Our public affairs reporting class has opened up my eyes to much of what is going on within our county. From the bussing issues to the lack of funding crippling area schools, education is clearly suffering from various deficiencies. The opportunity to cover Election Day on our campus showed me how unconcerned Buddy Johnson was with registered voters and the several problems that arose during his term in office. And throughout the semester my attendance at several public meetings taught me about various issues as well attending a public trial.
Our county, like any other small government has problems. The clearest sign of this is our decaying educational system. Middleton Middle was covered in the tribune asking for volunteers to help tutor students due to the extreme deficiencies in their school. Then budget cuts that had closed down three public schools in our area last year have now threatened to shut down even more schools, schools like Palm Harbor Elementary which is and ‘A’ rated school. The school boards on going bussing dispute have also reflected very poorly on Hillsborough County. As I said before, it has been for far too long that we allow education to only be an afterthought rather than a priority.
Buddy Johnson’s term in office speaks volumes about our county as well. We allowed a man to retain a position of power even though he continued to abuse it; the TBT reported that Johnson had mishandled ballots in not one, not two but three different elections. This makes me wonder why he was not removed from office prior to this general election where he yet again had pollers counting vote’s days after Election Day to determine whether he won re-election. On election morning Buddy Johnson sent poll workers a memo informing them that there were new rules for media, extending the perimeter from the actual building premises rather than the poll boxes. Not only did Buddy Johnson decide he had the power to change existing rules the morning of Election Day, but he felt he could disregard student voters registered at USF with bringing an inadequate amount of polling boxes into our campus.
The Citizens Advisory Board meeting teaches us about the effects of our economy here in our area. There are many homeowners struggling to make ends meet and whose homes are in danger of being foreclosed. This has led for the development of the neighborhood stabilization act which will help those people in our area struggling. While there may be new business coming into the area surrounding USF there are also others being forced to close its doors. We have seen the closeout sales for stores like Steve and Barry’s in University Mall and Linen and Things right off Bruce B. Downs.
I find it odd that in a time when we allow schools to cripple we are debating a new stadium for the Tampa Bay Rays, who although may have a slightly outdated field in regards to their recent success, don’t really have a dire need for a new one. Another situation that seems confusing is TECO’s announcement of higher rates when the gas prices have started to go down. Homeless tent cities sprout up, and county officials put their best effort forward to have them removed. I don’t understand what it is that makes people fight so fervently against the miserable, and yet allow for businesses, schools, and Election Day practices to suffer. It seems that our local government extends its power without dissent because many aren’t speaking up and because our officials aren’t being reprimanded. I wonder what our county would look like and what issues would arise had people actually shown up the public meetings I attended. We let problems continue up until the point that they can’t be ignored and this is far too long.
Friday, December 5, 2008
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Ed Homan: District 60
Edward Samuel Homan Jr. was born on August 10th, 1943 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. According to his resume, Homan spent his undergraduate studies at the Louisiana State University where he graduated with a bachelors in biochemistry in 1964. Four years later he earned his doctorate at the Louisiana State University Medical School. Homan interned at the Charity Hospital in New Orleans while in school and later did his residency at the same hospital in the orthopedic surgery unit. While doing this research I discovered a brief lapse in his residency and later learned that the lapse could be attributed to the two year term he did in the US Navy. He was a Lieutenant Commander in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba from 1970-1972. Upon finishing his residency in 1975 Homan then moved to Florida. He has lived in the Tampa bay area ever since.
Certified in the Florida State Board of Medical Examiners in April of 1975, Ed Homan is an orthopedic surgeon and practices at the University Community Hospital. Not only is he the chief of orthopedics at UCH, but he is also an assistant professor of orthopedics in the USF Orthopedic and Sports Medicine program.
Homan and his wife Carol reside in Temple Terrace. He married Carol Ann Hodges on October 8th, 1992. Carol is also in the medical field, practicing internal medicine at the VA hospital. They have three children together, John, David and Mark. In my research I was unable to find any real estate taxes paid under Homan’s name, and instead found that there were taxes paid on tangible property by him. The Hillsborough County Tax Collectors website lists his as having property on 13801 Bruce B. Downs, I researched this address and it listed some medical offices. The property appraisals site lists it at a value of $12,000 which is the amount mortgaged by Homan in June of 1982. I did find real estate taxes paid by Carol for a home in the temple terrace estates estimated at a just value of $268,402. All of the taxes for this home have been paid on time yearly.
Residing in temple terrace, Homan has remained a very active member of the community being part of the Temple Terrace Chamber of Commerce as well as serving in the Hillsborough County Medical Association. He served as the president of the HCMA organization from 1999 to 2000 and has maintained memberships in various other organizations such as: the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, Florida Orthopedic Society, and the American Medical Association.
Homan’s resume includes a lengthy list of several awards he has received from various organizations. Some of these awards include the : 2001 Physician of the Year by the HCMA, 2001 & 2003 Physician Political Leadership Award by Florida Medical Business, 5 time Outstanding Clinician Educator award, and 2004 Ed Annis, MD Award for Political Activism by FLAMPAC.
With his dedication to his work in both the medical field and education, Homan’s campaign website states that he aims to work toward improving the state of both of these in Florida through his terms as senate representative. Republican Ed Homan is a member of the state senate and has represented district 60 since 2002.
As a Florida State Representative, Ed Homan has a long list of accomplishments as well. His website has a very long list of bills that were either sponsored or co-sponsored by him and passed during his term in 2002-2008.Homan currently serves on the committee on health innovation, as well as the committee on audit and performance where he is chair and the government efficiency and accountability council. In the past Homan also served on the health care committee, the local government and veterans affairs committee as well several others.
Ed Homan ran unopposed in the 2008 general election and looking into his campaign expenditures as well as contributions you can learn a lot about him. Homan filed $158,996 in monetary donations from April 2007 to October 2008. His total expenditures from that period were $124, 160.47. That leaves around $35,000 unaccounted for and I was not able to reach anyone who could discuss this matter with me. Looking into who contributed to his campaign, it is reasonable to infer that he is well liked in the medical community. He has contributions from a variety of medical organizations, ranging from the Children’s Health Center to the Reproductive Medicine Group. Homan’s supporters were not merely medical organizations however. Much of the contributors were private individuals and he also had the support of different business such as Bank of America, Brighthouse networks, and Southern Wine and Spirits which interestingly enough is in South Carolina as opposed to much of his Florida contributors. In fact, the only other contributor not within Florida was Pfizer. I found this donation of the pharmaceutical company particularly interesting because it is big businesses like these that often have lobbyists and whose contributions sway a politicians voting. In looking at the breakdown of his expenditures I learned that Homan spent over $96,000 in the services provided him by Doug Mcalarney Political Consulting. I found this number to be a bit exorbitant only because Homan ran unopposed and therefore was sure of winning, and this makes me wonder what he would of spent had he not been guaranteed this.
In my public records search I did find something that I did not expect to find, while there were no arrests or warrants or any sort of negative records for Homan, I did find that there was action brought against him in the past. I found that there was a case brought against him by Patricia and Patrick Keefe. The case was voluntarily dismissed in January of 2004 and therefore it was hard to find much more information. Homan’s office would not speak to this case and the number for the Keefe’s lawyer was no longer a working number.
It seems that much of Homan’s time is dedicated to his medical career and his involvement in different professional organizations and the awards they’ve honored him with, attest to this. Though being a state representative must be very time consuming, it seems that he truly enjoys being a part of the senate as well as practicing medicine. Outside of his political and medical career, both the senate website and his personal website list some of his recreational interests. Not surprisingly, they are health related activities that he and his wife take part in, such as triathlons and mountain climbing.
In the end, although there was a small negative patch on Homan’s lifelong career with the discovery of the action brought against him by the Keefe’s, it was ultimately voluntarily dismissed and Homan seems like a pretty likeable guy on paper. Of course however, there can be much else to learn had I actually met Homan or been around him for some time. That is not to say that people can’t be good, it’s just very rare to find someone whose persona on paper and in day to day life match up.
Certified in the Florida State Board of Medical Examiners in April of 1975, Ed Homan is an orthopedic surgeon and practices at the University Community Hospital. Not only is he the chief of orthopedics at UCH, but he is also an assistant professor of orthopedics in the USF Orthopedic and Sports Medicine program.
