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Foreclosures are clogging the state court system, so The Florida Supreme Court is recommending mandatory mediation between lenders and barrowers who have defaulted on their loans. But, as Whitney Ray tells us, not everyone thinks mandatory mediation is the best solution.

Fed up with foreclosure filings bogging down the state’s court system Florida Supreme Court Justices are using the bench to fight the problem. The high court formed a foreclosure taskforce and is recommending changes to the way lenders and barrowers handle mortgage defaults. Mandatory mediation for homesteaded properties is one recommendation.

State Senator Dave Aronberg is sponsoring similar legislation that would allow down and out borrows to reduce their payments.

“A homeowner could stay in the home, pay a little bit each month and the bank would have a lien towards the end, so the homeowner would still owe the amount. There’s not free lunch here,” said Aronberg.

But for homeowners who have lost their jobs and are out of cash, mediation would simply delay the inevitable. The Florida Bankers Association says mandatory mediation could bog down the courts even more. Bankers say barrowers should have a choice.

“I think they should be treated like the grownups that they are and allow them to say yes I want to do this and I’ll put a reasonable amount of money into the process or no I don’t want to do this because it’s just not worth it to me,” said Virginia Townes, who addressed the justices on behalf of the association Wednesday.

The justices are still considering an opt out option for barrowers who have given up on saving their property. Still hanging in limbo is the question of who will pay for the bulk of mediation which costs an estimated 750 dollars. Some say the lenders should foot the bill, others suggest a 50 – 50 split.

Governor Charlie Crist is vowing to stop political corruption among elected officials.

Crist meet with state prosecutors today to discuss the problem. The indictment of Florida’s former House Speaker opened up the corruption conversation. Crist says since he took office in 2007, he’s spent a lot of time replacing corrupt politicians.

“After being in office, I guess it’s now 34 months, but replacing about 30 people because of allegations or actually convictions, you know enough is enough and I think it was time to engage a grand jury and I hopeful the Supreme Court will act on it,” said Crist.

In Mid-October Crist asked the Florida Supreme Court to empanel a statewide grand jury to investigate a host of allegations including, bribery, prostitution and drug use among elected officials.

Inmates who participate in faith-based programs during their sentences are in some case 15 percent less likely to reoffend once they’re released.

A recent study tracked inmates from 11 Florida prisons enrolled in the voluntary programs. The programs last a full year and are privately funded. State Senator Dave Aronberg, a Democrat running for Attorney General, says the programs could save the state millions over time.

“When you have a prison population that has a high recidivism rate it’s just a revolving door, people get right back in, it hurts taxpayers, it hurts public safety and for someone who want to be attorney general I think we need to look at whatever works,” said Aronberg.

More than a quarter of the 30,000 people released from Florida prisons each year are back behind bars within three years.

The babysitter of a 7-month old Chipley baby tried to warn the state that the infant was in trouble. Susan Baker sent an email to Governor Charlie Crist in August. Baker claimed the parents of Shannon Dedrick were using drugs around the kids. The governor’s offices forwarded the letter to the Department of Children and Families. DCF investigated the alleged drug use and another report of child abuse. DCF Assistant Secretary of Operations Peter Digree says they’re investigation didn’t give the department any reason to remove the baby.

“We provided a whole host of services, including taking the baby to the child protection team, that’s part of the health departments child protection program, and the baby was given a doctors examination and it was determine the baby was in good condition. There was no evidence of shaken baby,” said Digree.

Washington County Sheriff’s Deputies are now investigating Baker to see if the babysitter was involved the child’s disappearance.

Email from Baker:

Mr. Governor Crist,

I want to tell you something, there is four people living together. They
are not working nor are they doing any kind of community serves. But they
are drawing food stamps. They take there food stamps and trade them for
drugs. Tina Merter was pregnant when she meet James Russell Dedrick, jr
dob:Oct 23, 1978, he is 31 yrs old and has never had a job. So James R
Dedrick, jr put his name on Tina Merters baby birth certificate. So now he
can get a check, food stamps, medicare. Now there are Micheal, Erica, Tina
Merter & James R Dedrick, jr living all together in a house on 537 5th St,
Chipley Florida 32428. They are all drowing food stamps and not woking or
doing community service. That Is so wrong in alot of wasys. Tina Meter’s
baby is being aboused. I have seen James R Dedrick, jr pick that baby up and
shake her, just becouse the baby crys and that gets on his nerves. Micheal &
Erica also have shoke that baby too. They smoke ciggerets and drugs with the
baby in the same room. THAT CHILD NEEDS HELP & NO ONE IS HELPING HER.
Please Help this child she is mentaly challenged. It is not right that these
people are selling their food stamps for drugs. My husband works 58 hrs a
week for us to live and it makes me very angry to see these people sitting
on their back sides and draining the system that is put in place for the
needy, Not the lazy. Please do something about this unjustice and Please
Please save that child.

