and the extra money will fill the hole in the budget.”

But in the short run, the biggest economic stimulus might be the multi million dollar campaigns for and against the swap.

The governor is yet to weigh in on the full tax swap package.

The state Senate debated but delayed a vote on a bill that would require women to have an ultrasound before getting an abortion. As Whitney Ray tells us, the delay may mean the bill doesn’t have enough votes to pass.

Katie Phinazee is looking at pictures of the life inside of her. Katie was 19 when she found out she was pregnant.

“I wasn’t completely sure if I was ready to have a baby,” said Katie.

Katie had dreams of being a college professor. She considered her options, have an abortion or put her plans on hold.

“I had an ultrasound when I was 6 weeks pregnant and once I heard the heart beat, I knew I could do it from then on. Once I heard the heart there was no way, I couldn’t be a mom,” said Katie.

Katie didn’t have to have an ultrasound but Senator Carey Baker wants to require one before women can have an abortion.

“We as a state feel that women who are about to make a very important choice should have all the information available to them, and that information includes an ultrasound,” said Baker.

While seeing and hearing the baby boy inside of her, helped Katie make up her mind, she doesn’t think anyone one should be forced to have an ultrasound.

“I think it would cut down on a lot of abortions, I don’t know if it’s the right thing to do,” said Katie.

Which is the exactly the thing lawmakers expect to happen if an ultrasound is required. In 2006, almost a hundred thousand abortions were preformed in Florida.

Lawmakers want more training for 911 dispatchers. A bill named after Amber Lee, a North Port mother who was kidnapped and murdered earlier this year, passed the Senate Thursday. A woman called 911 when she spotted Lee trying to escape her abductor. 911 Operators didn’t give the report high priority and by the time police got the message, it was too late. Senator Dave Aronberg is sponsoring the bill.

“We hope that her death will lead to changes in our 911 laws and hopefully we’ll have better training and better certification so there won’t be other Amber Lee Tragedies,” said Aronberg.

The bill sets up training and certificate criteria that the 67 counties can utilize on a volunteer basis.

It’s not as heavy, but now Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow has another piece of hardware for his trophy case. Today the state Senate awarded the University of Florida quarterback with the medallion of excellence. Tebow, who apart from winning college football’s highest honor, also has a 3.6 grade point average, says he wants Florida’s youth to follow his example.

“There are a lot of role models in football, but there are not a lot of good role models. My hope and my prayer is for my self is to be a good role model that parents can say I want my kid to be like that,” said Tebow.

Tebow visited both chambers and the Governor’s office.

Mayors from around the state traveled to Tallahassee Thursday to tell lawmakers to back off. The League of Mayors addressed reporters in a crowed room at the Capitol. Mayors say there has always been a battle for control between city leaders and lawmakers. They say right now they’re losing the battle. Sunrise Mayor Steven Feren said proposed tax caps and budget cuts are the issues that are hurting every city in the state.

“If we start letting people go, if there’s anymore cuts that hurts the recession. If we stop building projects because we don’t know whether or not we have the money to build them, then there are contractors and they’re employees who aren’t working,” said Feren.

Mayors fear when Amendment One property tax breaks hit the general funds later this year, things will get worse.

Efforts to stimulate the economy won out over a fear that a tax swap would cause havoc and make schools worse. Come November, As Mike Vasilinda tells us.  voters will now decide if they would like to raise the sales tax and replace a part of their property taxes.

It may be the most powerful commission that you’ve never heard of.

With the power to send something directly to the ballot, tension was obvious on those in the audience as the commission debated whether to trade a sales tax increase for reducing property taxes.

Opponents painted a dire picture.

“We’re about to do something and put it in our constitution that’s going to wreck our economy,” Randy Miller with the FL. Retail Federation said.

Because the sales tax raised less than half the money that will be lost from property taxes, the plan could lead to a tax on everything from legal fees to dry cleaning. In the end, lower property taxes trumped fears of a massive tax hike.

“Every property tax bill, minimum 25 percent reduction? We have got to do something,” Lee County Property Appraiser Ken Wilkinson said.

“I kind of think that this is saving our school system,” realtor Nancy Riley.

As passed, there are questions about whether this can really force the legislature to hold education harmless.