Homan and his wife Carol reside in Temple Terrace. He married Carol Ann Hodges on October 8th, 1992. Carol is also in the medical field, practicing internal medicine at the VA hospital. They have three children together, John, David and Mark. In my research I was unable to find any real estate taxes paid under Homan’s name, and instead found that there were taxes paid on tangible property by him. The Hillsborough County Tax Collectors website lists his as having property on 13801 Bruce B. Downs, I researched this address and it listed some medical offices. The property appraisals site lists it at a value of $12,000 which is the amount mortgaged by Homan in June of 1982. I did find real estate taxes paid by Carol for a home in the temple terrace estates estimated at a just value of $268,402. All of the taxes for this home have been paid on time yearly.
Residing in temple terrace, Homan has remained a very active member of the community being part of the Temple Terrace Chamber of Commerce as well as serving in the Hillsborough County Medical Association. He served as the president of the HCMA organization from 1999 to 2000 and has maintained memberships in various other organizations such as: the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, Florida Orthopedic Society, and the American Medical Association.
Homan’s resume includes a lengthy list of several awards he has received from various organizations. Some of these awards include the : 2001 Physician of the Year by the HCMA, 2001 & 2003 Physician Political Leadership Award by Florida Medical Business, 5 time Outstanding Clinician Educator award, and 2004 Ed Annis, MD Award for Political Activism by FLAMPAC.
With his dedication to his work in both the medical field and education, Homan’s campaign website states that he aims to work toward improving the state of both of these in Florida through his terms as senate representative. Republican Ed Homan is a member of the state senate and has represented district 60 since 2002.
As a Florida State Representative, Ed Homan has a long list of accomplishments as well. His website has a very long list of bills that were either sponsored or co-sponsored by him and passed during his term in 2002-2008.Homan currently serves on the committee on health innovation, as well as the committee on audit and performance where he is chair and the government efficiency and accountability council. In the past Homan also served on the health care committee, the local government and veterans affairs committee as well several others.
Ed Homan ran unopposed in the 2008 general election and looking into his campaign expenditures as well as contributions you can learn a lot about him. Homan filed $158,996 in monetary donations from April 2007 to October 2008. His total expenditures from that period were $124, 160.47. That leaves around $35,000 unaccounted for and I was not able to reach anyone who could discuss this matter with me. Looking into who contributed to his campaign, it is reasonable to infer that he is well liked in the medical community. He has contributions from a variety of medical organizations, ranging from the Children’s Health Center to the Reproductive Medicine Group. Homan’s supporters were not merely medical organizations however. Much of the contributors were private individuals and he also had the support of different business such as Bank of America, Brighthouse networks, and Southern Wine and Spirits which interestingly enough is in South Carolina as opposed to much of his Florida contributors. In fact, the only other contributor not within Florida was Pfizer. I found this donation of the pharmaceutical company particularly interesting because it is big businesses like these that often have lobbyists and whose contributions sway a politicians voting. In looking at the breakdown of his expenditures I learned that Homan spent over $96,000 in the services provided him by Doug Mcalarney Political Consulting. I found this number to be a bit exorbitant only because Homan ran unopposed and therefore was sure of winning, and this makes me wonder what he would of spent had he not been guaranteed this.
In my public records search I did find something that I did not expect to find, while there were no arrests or warrants or any sort of negative records for Homan, I did find that there was action brought against him in the past. I found that there was a case brought against him by Patricia and Patrick Keefe. The case was voluntarily dismissed in January of 2004 and therefore it was hard to find much more information. Homan’s office would not speak to this case and the number for the Keefe’s lawyer was no longer a working number.
It seems that much of Homan’s time is dedicated to his medical career and his involvement in different professional organizations and the awards they’ve honored him with, attest to this. Though being a state representative must be very time consuming, it seems that he truly enjoys being a part of the senate as well as practicing medicine. Outside of his political and medical career, both the senate website and his personal website list some of his recreational interests. Not surprisingly, they are health related activities that he and his wife take part in, such as triathlons and mountain climbing.
In the end, although there was a small negative patch on Homan’s lifelong career with the discovery of the action brought against him by the Keefe’s, it was ultimately voluntarily dismissed and Homan seems like a pretty likeable guy on paper. Of course however, there can be much else to learn had I actually met Homan or been around him for some time. That is not to say that people can’t be good, it’s just very rare to find someone whose persona on paper and in day to day life match up.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Budget Cuts Cripple Palm Harbor Elementary
Our nation’s current economic struggle is not leaving any area untouched. Setbacks can be seen all the way from Wall Street in regards to the shutdown of major institutions and is personalized with the foreclosure signs all throughout our neighborhoods. Hillsborough and Pinellas county schools are facing a major crisis in regards to the ever growing budget cuts. According to a bay news 9 report, last year alone 3 schools in Pinellas County were forced to close and this year’s round of budget cuts is only putting more schools at risk for the same fate.
The school superintendent in the state of Florida announced that budgets for schools would be cut by almost 2 percent, which many not seem like a lot to most but it actually translates to about 21 million dollars in the Pinellas county school district alone.
I feel that this is a very poor reflection of our society’s priority system right now. I realize that a time like this there will be a need to cut back on certain things, but education should not be one of them. Even so, a reasonable cut is understandable but one that endangers the school’s existence should not be tolerated. I imagine this is one of the many reasons that the educational system in Florida is lagging behind most of the educational systems throughout the nation.
Budget cuts affect students in many ways. Budget cuts can affect things like field trips, extracurricular programs, and supplemental instruction programs which are key to many students success such as free tutoring. However it is not just the students that are affected, many people will loose jobs. Though the board of ed. has previously stated in interviews that they will put the biggest effort possible to fight that this doesn’t happen, they admit they can’t guarantee it.
Palm Harbor Elementary is one of the schools that are facing the possibility of being closed down. Their website states that they have consistently produced high scores on the FCAT, have an exemplary music program, and have a variety of before and after school programs. This means that a school which has been “recognized by the state of Florida as high performing”, is going to be closing its doors? A school that has not failed its students, but has excelled has no amnesty from our economic crisis. And what will happen to the parents who depend on these before and after school programs? My mother was one of these parents when I was a child. She worked late and would therefore enroll me and my brother in after school programs to ensure that we were being looked after rather than having to walk home alone. Though there will be other schools available for students to attend, this will surely mean a farther drive for some parents, which means leaving earlier or possibly arriving late to work. Some schools may not offer the kind of programs that are offered at Palm Harbor.
Palm Harbor has been working on a school improvement plan and uses many resources provided by district funding in order to ensure that they maintain their ‘A’ standing. Palm Harbor has an extended learning program which invites struggling students to a book club instructed by their teachers who use books chosen that will interest these students and motivate them to do better. Palm Harbor not only provides this tutoring service but it also coordinates parent workshops to help parents better understand their children’s curriculums. The school district funds provide resources such as professional books, assessment programs, FCAT preparation materials, online supplemental instruction, and reading programs.
In the end, every school matters. Education is not only important but vital to our future. We should invest every penny possible into education, not withdraw funds from it. Florida will continue to lag behind other states if it continues to consider education only as a secondary priority. Our governments are failing us as students and instead choosing to invest in those things that will only benefit them and that they have a financial interest in. If we are seeing the discussion of bailouts for the automobile industry and the bailouts we have provided for the housing market, why can’t we then also help our educational system? I see how important it is to keep our economy flowing and how helping these industries is important but it has been too long that education has been overlooked. And if we are in such an economic crisis, we are likely to have to begin anew and thus we should focus on what can help us lead in the future and help us move forward. Allowing for crippling budget cuts to our schools is not an option.
The school superintendent in the state of Florida announced that budgets for schools would be cut by almost 2 percent, which many not seem like a lot to most but it actually translates to about 21 million dollars in the Pinellas county school district alone.
I feel that this is a very poor reflection of our society’s priority system right now. I realize that a time like this there will be a need to cut back on certain things, but education should not be one of them. Even so, a reasonable cut is understandable but one that endangers the school’s existence should not be tolerated. I imagine this is one of the many reasons that the educational system in Florida is lagging behind most of the educational systems throughout the nation.
Budget cuts affect students in many ways. Budget cuts can affect things like field trips, extracurricular programs, and supplemental instruction programs which are key to many students success such as free tutoring. However it is not just the students that are affected, many people will loose jobs. Though the board of ed. has previously stated in interviews that they will put the biggest effort possible to fight that this doesn’t happen, they admit they can’t guarantee it.
Palm Harbor Elementary is one of the schools that are facing the possibility of being closed down. Their website states that they have consistently produced high scores on the FCAT, have an exemplary music program, and have a variety of before and after school programs. This means that a school which has been “recognized by the state of Florida as high performing”, is going to be closing its doors? A school that has not failed its students, but has excelled has no amnesty from our economic crisis. And what will happen to the parents who depend on these before and after school programs? My mother was one of these parents when I was a child. She worked late and would therefore enroll me and my brother in after school programs to ensure that we were being looked after rather than having to walk home alone. Though there will be other schools available for students to attend, this will surely mean a farther drive for some parents, which means leaving earlier or possibly arriving late to work. Some schools may not offer the kind of programs that are offered at Palm Harbor.