Thank You For Your Time,

Susan Baker

Harassing phone calls and threatening messages from debt collectors has lead thousand of Floridians to ask for the state’s help, but their complaints have fallen on deaf ears. As Whitney Ray reports, the state has ignored complaints because it’s been unclear about who has the authority to crack down on the abusive collectors.

Eva Porter can’t get the phone to stop ringing. Debt collectors trying to get in touch with her brother have been calling Eva seven times a day. Her brother moved out a year ago, but that hasn’t stopped the calls.

“It’s just aggravating to have to deal with those harassing phone calls,” Eva said.

Federal law prohibits debt collects from calling before 8:00 AM or after 9:00 at night. They’re also not allowed to make threats. Eva says the company calling her doesn’t play by the rules.

“They’ve called at 7:00 o’clock in the morning on Saturday. They’ve even called one morning and woke me up at 6:30,” said Eva.

Debt collectors have become more aggressive since the economy tanked. Six thousand calls and emails have come into two state agencies. But most of the complaints have been ignored because of confusion over who has the authority to police the debt collectors.

Attorney General Bill McCollum says his office lacks authority.

“A lot of confusion exists about this issue and I want to be sure we have the powers people think we do,” said McCollum.

The AG’s office refers the complaints to the Office of Financial Regulation. CFO Alex Sink, who doesn’t oversee the OFR, says she doesn’t care which office is to blame, she just wants the problem fixed.

“I’m not into pointing fingers. I’m into making the right thing happen and to protecting Florida citizens from these practices,” said Sink.

Both McCollum and CFO Alex Sink are asking for legislation to make the policing process easier. The state cabinet members, who are both running for governor, are asking lawmakers to act quickly. Both are hoping for legislation to be passed in the 2010 legislative session which begins in March.

State lawmakers want more filming in Florida. Today was the official launch of the newly formed Florida Film, Entertainment and Television Caucus. The caucus is trying to attract more film crews to the state to boost revenues and create jobs. The star of Burn Notice, A USA Network show shot in Miami, was on hand to help launch the caucus. Jeffery Donovan says the show is giving Florida worldwide exposure.

I think that the backdrop of Miami and all of southern Florida is an integral part of our success. I also know that this show is one of the most widely distributed shows in the world now. So you have a free two million dollar commercial being shown to the world and showing how great the state of Florida is,” said Donovan.

House Representative Michelle Rehwinkel Vasilinda organized the event and has been meeting with Fox Film and TV executives to find out what it would take to bring more production to the state. Rehwinkel Vasilinda says creating new tax credits will help Florida rise in ranks of film producing states.

“All over Florida there is opportunity here. We have great schools. We have great places to film. We have great people here that are all ready trained in providing infrastructure for this. We don’t need to do what the other states do. We don’t need to incentivize as much. All we need is a sweet spot and consistency,” said Rehwinkel Vasilinda.

Florida gets $1.44 for every dollar invested in Film. In 2007 the film industry created 15,000 jobs in the state.

The Florida Governor’s race just got a little more interesting. Lakeland Senator Paula Dockery threw her hat in the ring today, setting up a Republican Primary. Dockery is challenging GOP front runner Attorney General Bill McCollum. The State Republican Party has been adamant about avoiding a costly primary and been successful making McCollum their guy. Dockery says voters should be allowed to pick a candidate.

“What I am doing is putting my name into the mix to have the voters of the State of Florida decide who they want to hire in November of 2010 to be the CEO of the State of Florida. And my message is directly to them. It doesn’t matter who else is in the race. It doesn’t matter if five or ten other people get in the race. My job is to talk directly to the voters of the state of Florida and make the case for why they should hire me. So, it’s kind of a silly notion to ask what we think of each other because we are all applicants for the same job. And our job is to convince the voters why we would be the best person to represent them,” said Dockery.

McCollum was asked about Dockery’s decision to enter the race shortly before she filed her paperwork. McCollum refused to acknowledge her entry into the race and says he’s focused on the general election.

“I’m focused on a race against the chief financial officer whose my primary opponent, my principal opponent in this race and I think that’s where all the energies are be and should be directed and will continue to be directed,” said McCollum.

Dockery has a steep uphill climb if she’s going to beat McCollum. McCollum is a career politician and has better name recognition. But if Dockery does win, Florida would be on its way to having its first female governor. Alex Sink, a Democratic candidate for Governor, doesn’t have a big name challenger and as of now is expected to sail through the primary.

The state is suing two hotel booking companies saying Orbitz and Expedia are withholding state tax dollars. The companies rent hotel rooms at wholesales prices then charge customers a retail price. The problem is they’re only paying taxes on the wholesale price. The practice is costing the state millions. Attorney General Bill McCollum is asking a judge to clarify the issue and hopes the companies comply with the court’s decision.