“We’re unsure at this point,” Andy Ford with FEA said.  “We’ve got out constitutional lawyer still looking at the issue on whether this actual is a guarantee that the legislature has to fill the hole or not.”

The plan already has bitter opposition.

“And the average homeowner is going to pay the tax when they go buy stuff,” Pat Robert with the Florida Broadcasters Association said. “They’re going to start taxing services like they did in 1987.”

The tax Swap is likely to spur the most expensive and bitter battle of this election year.

Alternative theories to evolution may soon be taught in your child’s classroom. Just two months after the Board of Education voted to incorporate the Theory of Evolution in state science curriculum, the Florida Senate says, what about alternative theories. As Whitney Ray tells us, opponents fear the bill will lead to religion in the classroom.

This fall Science teachers in Florida will be able to use the word “Evolution” for the first time when teaching the origin of man. Whether or not teachers will be able to present holes in Darwin’s Theory without being reprimanded is still being decided. The Senate passed a bill Wednesday to protect teachers who want to present evidence against evolution to their students. Bill sponsor Ronda Storms says the legislation is about free speech.

“This is a freedom of speech issue and I dare say a legitimate good scientist would not be afraid of the general criticism,” said Storms.

Senator Steve Geller says if the bill is signed into law, Florida would become the laughing stock of the nation.

“I submit to you that in 2008 it is embarrassing for us to be debating evolution,” said Geller.

Opponents say the bill would allow religion to be taught in the classroom.

“The Florida Legislature has said we want to teach creationism. We want to be able to teach that the earth was carried on the back of a turtle,” said Geller

The legislation must still clear the state House and the Governor’s Desk. Governor Charlie Crist avoided questions about the bill. He told reporters he would wait to see if the legislation made it through the chambers before he weighed in on the topic.

A program to help Florida’s working poor get the medical attention they need was resurrected in the latest budget turn. The Medically Needy Program helps about 20,000 Floridians who’ve suffered serious injuries or need an organ transplant. Earlier this week Lawmakers decided to cut funding for the program. Wednesday lawmakers changed their tune and voted to dip into state reserves to keep the program funded.

“We put a large widget in the right place to make sure that those people that have been unfortunate enough to have transplants and those that have problems with affording pharmaceuticals and immunological medications will have a place in our program,“ said Senator Durell Peaden.

The announcement to fund the Medically Needy program came as healthcare officials were planning on delivering thousand of petitions to lawmakers. The petitions asked lawmakers to save the program.

Parents of missing daughters want lawmakers to extend the search for missing people. Wednesday in Tallahassee Hilary Sessions, whose daughter disappeared almost 20 years ago, met with lawmakers. Sessions along with Joyce and Drew Kesse, whose daughter Jennifer was abducted in Orlando, want the Department of Missing Children to take on cases involving missing people up to the age of 25. Drew Kesse said increasing the age could help more people be found.

“It’s a very difficult thing to deal with. Laws just don’t support it. We are trying to strengthen and enhance the existing laws that you see for children, and bring them up into a more conducive state for adults too,” said Kesse.

The Senate Passed the bill, now the families are waiting to have the bill heard by the House.

The most important commission that you have never heard of is on the verge of asking you to make the biggest change in state tax policy that has ever occurred. The proposal could eliminate the property taxes you pay for schools, But as Mike Vasilinda tells us, not without a major loss of services.

Voters may be asked to trade the taxes they pay on schools in exchange for a one cent hike in the state sales tax. The problems say opponents, is that the swap leaves a big hole in the state budget.

“A penny generates about four billion,” Senator Mike Haridopolus said. “Where do you get the other seven billion dollars from? No one knows. It’s a mystery.”

If the plan makes it to voters and they say okay, Lawmakers may be forced to take drastic action and tax everything from dry cleaning to legal fees.

The only thing not on the table is a personal income tax. Yet.

And even an income tax could be put forth in the future, if separate plans moving through the state House to severely limit local tax collections. The League of Cities says the tax cutting fever has no direction.

“There just seems to be this sort of zeal to put a bunch of things in a pot and throw spaghetti at the wall and see what sticks,” Rebecca O’Hare with the League of Cities said.