Palm Harbor has been working on a school improvement plan and uses many resources provided by district funding in order to ensure that they maintain their ‘A’ standing. Palm Harbor has an extended learning program which invites struggling students to a book club instructed by their teachers who use books chosen that will interest these students and motivate them to do better. Palm Harbor not only provides this tutoring service but it also coordinates parent workshops to help parents better understand their children’s curriculums. The school district funds provide resources such as professional books, assessment programs, FCAT preparation materials, online supplemental instruction, and reading programs.
In the end, every school matters. Education is not only important but vital to our future. We should invest every penny possible into education, not withdraw funds from it. Florida will continue to lag behind other states if it continues to consider education only as a secondary priority. Our governments are failing us as students and instead choosing to invest in those things that will only benefit them and that they have a financial interest in. If we are seeing the discussion of bailouts for the automobile industry and the bailouts we have provided for the housing market, why can’t we then also help our educational system? I see how important it is to keep our economy flowing and how helping these industries is important but it has been too long that education has been overlooked. And if we are in such an economic crisis, we are likely to have to begin anew and thus we should focus on what can help us lead in the future and help us move forward. Allowing for crippling budget cuts to our schools is not an option.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Public Meeting # 3
Our economy has been an issue of much debate in the mainstream media lately. It is an issue that is hitting home to a lot of people in the US right now. A direct result of the downward spiral our economy has taken is the incredible increase there has been in the area of home foreclosures.
On October 24th, Valmarie Turner brought this issue up before The Citizens Advisory Board Committee. Valmarie is the contracts unit manager for the Affordable Housing Office for Hillsborough County. She spoke about the neighborhood stabilization program that will be coming to Hillsborough county. She explained that the program is a result of an act that the president signed in July which set aside money for a foreclosure initiative. I was surprised that I had not heard about this act amidst all the foreclosure coverage that has been going on lately in the news. This act signed by the president will bring in over 19 million dollars to our county which will help to stabilize those communities that have the higher rates of foreclosure. Valmarie informed the committee that the county is focusing on the orient park area, the area surrounding our university and the clair mel progess village area. I live off campus, but I do live in this area and although I have seen that we are in close proximity to neighborhoods that are far from flourishing, I never really thought about the fact there are probably a lot of people here struggling to keep their homes.
Valmarie said that her office will be working with nonprofits to acquire the properties and work through lenders. At first, I didn’t quite understand how this is going to help the people who are struggling to make ends meet. When Valmarie elaborated in speaking to Don Coryell, she stated that the county isn’t looking to keep the properties and is working to instead help people who wouldn’t qualify for a home, to get a home and help them with down payments. In essence it seems like a catch 22. There were people who needed help to begin with, because they couldn’t pay their mortgages, so they ended up having to foreclose and move. However, these people didn’t receive the help that now new residents will be receiving. The program is wonderful for the people who weren’t able to qualify previously, but it is also at the expense of those who needed help to keep their homes to begin with. And sadly, it seems that a lot of government programs are like this – in order to do some good, you end up doing something of a disservice to others. In the end, at least some people are being helped.
On October 24th, Valmarie Turner brought this issue up before The Citizens Advisory Board Committee. Valmarie is the contracts unit manager for the Affordable Housing Office for Hillsborough County. She spoke about the neighborhood stabilization program that will be coming to Hillsborough county. She explained that the program is a result of an act that the president signed in July which set aside money for a foreclosure initiative. I was surprised that I had not heard about this act amidst all the foreclosure coverage that has been going on lately in the news. This act signed by the president will bring in over 19 million dollars to our county which will help to stabilize those communities that have the higher rates of foreclosure. Valmarie informed the committee that the county is focusing on the orient park area, the area surrounding our university and the clair mel progess village area. I live off campus, but I do live in this area and although I have seen that we are in close proximity to neighborhoods that are far from flourishing, I never really thought about the fact there are probably a lot of people here struggling to keep their homes.
Valmarie said that her office will be working with nonprofits to acquire the properties and work through lenders. At first, I didn’t quite understand how this is going to help the people who are struggling to make ends meet. When Valmarie elaborated in speaking to Don Coryell, she stated that the county isn’t looking to keep the properties and is working to instead help people who wouldn’t qualify for a home, to get a home and help them with down payments. In essence it seems like a catch 22. There were people who needed help to begin with, because they couldn’t pay their mortgages, so they ended up having to foreclose and move. However, these people didn’t receive the help that now new residents will be receiving. The program is wonderful for the people who weren’t able to qualify previously, but it is also at the expense of those who needed help to keep their homes to begin with. And sadly, it seems that a lot of government programs are like this – in order to do some good, you end up doing something of a disservice to others. In the end, at least some people are being helped.
Just For Fun
The package Ashley and I worked on for the Oracle.
click here = )
any feedback is good feedback... unless of course it's purpose is to be mean.
click here = )
any feedback is good feedback... unless of course it's purpose is to be mean.
Jimmy Ryce Trial
I attended the trial of Eric C. Henderson, a man who was brought before the court under Jimmy Ryce charges.
When I entered the courtroom I didn't really have any idea about what the trial was going to be about, but I was definitely surprised when the first thing I heard was related to the defendant masturbating. I was informed by the bailiff that we were in trial that involved Jimmy Ryce charges, which was a rare type of case and involved sexual offenses.
The Jimmy Ryce act was created as a result of Jimmy Ryce's murder. He was a nine year old child who was abducted,raped, and later killed in Homestead, Florida. The lawyers representing Mr. Henderson explained to me that the Jimmy Ryce Act allows for the Department of Children and Families to screen sexual offense inmates who are within a year from their release date. If DCF feels that there is any chance that they inmate might commit another offense, they can bring forward a Jimmy Ryce charge. If an inmate is found guilty under a Jimmy Ryce charge they can be retained in a treatment center indefinitely. Mr. Henderson's lawyers explained to me that the only three ways to get out of the treatment center is whether or not the state wants to make a deal, if the inmate gets really old or has cancer, and whether or not they are convinced that the treatment has worked and progression has been made.
I learned that there if a person was in fact innocent, there was a statute built in to the Jimmy Ryce Act the provides DCF immunity and could therefore not be held liable. I also learned that there are currently 700 inmates housed in the treatment center which is called the Florida Civil Commitment Center which is run by DCF as opposed to the Department of Corrections.
Mr. Henderson had served his time and his term had ended over a year and a half ago but he was moved to the treatment center and has been there ever since the end of his term, awaiting sentencing. The day we attended was the last day of the trial and the jury was ordered to convene again in the morning for closing arguments as well as deliberations. It would be up to the jury to decide whether or not to retain Mr. Henderson in the treatment center or if he his term was enough.
I feel that this law is almost unconstitutional because it is infringing on a citizens rights. The whole process involved in the Jimmy Ryce Act is subjective. DCF has the power to review all these inmates and decide whether or not they should be freed, even though a jury has already sentenced the individual to an amount of time that has been served. It seems unfair to punish someone for a crime they have already served time for, and the fact that the term in the treatment is indefinite seems really unreasonable. I feel that these kinds of crimes are especially horrible, however I also realize that we have a justice system that we have created to serve the purpose of proper punishment. If we are allowing DCF, which is not part of our justice system to have this kind of power, we are saying our justice system is inadequate and did not do its job.
When I entered the courtroom I didn't really have any idea about what the trial was going to be about, but I was definitely surprised when the first thing I heard was related to the defendant masturbating. I was informed by the bailiff that we were in trial that involved Jimmy Ryce charges, which was a rare type of case and involved sexual offenses.
The Jimmy Ryce act was created as a result of Jimmy Ryce's murder. He was a nine year old child who was abducted,raped, and later killed in Homestead, Florida. The lawyers representing Mr. Henderson explained to me that the Jimmy Ryce Act allows for the Department of Children and Families to screen sexual offense inmates who are within a year from their release date. If DCF feels that there is any chance that they inmate might commit another offense, they can bring forward a Jimmy Ryce charge. If an inmate is found guilty under a Jimmy Ryce charge they can be retained in a treatment center indefinitely. Mr. Henderson's lawyers explained to me that the only three ways to get out of the treatment center is whether or not the state wants to make a deal, if the inmate gets really old or has cancer, and whether or not they are convinced that the treatment has worked and progression has been made.