“And if we prevail and get this declaratory judgment which is the purpose of it. We would hope that all of the online travel companies would acknowledge this. That going forward that they would pay the taxes that they really owe which is on the rate right here, that they’re the merchants, the retail merchants, on what the consumers pay, what they get from the consumers and we would not have that problem of having to sue them. But if we had to we would,” said McCollum.

The issue was brought up in October at a state cabinet meeting after Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink asked the Department of Revenue to discuss the issue. Sink is backing the AG’s suit saying the matter has gone unresolved for far too long. The AG’s office says they’ve been considering a suit since 2008.

A Select House committee indicated today it will not ratify a Seminole Gambling Compact negotiated by Governor Charlie Crist, but as Mike Vasilinda tells us, the conservative lawmakers indicated they may be willing to expand gambling in Florida.

The Seminole tribe is willing to pay Florida 150 million a year for gambling. But lawmakers were told the state could earn as much as a billion, or about 7 times more, if it licensed casinos in Florida. That got a legislative committee’s attention.

“You do it in a controlled fashion,” Rep. Ellyn Bogdanoff (R-Ft. Lauderdale) said. “You create a competitive bid process where you allow the type of facilities to come in that will ultimately allow us to bring in the convention business and make it a destination location. And do it tastefully, and do it right.”

Even conservative lawmakers from the Panhandle blessed the idea…with a caveat.

“I don’t think we should be expanding gambling,” Rep. Marti Coley (R-Marianna) said. “If the community wants it, then I’m not going to fight that.”

The committee made it clear that the Seminole Tribe deal negotiated by the governor is all but dead. But the prospect of opening full-scale casinos is a dream most pari-mutuel operators never thought possible, until they heard the committee.

“We have existed gambling facilities all around this state that have been in business since the 1930’s,” Dan Adkins with Mardi Gras Gaming, said. “Why not allow them the opportunity to compete and provide revenue for the state. New jobs, more revenue. I mean, far and away more money than the Tribe can ever provide.”

Unless lawmakers are bluffing to get a better deal from the Tribe, it appears voters could be asked to authorize even more gaming next November.

The Seminoles continue to operate the blackjack, poker and other games and will under federal authority, even though the state attorney general and speaker of the house want them shut down now.

A wrongfully convicted man locked up for 27 years is asking the state legislature for 2.4 million dollars. William Dillon was convicted of murdering a Brevard County man in 1981. As Whitney Ray tells us, DNA evidence freed Dillon less than a year ago after he has spent more than half his life behind bars.

To hear his lawyer tell it, it was a scheme of cohesion and cover up that landed 50-year old William Dillon behind bars for 27 years. Dillon was convicted of murder in 1981. The Brevard County prosecutor at the time used evidence that didn’t fit, literally.

A medium tee-shirt covered with the victim’s blood was linked to the 6’4 Dillon. Forensic scientists tested samples from the shirt in 2008, but Dillon’s DNA couldn’t be found. Dillon’s name was cleared a few weeks later.

“The final release was such a relief, but now I’m relieving this again. Going back into the same courthouse appeals and going back into the same situation and it’s drawing on me,” said Dillon.

During his first hour in prison, five inmates raped the then 21-year-old. Dillon’s legal team is asking the state legislature for 2.4 million dollars for lost time and suffering.

“This compensation is not just because they took his freedom away. They took away a lot of things he would have through a normal course of life if he had been allowed to go out and work and benefit from his own region,” said Sandy D’Alemberte with the Innocence Project of Florida.

Florida law allows the wrongfully incarnated to seek compensation if they haven’t been convicted of any other crimes. Dillon was convicted of a drug charge two year prior to the murder. Two administrative judges acting on behalf of the House and Senate will make recommendations to the legislature on whether or not Dillon’s bill should be heard.

A jail house snitch who fabricated a story to help convict Dillon showed up at today’s hearing. He testified and asked Dillon to forgive him. The two men embraced after his testimony.

Experts in finance, law, and science are discussing the pros and cons of drilling off Florida’s coast tonight in Tallahassee.

Florida State University is hosing the Florida Symposium on Offshore Energy which cost 50,000 dollars to bring together. Experts predict Florida will need to double its energy production by 2050. Ian MacDonald, the chairman of the symposium and a professor of oceanography says claims drilling will ruin the state’s tourism industry aren’t entirely true, but either are claims drilling will do no harm.

“Tourism throughout the gulf region has grown steadily. It’s grown steadily in Texas and Louisiana. Coastal tourism is very important in both of those states despite the existence of a very substantial and robust offshore oil industry. So I think the statements that it can be done without any danger or risk are erroneous and the statements that a single oil spill would destroy the tourism economy in Florida are also erroneous,” said MacDonald.

Drilling off Florida’s coast is expected to be one of the main topics during the 2010 legislative session.