The few lawmakers brave enough to vote against the tax cuts being pushed by GOP house members say there isn’t enough information.

“Good question,” Rep. Scott Randolph said. “Nobody’s ever given us a run. I have no idea.”

Under any of the proposals, drastic cuts in core services are likely. But voters do have the final say.

As state lawmakers finalize budget cuts, Education leaders say schools will be shut down and teachers will be laid off. It could get worse. Amendment one, the property tax cut plan approved in January, hasn’t affected the budget yet and as Whitney Ray tells us a campaign promise to hold education harmless could be harder to keep.

Bus loads of kids from across the state toured the Capitol Tuesday to learn more about the legislative process.

“I saw Charlie Crist,” said 4th Grader Gregory Nye

Part of the process is making good on campaign promises. Education is facing a billion dollar cut this year and that’s after Governor Charlie Crist promised to hold education harmless while campaigning for amendment one, which will take more away from schools. House Speaker Designate Ray Sansom back pedaled when asked about the change of tune.

“Harmless means not raising taxes, and we’re not raising taxes,” said Sansom.

Teachers brought their umbrellas to the Capitol to send a message to lawmakers. Teachers Union President Andy Ford said dipping into the rainy day funds is the only way the Governor can keep his promise.

“Schools are not being held harmless,” said Ford. “The legislature has the ability to hold us harmless by dipping into the rainy day funds and that would get us back to where we need to be.”

Governor Crist said lawmakers still have time to save schools.

“Anything’s possible. We have nine days to do what’s right,” said Crist.

But doing what’s right means keeping your promise, which is hard when there is no money. Amendment one is saving home owners an average of 250,000 dollars a year in property taxes.

Governor Charlie Crist continues to push his plan to provide insurance to the state’s nearly 4 million uninsured. Tuesday Crist met with representatives from several insurance companies. He said the companies are prepared to offer policies for as little as 150 bucks a month. Crist was asked why he though people would buy the minimum coverage insurance when they can use hospital emergency rooms and not pay the bill.

“They understand if they don’t get health coverage from one of these reportable companies, who have a great corporate ethic obviously, then they would do so instead of going to emergency rooms and costing their fellow taxpayers millions of dollars to do it. I believe in their goodness,” said Crist.

The Senate unanimously approved the Governor’s plan. A vote from the House is still pending.

A plan to trade 25 percent of property tax for a penny increase in sales tax is days away from a final vote. Earlier this year the Taxation and Budget Reform Commission gave preliminary approval to the plan. Thursday they’ll have a final vote. Governor Crist said he’s not ready to weigh in on the issue, but part of the plan sounds good to him.

“I’d like to see what the final version is before I announce whether I’ll work hard for it or not, but I like the 25 percent property tax reduction,” Crist said.

Opponents of the plan said the tax swap would actually raise taxes. If the plan gets final approval from the commission then it will be on the November Ballot.

Allstate was our of the business of writing new policies late yesterday, but only for about 15 minutes. The First District Court of Appeal agreed the state could suspend Allstate’s certificate, then almost immediately withdrew the order. As Mike Vasilinda tells us the final outcome could turn out to be in Allstate’s favor.

It was business as usual at Allstate offices around the state. But at 5:15 Monday night, it didn’t look like any of them would be open.

“I have in my hand, a ruling from the District Court of Appeals, first district,” Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarty said.

Minutes later, the order allowing the state to suspend Allstate’s certificate to sell new policies was abruptly cancelled. A press release from the court said merely that the order was released too early.

For Allstate agents like John Cheney, the three month battle over records has been a roller coaster ride.

“There certainly have been some ups and downs,” Cheney said. “We’re just taking it one day at a time, trying to keep our purpose where it needs to be– taking care our customers.”

No one but the judges here really knows what happened

Court policies allow any of the 15 judges to ask for a vote to decide to hear the case. Stephen Grimes spent 24 years as an appellate and then supreme court justice. He speculates one of the judges on the court may want to hear the case.

“So far, no one had decided to call for a vote,” Grimes said. “But that doesn’t mean that somebody might not because any judge would know he has ten business days to do it.”

Court rules say no decision will be announced for another week. And Allstate agents are hoping the court will be forgiving.