I learned that there if a person was in fact innocent, there was a statute built in to the Jimmy Ryce Act the provides DCF immunity and could therefore not be held liable. I also learned that there are currently 700 inmates housed in the treatment center which is called the Florida Civil Commitment Center which is run by DCF as opposed to the Department of Corrections.
Mr. Henderson had served his time and his term had ended over a year and a half ago but he was moved to the treatment center and has been there ever since the end of his term, awaiting sentencing. The day we attended was the last day of the trial and the jury was ordered to convene again in the morning for closing arguments as well as deliberations. It would be up to the jury to decide whether or not to retain Mr. Henderson in the treatment center or if he his term was enough.
I feel that this law is almost unconstitutional because it is infringing on a citizens rights. The whole process involved in the Jimmy Ryce Act is subjective. DCF has the power to review all these inmates and decide whether or not they should be freed, even though a jury has already sentenced the individual to an amount of time that has been served. It seems unfair to punish someone for a crime they have already served time for, and the fact that the term in the treatment is indefinite seems really unreasonable. I feel that these kinds of crimes are especially horrible, however I also realize that we have a justice system that we have created to serve the purpose of proper punishment. If we are allowing DCF, which is not part of our justice system to have this kind of power, we are saying our justice system is inadequate and did not do its job.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Midterm
Question 1
There would be several public documents I would look into if I were assigned to report on Al Zimmerman, the PIO for DCF, being arrested for child pornography charges. I would begin by going on to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office website and search to find the records regarding booking as well as the jail logs. According to our text book, jail logs provide a lot of valuable information. The logs list inmate numbers, the charges brought against the offender, the date brought in, as well as bond information. Once I know the charges brought against Zimmerman I can then go to the HCSO and request public records of any search warrant as well as affidavit which will give me a lot more information. When we visited the HCSO, J.D. Callaway informed us that a search warrant provides you with the law enforcements credentials, as well as every exhibit brought before the court that stated probable cause to obtain the warrant.
Depending on what information I get from these sources, I would then also decide to check out the Florida Department of Law Enforcement’s webpage to get information on how to obtain a statewide criminal background check. There may have been some charges brought against Zimmerman not listed in the local sheriffs office because it didn’t occur in their county and may have been expunged due to when it occurred.
The public record resources I have used up to now would have provided a lot of information, and one crucial piece of information is his employer. Zimmerman was the PIO for DCF, which is a government agency, and thus all his employment records are also public records. Knowing this, I would use the MyFlorida website and search their 411 directory to get the number for the department in which Zimmerman worked. Once I have reached his employers department, I would ask for copies of his personnel records. Personnel records would have his employment application, any letters of recommendations he provided, his resume, performance evaluations, disciplinary actions, or awards he may have received. After reviewing these documents, I would know how to proceed on whom to interview regarding his position at DCF. I would definitely ask whoever hired him at DCF, whether a thorough background check had ever been conduced on Zimmerman. I would also like to interview whoever signed off on any of his performance evaluations or awards he may have received. Other worthwhile people to interview would be those who gave him any letters of recommendation, they attested to his character so it would be interesting to see what they would have to say after the charges were brought to light and Zimmerman’s character flaws were made evident.
Being that Zimmerman was employed by a state government institution, his emails could be reviewed. It may be that he was engaging in misconduct while at work, emailing underage teens or getting their contact information through DCF. This could raise a lot of questions not only in Zimmerman’s guilt, but also to the level of responsibility in the DCF agency as to where they are missing an employee misusing his authority and access to information. In the same manner, the resume included within the DCF personnel record would also give light to previous employers that could be interviewed and held accountable in much the same way as DCF for perhaps not conducting an adequate background check. The resume would also list employment in other states which could then open the door to other public records that might involve criminal activity in a different state.
Once I have searched all the public records listed above I would be concerned with other people that I could interview, and this leads me to yet another public record. According to our sunshine manual, a marriage license provides the date of birth, the birth place, the bride’s maiden name, home address and the ministers name as well as the two witnesses present. This then leads me to find out where he lives, and then gives me access to neighbors who I could interview. I would ask neighbors what they thought about Zimmerman, and if they ever saw any teenagers or children enter his home. I would also be interested in interviewing the two witness’, some may be family of Zimmerman or perhaps have access to the family which I would also want to interview for my piece.
Overall, I realize that a lot of crucial information for this kind of story could be easily obtained through some investigation of public records. I think that the steps that I have taken would provide enough information for me to present a thorough piece to my editor and one that would hopefully inform readers without leaving any questions unanswered.
Question 2
Florida’s Sunshine Laws were created to ensure the publics accessibility to governmental meetings and records. Florida has one of the most open forms of government and the First Amendment Foundation helps to monitor our government officials so that we can continue to have our open government. The Sunshine laws provide the means for the public to be as involved as possible in governmental action and do so through several of their statues. The sunshine laws require that in any place where two or more elected officials are congregated or discussing a public issue, the public has a right to be there. This then means if two elected officials were to be having lunch and debating any of the topics brought up in a meeting, then journalists and any member of the public have the right to be there. The public is also to be provided with notice of the meeting, and the meeting hour needs to be at a reasonable period so the public can attend if they would like to. The downfall to the Sunshine laws however, is that the legislative body that created the laws, also happened to exempt themselves from it. Their argument being that if there were to be too much public involvement then tasks would not be accomplished and in order to keep things running smoothly they would need to be exempt from this. This argument seems irrelevant in questioning then why they would think that other governmental bodies could be able to accomplish anything even while having to deal with the public’s participation.
The public’s accessibility and involvement is not highly favored among many elected officials and there have been efforts to limit the public’s access. However, with organizations like the FFA and The Governors Commission on Open Government Reform our Sunshine laws are monitored. The Governors Commission on Open Government Reform was started by Charlie Crist, and according to its website it was created to “review, evaluate, and issue recommendations regarding Florida’s public records and public meeting laws.” The commission works only to review the laws and makes no efforts to try and change them by amending them. This commission understands the value of maintaining open government in order to create a public trust, and to continue to be a leader because other states do not provide as much accessibility as Florida. The commission’s oversight on other agencies will serve to look into whether there is any overlap of laws, and to create a clear and consistent view and enforcement of the Sunshine laws.
The commission understands that although these Sunshine Laws are in place, they have not been perfected and even with the creation of the commission there is a lot left to do. Several issues have been brought to light regarding these laws and whether the commission can fulfill their duties. One issue raised in the commission’s website is adequate training. According to Charlie Crists’ Executive Order 07-01 the office will “provide training to all executive agencies under my purview on transparency and accountability.” In order to be able to strive towards educating its agencies the website provides materials for the individuals to learn from such as: an online training course, a sample public records request, the sunshine manual, and opportunities to take part in seminars.
Executive Order 07-01 also states that the commission will be responsible for ‘assuring full and expeditious compliance with Florida’s open government and public records laws.” This can be a difficult challenge for the commission due to the tremendous effort that needs to be put into enforcing the Sunshine Laws on small and local governments. Often these small and local governments don’t have the resources needed to comply with the Sunshine Laws. For example, documents may have been stored for over a decade in a warehouse, but the documents are so dated they weren’t imprinted in the sort of system where they could be readily accessed. This was something that we learned of when we visited the Clerk of the Circuit Court’s office. Pat spoke to us that it has been especially difficult to try and now sort these documents that we’ve had before the internet, and try to imprint them to a catalog in which we could locate them when needed. It is a large task, and one that would require a large budget. Pat relayed that in a time of economic crisis such as the one our nation is facing now, there have been continuous budget cuts and the progressions of many programs have been put on a backburner.
While the lack of resources for adequate technological advancements is leaving behind some agencies, it is new technology that can create problems for other agencies. The introduction of cell phones and computers in the workplace is hindering the public records process because it is hard to distinguish when it is being used for personal matters or business matters. Therefore when a member of the public requests to see copies of emails that their local elected officials have recently sent out, the issue becomes allowing that official proper time to sift through and take out what is not business related. This seems unfair because those private uses can show some misconduct and an individual requesting the records will not be able to prove the misconduct. Al Zimmerman sending emails proposition the underage teens to pose nude for example, is more of a private email, but if conducted within the office and during office hours then it should be considered a public record. It is the separation of public and private use of things like a cell phone or computer that create a difficult challenge for the commission who is not there to amend any laws, but simply to review and try to recommend courses of action.
The Governors Commission on Open Government Reform have quite a large task before them and are limited in their powers. However it is the creation of a commission such as this one that will lead us in steps forward to provide better services and an even greater open government.
Question 3
Whenever a candidate announces his decision to run for office, he will in essence be giving journalists the permission to search out every detail about his life. Vetting the candidates will happen with or without the candidates consent and is truly in the publics interest in regards to letting the public know more about the candidate without being limited to what they would like to portray. This process of researching an individual would be conducted if Victor Crist were to announce his candidacy for Congress.
If I were assigned to do an in depth documentary profile of Crist concerning his campaign finances, I would begin by researching on the moneyline.cq.com site which allows me to search by candidate name and under the tab of candidate as recipient. This would then show me who has donated to his campaign and therefore gives insight on his supporters and possible lobbyists he will be dealing with. Campaign contributions list organizations that are in support such as NRA which will then lead you to believe that a candidate with the NRA’s support will probably be voting in their favor, and listen to their lobbyists.
Another resource available to journalists is the opensecrets website which also allows you to search for individuals who have donated to political campaigns. This website lists the name of the individual, their occupation, the date the donation was made, and which candidate received the donation. These types of databases are very important because they can lead to bigger stories on fraud and illegal donations. William March can attest this as his investigation led to the shutdown of a company, as well as imprisonment for Mark Jimenez for his illegal contributions to the Clinton campaign.
When William March spoke to our class he also let us know of an extremely valuable resource, whose only downfall is cost. March introduced us to AutoTrac, which gives a lot of insight into whoever you’re searching and I would definitely use this to research Crist. AutoTrac is a national comprehensive report that includes such information as: assets, driver licenses, professional licenses, real properties, vehicles and more. This resource allowed March to check out the assets and properties of the people he felt were making illegal contributions. He was able to question if a person wasn’t driving an expensive car, or had very many assets, how could he then afford to make large campaign contributions. In our current presidential election John McCain was asked about his assets and wasn’t able to give a specific number on the amount of property he owns. An AutoTrac on him would provide a journalist this information which could then be presented alongside his quote or sound bite and would make McCain look foolish. This is a perfect example of how this resource could play a part in an election.
Yet another aspect of a candidate that voters are interested in is their voting record. Voters want to know what the candidate stands for, and if what he’s saying is agreeing with his actions. This information is also critical to analysts and the opposing party who thrust it into the public spotlight. Being that Victor Crist is a member of the state senate I would research the Florida Senate website to try and obtain voting records from there. However, many of the records are not accessible on the website and therefore I may have to refer to the Senate or House Journal. The Florida Senate website provides a phone number to call the Clerk of the House, or the Secretary of the Senate in order to retrieve this information.
In regards to politics, the media truly has the power to claim to be the fourth estate. It can monitor our elected officials through the resources I’ve listed and hold them accountable to not only to their words but actions as well.
There would be several public documents I would look into if I were assigned to report on Al Zimmerman, the PIO for DCF, being arrested for child pornography charges. I would begin by going on to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office website and search to find the records regarding booking as well as the jail logs. According to our text book, jail logs provide a lot of valuable information. The logs list inmate numbers, the charges brought against the offender, the date brought in, as well as bond information. Once I know the charges brought against Zimmerman I can then go to the HCSO and request public records of any search warrant as well as affidavit which will give me a lot more information. When we visited the HCSO, J.D. Callaway informed us that a search warrant provides you with the law enforcements credentials, as well as every exhibit brought before the court that stated probable cause to obtain the warrant.
Depending on what information I get from these sources, I would then also decide to check out the Florida Department of Law Enforcement’s webpage to get information on how to obtain a statewide criminal background check. There may have been some charges brought against Zimmerman not listed in the local sheriffs office because it didn’t occur in their county and may have been expunged due to when it occurred.
The public record resources I have used up to now would have provided a lot of information, and one crucial piece of information is his employer. Zimmerman was the PIO for DCF, which is a government agency, and thus all his employment records are also public records. Knowing this, I would use the MyFlorida website and search their 411 directory to get the number for the department in which Zimmerman worked. Once I have reached his employers department, I would ask for copies of his personnel records. Personnel records would have his employment application, any letters of recommendations he provided, his resume, performance evaluations, disciplinary actions, or awards he may have received. After reviewing these documents, I would know how to proceed on whom to interview regarding his position at DCF. I would definitely ask whoever hired him at DCF, whether a thorough background check had ever been conduced on Zimmerman. I would also like to interview whoever signed off on any of his performance evaluations or awards he may have received. Other worthwhile people to interview would be those who gave him any letters of recommendation, they attested to his character so it would be interesting to see what they would have to say after the charges were brought to light and Zimmerman’s character flaws were made evident.
Being that Zimmerman was employed by a state government institution, his emails could be reviewed. It may be that he was engaging in misconduct while at work, emailing underage teens or getting their contact information through DCF. This could raise a lot of questions not only in Zimmerman’s guilt, but also to the level of responsibility in the DCF agency as to where they are missing an employee misusing his authority and access to information. In the same manner, the resume included within the DCF personnel record would also give light to previous employers that could be interviewed and held accountable in much the same way as DCF for perhaps not conducting an adequate background check. The resume would also list employment in other states which could then open the door to other public records that might involve criminal activity in a different state.
Once I have searched all the public records listed above I would be concerned with other people that I could interview, and this leads me to yet another public record. According to our sunshine manual, a marriage license provides the date of birth, the birth place, the bride’s maiden name, home address and the ministers name as well as the two witnesses present. This then leads me to find out where he lives, and then gives me access to neighbors who I could interview. I would ask neighbors what they thought about Zimmerman, and if they ever saw any teenagers or children enter his home. I would also be interested in interviewing the two witness’, some may be family of Zimmerman or perhaps have access to the family which I would also want to interview for my piece.
Overall, I realize that a lot of crucial information for this kind of story could be easily obtained through some investigation of public records. I think that the steps that I have taken would provide enough information for me to present a thorough piece to my editor and one that would hopefully inform readers without leaving any questions unanswered.
Question 2
Florida’s Sunshine Laws were created to ensure the publics accessibility to governmental meetings and records. Florida has one of the most open forms of government and the First Amendment Foundation helps to monitor our government officials so that we can continue to have our open government. The Sunshine laws provide the means for the public to be as involved as possible in governmental action and do so through several of their statues. The sunshine laws require that in any place where two or more elected officials are congregated or discussing a public issue, the public has a right to be there. This then means if two elected officials were to be having lunch and debating any of the topics brought up in a meeting, then journalists and any member of the public have the right to be there. The public is also to be provided with notice of the meeting, and the meeting hour needs to be at a reasonable period so the public can attend if they would like to. The downfall to the Sunshine laws however, is that the legislative body that created the laws, also happened to exempt themselves from it. Their argument being that if there were to be too much public involvement then tasks would not be accomplished and in order to keep things running smoothly they would need to be exempt from this. This argument seems irrelevant in questioning then why they would think that other governmental bodies could be able to accomplish anything even while having to deal with the public’s participation.
The public’s accessibility and involvement is not highly favored among many elected officials and there have been efforts to limit the public’s access. However, with organizations like the FFA and The Governors Commission on Open Government Reform our Sunshine laws are monitored. The Governors Commission on Open Government Reform was started by Charlie Crist, and according to its website it was created to “review, evaluate, and issue recommendations regarding Florida’s public records and public meeting laws.” The commission works only to review the laws and makes no efforts to try and change them by amending them. This commission understands the value of maintaining open government in order to create a public trust, and to continue to be a leader because other states do not provide as much accessibility as Florida. The commission’s oversight on other agencies will serve to look into whether there is any overlap of laws, and to create a clear and consistent view and enforcement of the Sunshine laws.
The commission understands that although these Sunshine Laws are in place, they have not been perfected and even with the creation of the commission there is a lot left to do. Several issues have been brought to light regarding these laws and whether the commission can fulfill their duties. One issue raised in the commission’s website is adequate training. According to Charlie Crists’ Executive Order 07-01 the office will “provide training to all executive agencies under my purview on transparency and accountability.” In order to be able to strive towards educating its agencies the website provides materials for the individuals to learn from such as: an online training course, a sample public records request, the sunshine manual, and opportunities to take part in seminars.
Executive Order 07-01 also states that the commission will be responsible for ‘assuring full and expeditious compliance with Florida’s open government and public records laws.” This can be a difficult challenge for the commission due to the tremendous effort that needs to be put into enforcing the Sunshine Laws on small and local governments. Often these small and local governments don’t have the resources needed to comply with the Sunshine Laws. For example, documents may have been stored for over a decade in a warehouse, but the documents are so dated they weren’t imprinted in the sort of system where they could be readily accessed. This was something that we learned of when we visited the Clerk of the Circuit Court’s office. Pat spoke to us that it has been especially difficult to try and now sort these documents that we’ve had before the internet, and try to imprint them to a catalog in which we could locate them when needed. It is a large task, and one that would require a large budget. Pat relayed that in a time of economic crisis such as the one our nation is facing now, there have been continuous budget cuts and the progressions of many programs have been put on a backburner.
While the lack of resources for adequate technological advancements is leaving behind some agencies, it is new technology that can create problems for other agencies. The introduction of cell phones and computers in the workplace is hindering the public records process because it is hard to distinguish when it is being used for personal matters or business matters. Therefore when a member of the public requests to see copies of emails that their local elected officials have recently sent out, the issue becomes allowing that official proper time to sift through and take out what is not business related. This seems unfair because those private uses can show some misconduct and an individual requesting the records will not be able to prove the misconduct. Al Zimmerman sending emails proposition the underage teens to pose nude for example, is more of a private email, but if conducted within the office and during office hours then it should be considered a public record. It is the separation of public and private use of things like a cell phone or computer that create a difficult challenge for the commission who is not there to amend any laws, but simply to review and try to recommend courses of action.
The Governors Commission on Open Government Reform have quite a large task before them and are limited in their powers. However it is the creation of a commission such as this one that will lead us in steps forward to provide better services and an even greater open government.
Question 3
Whenever a candidate announces his decision to run for office, he will in essence be giving journalists the permission to search out every detail about his life. Vetting the candidates will happen with or without the candidates consent and is truly in the publics interest in regards to letting the public know more about the candidate without being limited to what they would like to portray. This process of researching an individual would be conducted if Victor Crist were to announce his candidacy for Congress.
If I were assigned to do an in depth documentary profile of Crist concerning his campaign finances, I would begin by researching on the moneyline.cq.com site which allows me to search by candidate name and under the tab of candidate as recipient. This would then show me who has donated to his campaign and therefore gives insight on his supporters and possible lobbyists he will be dealing with. Campaign contributions list organizations that are in support such as NRA which will then lead you to believe that a candidate with the NRA’s support will probably be voting in their favor, and listen to their lobbyists.
Another resource available to journalists is the opensecrets website which also allows you to search for individuals who have donated to political campaigns. This website lists the name of the individual, their occupation, the date the donation was made, and which candidate received the donation. These types of databases are very important because they can lead to bigger stories on fraud and illegal donations. William March can attest this as his investigation led to the shutdown of a company, as well as imprisonment for Mark Jimenez for his illegal contributions to the Clinton campaign.
When William March spoke to our class he also let us know of an extremely valuable resource, whose only downfall is cost. March introduced us to AutoTrac, which gives a lot of insight into whoever you’re searching and I would definitely use this to research Crist. AutoTrac is a national comprehensive report that includes such information as: assets, driver licenses, professional licenses, real properties, vehicles and more. This resource allowed March to check out the assets and properties of the people he felt were making illegal contributions. He was able to question if a person wasn’t driving an expensive car, or had very many assets, how could he then afford to make large campaign contributions. In our current presidential election John McCain was asked about his assets and wasn’t able to give a specific number on the amount of property he owns. An AutoTrac on him would provide a journalist this information which could then be presented alongside his quote or sound bite and would make McCain look foolish. This is a perfect example of how this resource could play a part in an election.
Yet another aspect of a candidate that voters are interested in is their voting record. Voters want to know what the candidate stands for, and if what he’s saying is agreeing with his actions. This information is also critical to analysts and the opposing party who thrust it into the public spotlight. Being that Victor Crist is a member of the state senate I would research the Florida Senate website to try and obtain voting records from there. However, many of the records are not accessible on the website and therefore I may have to refer to the Senate or House Journal. The Florida Senate website provides a phone number to call the Clerk of the House, or the Secretary of the Senate in order to retrieve this information.
In regards to politics, the media truly has the power to claim to be the fourth estate. It can monitor our elected officials through the resources I’ve listed and hold them accountable to not only to their words but actions as well.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Steve Andrews
Steve Andrews began his presentation speaking about the role of the internet in media and saying, ‘The game’s changed, it’s no longer just newspaper, its no longer just television”. He went on to say that in his 23 years of working in the field, this last year has been the most filled with change. Being that Andrews began like this, I assumed we would hear more information regarding the shifts in media and preparation for the field. Instead, Andrews gave us insight to some of his bigger and more rewarding investigations.
The Palmetto Guest Home story, on Mr. Larson was a heartbreaking piece that really attests to the power of quality journalism. Andrews’ investigation led to the Palmetto Guest Home being shut down, and its owner being jailed and held accountable. Seeing stories like this really put my faith in the field again, because Mr. Larson had a story that needed to be told and who knows how many other people are now out of harms way as a result.
On the other hand, the firefighter piece was more of a disappointment. Andrews put together a good piece that brings to light the misuse and abuse of a contract stipulation. The exchange of time rule is in place to help firefighters in time of trouble, such as a death in the family and it shouldn’t be continuously abused. However what was really disappointing was the fact that after Andrews put in the time and work into this investigation, and in the end it just simply went away.
Another aspect of this presentation that I found to be interesting was the piece that Andrews did on Coe. I was shocked when Andrews revealed that Coe had committed suicide and that Andrews himself, had found his dead body. I know that there is a need to pursue a story, and to pursue justice, but at the expense of a human life seems like a high price. I don’t think that Andrews made the wrong choice, I just don’t know how I would feel if I were to be in his position.
Andrews and Doigg were both very interesting speakers and I enjoyed hearing about their work and their process in attaining the information for the stories. Investigative journalism is an important field that I value so much more after hearing their presentations.
The Palmetto Guest Home story, on Mr. Larson was a heartbreaking piece that really attests to the power of quality journalism. Andrews’ investigation led to the Palmetto Guest Home being shut down, and its owner being jailed and held accountable. Seeing stories like this really put my faith in the field again, because Mr. Larson had a story that needed to be told and who knows how many other people are now out of harms way as a result.
On the other hand, the firefighter piece was more of a disappointment. Andrews put together a good piece that brings to light the misuse and abuse of a contract stipulation. The exchange of time rule is in place to help firefighters in time of trouble, such as a death in the family and it shouldn’t be continuously abused. However what was really disappointing was the fact that after Andrews put in the time and work into this investigation, and in the end it just simply went away.
Another aspect of this presentation that I found to be interesting was the piece that Andrews did on Coe. I was shocked when Andrews revealed that Coe had committed suicide and that Andrews himself, had found his dead body. I know that there is a need to pursue a story, and to pursue justice, but at the expense of a human life seems like a high price. I don’t think that Andrews made the wrong choice, I just don’t know how I would feel if I were to be in his position.
Andrews and Doigg were both very interesting speakers and I enjoyed hearing about their work and their process in attaining the information for the stories. Investigative journalism is an important field that I value so much more after hearing their presentations.
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Tax Collector's Office
I was unable to attend our field trip to the tax collectors office and instead, I reviewed the website to get my information for this blog. Not having any real prior knowledge about the tax collectors office or what they do, I learned a lot from just reading different sections of the website. I was unaware of the fact that ‘tax collectors are elected for a four year term in the presidential election year’. I also didn’t know that the tax collectors office issued hunting and fishing licenses.
In the field trip prior to this, we learned that the clerk of the circuit court is responsible for handling millions of dollars. The tax collectors office however, handles over a billion dollars each year. The enormity of that figure suggests that there is a vast amount of work and responsibility that come with being part of this office. I also found it interesting that the tax collectors office isn’t actually funded by our tax dollars, and it seems a little bit ironic that they are instead funded by other fees.
There were several things I found very interesting the tax collectors website home page. First of all, on the home page there is a little disclaimer informing you that the accuracy of the information provided on the website is not guaranteed for legal purposes. I think its funny that this kind of organization, which handles so many public records and needs to be as accurate as possible, has this little disclaimer. I also found it interesting that is informs you that your email address becomes a public record if you request a public record electronically. Something else I noticed was that the Hillsborough county tax collectors office must be doing fairly good work, because this year they received a Sterling Award from the governors office.
In the field trip prior to this, we learned that the clerk of the circuit court is responsible for handling millions of dollars. The tax collectors office however, handles over a billion dollars each year. The enormity of that figure suggests that there is a vast amount of work and responsibility that come with being part of this office. I also found it interesting that the tax collectors office isn’t actually funded by our tax dollars, and it seems a little bit ironic that they are instead funded by other fees.
There were several things I found very interesting the tax collectors website home page. First of all, on the home page there is a little disclaimer informing you that the accuracy of the information provided on the website is not guaranteed for legal purposes. I think its funny that this kind of organization, which handles so many public records and needs to be as accurate as possible, has this little disclaimer. I also found it interesting that is informs you that your email address becomes a public record if you request a public record electronically. Something else I noticed was that the Hillsborough county tax collectors office must be doing fairly good work, because this year they received a Sterling Award from the governors office.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
William March
William March, a political reporter for the Tampa Tribune, represents a diminishing group of reporters who specialize in politics. He spoke of his position allowing him to retain knowledge of many issues others may not know too much. March has to know a little about several different things in order to understand what politicians are speaking about.
His presentation primarily focused on political campaign contributions, and this is why he resorted to speaking of his piece on Mark Jimenez. This piece allowed him to demonstrate various resources to the class, as well as give us a better understanding as to how they work. Although March introduced us to moneyline, which provides information on national level campaign contribution, I found opensecrets.org to be much more useful. The website's mission statement reads, "Whether you’re a voter, journalist, activist, student or interested citizen, use our free site to shine light on your government. Count cash and make change". I found this site particularly interesting for the search engine that March had us use to look up those who have contributed in our area. While in class I entered in my political figure’s name and found an extensive list on contributions, and was also surprised at how much you could really learn from just this one website.
Another aspect of March’s presentation that I was interested in was the impact of his piece on Jimenez. March started the piece on a small tip from his editor who just suggested he look into Mark Jimenez after he read a piece the New York Times ran. Once March began to look into it, he found that one door after another was opened and there was much more to the New York Times story. Once his piece was published it led to criminal actions brought against Jimenez, and March’s piece was also picked up by other newspapers who followed it up to other big names and companies. The importance of public records in his line of work reminded me of Doig’s presentation in which he explained how vital it is to investigative reporting as well.
His presentation primarily focused on political campaign contributions, and this is why he resorted to speaking of his piece on Mark Jimenez. This piece allowed him to demonstrate various resources to the class, as well as give us a better understanding as to how they work. Although March introduced us to moneyline, which provides information on national level campaign contribution, I found opensecrets.org to be much more useful. The website's mission statement reads, "Whether you’re a voter, journalist, activist, student or interested citizen, use our free site to shine light on your government. Count cash and make change". I found this site particularly interesting for the search engine that March had us use to look up those who have contributed in our area. While in class I entered in my political figure’s name and found an extensive list on contributions, and was also surprised at how much you could really learn from just this one website.
Another aspect of March’s presentation that I was interested in was the impact of his piece on Jimenez. March started the piece on a small tip from his editor who just suggested he look into Mark Jimenez after he read a piece the New York Times ran. Once March began to look into it, he found that one door after another was opened and there was much more to the New York Times story. Once his piece was published it led to criminal actions brought against Jimenez, and March’s piece was also picked up by other newspapers who followed it up to other big names and companies. The importance of public records in his line of work reminded me of Doig’s presentation in which he explained how vital it is to investigative reporting as well.
Public Meeting 2
I attended the East Tampa Community Revitalization Partnership Subcommittee Meeting. It was a very small meeting located in the Suncoast Schools Federal Credit Union which is in the heart of the area the committee focuses on.
The Committee in itself is focused on revitalizing the area in order to lead it in a move forward from its current standing. The subcommittee is in place in order to help the committee move forward in its efforts. The chair of the subcommittee is Ernest Coney, and he works closely with Juan Davis who is a local business owner of Tampa T-shirts. Davis informed me that he got involved when his business relocated to East Tampa, “I knew it was a redevelopment area and I wanted to be involved with that process and the subcommittee allows us to take a little legwork out of the committee”.
Ernest is the Chief Operations Officer of the Corporation to Develop Communities of Tampa, also known as the CDC. The corporation works to provide affordable housing as well as commercial housing and does a lot of work in East Tampa. “It’s an area that is surrounded by small businesses and many of them consist of pawn and cash now shops so we actually own the building Suncoast is in, and we lease it to them. This is in an effort to educate the people in the community on legitimate banking and provide other options for them.” The CDC is working to bring in other institutions to continue their effort, and Fifth Third Bank will be opening in the area soon.
Throughout the meeting they discussed many of the programs they are currently working on and how several of them are no longer on schedule due to much beauracracy and the need to have city administrators finalize everything. However, they saw this as an opportunity to do workshops to inform businesses of the revitalization in an effort to bring other new businesses in as well.
Overall, I got the feeling that many people are leaving behind the area because of its current condition and viewing it as a priority. In this economy it is hard enough for people at the top of our county government to get what they need, and projects like these may continue to be put on the backburner.
The Committee in itself is focused on revitalizing the area in order to lead it in a move forward from its current standing. The subcommittee is in place in order to help the committee move forward in its efforts. The chair of the subcommittee is Ernest Coney, and he works closely with Juan Davis who is a local business owner of Tampa T-shirts. Davis informed me that he got involved when his business relocated to East Tampa, “I knew it was a redevelopment area and I wanted to be involved with that process and the subcommittee allows us to take a little legwork out of the committee”.
Ernest is the Chief Operations Officer of the Corporation to Develop Communities of Tampa, also known as the CDC. The corporation works to provide affordable housing as well as commercial housing and does a lot of work in East Tampa. “It’s an area that is surrounded by small businesses and many of them consist of pawn and cash now shops so we actually own the building Suncoast is in, and we lease it to them. This is in an effort to educate the people in the community on legitimate banking and provide other options for them.” The CDC is working to bring in other institutions to continue their effort, and Fifth Third Bank will be opening in the area soon.
Throughout the meeting they discussed many of the programs they are currently working on and how several of them are no longer on schedule due to much beauracracy and the need to have city administrators finalize everything. However, they saw this as an opportunity to do workshops to inform businesses of the revitalization in an effort to bring other new businesses in as well.
Overall, I got the feeling that many people are leaving behind the area because of its current condition and viewing it as a priority. In this economy it is hard enough for people at the top of our county government to get what they need, and projects like these may continue to be put on the backburner.
Saturday, October 4, 2008
Clerk of the Circuit Court
Our trip to the clerk of the circuit court provided a lot of insight into the workings of our county's office. It was described as the office with the lowest visibility and the highest responsibility, because people know the least about it.
The clerk's office handles millions of dollars, they are responsible for paying all the employees which add up to around 6,500 people. The office also invests the county's money, and does so following different criteria. In order to invest the county’s money they judge the liquidity of the investment, the return of principle, and the rate of return.
Something they spoke about that was very interesting was the loss of revenue that is going hand in hand with our nation’s economic standing right now. We learned about the county’s revenue drying up as a result of the higher amounts of foreclosures, and less people buying or selling homes, this means the taxes off deeds aren’t coming in anymore and the county’s budget is a mirror of what’s happening in the economy.
Another aspect that is a result of the economic crisis right now is crime, people are undergoing higher amounts of stress and therefore domestic violence can rise and theft can go up as well as people result to stealing to get what they need.
The clerk of the circuit court’s office has recently opened up services to issue passports as well as helping people not have to hire attorney’s. The people helped by this attorney services generally have a relatively small charge against them, and now they can file a case through the self-help office. The legal aids in this office provide services for a small fee, this helps to expedite the process as well as avoid a loss of time and money.
The wide array of tasks handled by the clerk of the circuit court range from handling traffic citations, keeping county records and handling jury summons. This office truly does handle a great amount of responsibility and isn’t really recognized for it.
The clerk's office handles millions of dollars, they are responsible for paying all the employees which add up to around 6,500 people. The office also invests the county's money, and does so following different criteria. In order to invest the county’s money they judge the liquidity of the investment, the return of principle, and the rate of return.
Something they spoke about that was very interesting was the loss of revenue that is going hand in hand with our nation’s economic standing right now. We learned about the county’s revenue drying up as a result of the higher amounts of foreclosures, and less people buying or selling homes, this means the taxes off deeds aren’t coming in anymore and the county’s budget is a mirror of what’s happening in the economy.
Another aspect that is a result of the economic crisis right now is crime, people are undergoing higher amounts of stress and therefore domestic violence can rise and theft can go up as well as people result to stealing to get what they need.
The clerk of the circuit court’s office has recently opened up services to issue passports as well as helping people not have to hire attorney’s. The people helped by this attorney services generally have a relatively small charge against them, and now they can file a case through the self-help office. The legal aids in this office provide services for a small fee, this helps to expedite the process as well as avoid a loss of time and money.
The wide array of tasks handled by the clerk of the circuit court range from handling traffic citations, keeping county records and handling jury summons. This office truly does handle a great amount of responsibility and isn’t really recognized for it.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Orient Rd. Jail
Our class field trip to Orient Rd. Jail was quite the experience. I hadn't been to a jail before and this field trip was definitely an eye opener, I guess this may have been due to my more naive expectations. Right off the back I was surprised that we had to sign waivers regarding any incidents that occurred while in the jail. However, probably the biggest initial shock was walking into booking and realizing that there were inmates roaming freely. I really thought any and every prisoner would be behind a glass wall.
Major Lucas gave us a lot of surprising information while giving us the tour, such as the large number of bookings every year. According to the population summary booklet, in 2007 one person was booked into the Hillsborough County Jail system approximately every seven minutes. This figure was made visible, with the arrival of several different people as we were being toured.
The immensity of the jail was kind of scary, and this fact combined with the vastly disproportionate number of inmates to officers made it all the more concerning. At one point they informed us that per state rules, if there are any more than 72 inmates there must be more than one officer. Of course, probably in efforts to save money, they push the boundaries to keep one officer per unit of 72.
Major Lucas brought up an issue at the end of the tour that never would have crossed my mind; he let us know that in the event of a hurricane hitting Florida, they don't have the luxury of leaving. He informed us that it was obvious that an evacuation would create panic, so it is their duty to stay and ride out the storm. I think it’s a very selfless act and the detention employees should truly be applauded for their work. In the end, no matter how unpleasing it may have been to be in the middle of the jail, it appeared that the institution was being operated well and that their methods are working.
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Hillsborough County Sheriffs Office
Our class trip to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s office on Tuesday provided us with a lot of useful information. J.D. Callaway, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s office PIO gave our class a short lecture and then proceeded to give our class a tour of facility. I found our class visit to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's office to be one of the more informative class sessions we have had.
I think one of the reasons that Callaway’s lecture was so informative was because he has been on both sides of the field, he was a reporter and now works on the opposite end, controlling the information the media gets from the sheriff’s office. He did a very good job explaining the different actions to take when covering a story. For example, he explained that if you were covering a story on someone who had a warrant, you would want to go to the courthouse to obtain the information you would need. He also told us that as a reporter, a search warrant can be extremely valuable because it contains so much pertinent information. A search warrant would provide you with the law enforcement’s credentials, as well as every exhibit brought before the court that stated probable cause to obtain the warrant. I was unaware that a search warrant is a public record and that it becomes so just ten days after the search was conducted. A search warrant can also really give a reporter a heads up on who law enforcement is leaning towards because half of the time search warrants don’t have an arrest with it so searching for arrests wouldn’t necessarily tell the whole story.
I was surprised when J.D. told us that 73,000 people were booked to the Orient County jail last year and that unless the arrest is sealed or expunged by the court, it is a public record for eternity. I also liked when J.D. brought up how technology is creating a challenge in a sense, because of the video being taken at booking in the county jail. That video then also becomes accessible to reporters but only after they are able to ensure that no one else is in the video, such as someone who was simply passing by rather than being booked.
Overall, I feel that one of the things that made this class trip so interesting was how much J.D. was able to apply the information to real life scenarios. He has been in our shoes, and that’s why a lot of the information he gave was relevant.
I think one of the reasons that Callaway’s lecture was so informative was because he has been on both sides of the field, he was a reporter and now works on the opposite end, controlling the information the media gets from the sheriff’s office. He did a very good job explaining the different actions to take when covering a story. For example, he explained that if you were covering a story on someone who had a warrant, you would want to go to the courthouse to obtain the information you would need. He also told us that as a reporter, a search warrant can be extremely valuable because it contains so much pertinent information. A search warrant would provide you with the law enforcement’s credentials, as well as every exhibit brought before the court that stated probable cause to obtain the warrant. I was unaware that a search warrant is a public record and that it becomes so just ten days after the search was conducted. A search warrant can also really give a reporter a heads up on who law enforcement is leaning towards because half of the time search warrants don’t have an arrest with it so searching for arrests wouldn’t necessarily tell the whole story.
I was surprised when J.D. told us that 73,000 people were booked to the Orient County jail last year and that unless the arrest is sealed or expunged by the court, it is a public record for eternity. I also liked when J.D. brought up how technology is creating a challenge in a sense, because of the video being taken at booking in the county jail. That video then also becomes accessible to reporters but only after they are able to ensure that no one else is in the video, such as someone who was simply passing by rather than being booked.
Overall, I feel that one of the things that made this class trip so interesting was how much J.D. was able to apply the information to real life scenarios. He has been in our shoes, and that’s why a lot of the information he gave was relevant.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Tampa/Hillsborough Human Rights Coucil
I attended the Tampa/Hillsborough Human Rights Council meeting on September 8th at the Free Library in downtown Tampa. The organization holds a public meeting every other month. It was a very small meeting with only seven people in attendance.The board and chapter members discussed several issues during the meeting. Much of the discussion regarded updates on projects such as their efforts to get a website launched soon, as well as their scholarship partnership with area schools and the Tampa Bay Federal Credit Union. The issue that was most addressed was their upcoming annual breakfast celebrating 60 years of human rights. They are looking at bringing in a keynote speaker and honoring the scholarship recipients at this event. Aside from this, the treasurer announced that he would be stepping down in the near future and would like for the council to consider someone to replace his position.
I interviewed the Tampa chapter's president, Mr. Ahmed Bedier. Mr. Bedier is a civil rights activist who got involved with the organization through his work with the Council on Muslim Civil Rights Activity group. He said he started attending meetings regularly and eventually was voted in as the organizations president. In speaking with Mr. Bedier, I learned that the Tampa chapter is one of the oldest human rights organization in the state. The chapter has been around for 35 years and was started during in the 60's during the civil rights movement where human rights violations were occurring quite often. At a time where we have progressed from such frequent civil rights violations, the chapter focuses more on human rights education and prevention. President Bedier informed me that they work with many politicians in order to try and prevent human rights issues that arise from nothing more than bad laws, this is why they work to promote and educate people about human rights.
Deputy C.M. Devage, the Hillsborough county sheriff's office minority outreach coordinator was another one of the attendees at the meeting. She represents the sheriff, in his appointed seat. She works with organizations like this one in order to build the law enforcement's perspective among the people, and to ensure that it is not tainted. Both she and Mr. Bedier stressed that the organization is relevant because human rights affects everyone. Wanda Crosley Tyus, a Century 21 real estate agent was one of the board memebers of the meeting in attendance as well. She is the Secretary for the council and plays a large role in organizaing the annual breakfast, which is the Tampa chapters largest event all year.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Matt Doig
Matt Doig’s presentation complemented Adria Harper’s presentation really well.
I felt that Doig however was much more of a dialogue than Mrs. Harpers, as well as much more engaging.
Matt’s stories were both interesting and informative, and he tied in the importance of open government in regards to public records.
I think that my favorite example he gave was of the story he worked on with his colleagues regarding teacher exam scores and low-income schools. I was very impressed with the dedication they put into getting this story. It was surprising that the news organization allowed them to work on this story for two years, and i'm sure much of that time was spent trying to get around the board of educations attempts to stop them. I feel that this story is a quality news piece that goes above the typical dateline: sexual predator type of story. I’m sure that this story affects hundreds of students not only in Florida but it probably goes on all throughout other states. I think this is the reason many journalists get into the field, to get stories that truly matter and make a difference.
I think however, on the other side that stories like this also impact so many people in a negative manner. For example, when he brought up his first story about buss drivers with D.U.I’s. I think that perhaps some people might have made a mistake once in there past, and I feel like some of these people might have changed and then I becomes a mistake that’s brought to light in front of all the readership who will probably judge them for it. Although I can also see the side of a concerned parent who wouldn’t want their child being driven around by someone who has that on their record.
I honestly had written off investigative reporting prior to this presentation because I associated to reports with topics like that of a local resident who paid for a pool that was never finished by the contractor. I usually find these stories irrelevant and the kind of investigative reporting Matt described was very interesting and important
I felt that Doig however was much more of a dialogue than Mrs. Harpers, as well as much more engaging.
Matt’s stories were both interesting and informative, and he tied in the importance of open government in regards to public records.
I think that my favorite example he gave was of the story he worked on with his colleagues regarding teacher exam scores and low-income schools. I was very impressed with the dedication they put into getting this story. It was surprising that the news organization allowed them to work on this story for two years, and i'm sure much of that time was spent trying to get around the board of educations attempts to stop them. I feel that this story is a quality news piece that goes above the typical dateline: sexual predator type of story. I’m sure that this story affects hundreds of students not only in Florida but it probably goes on all throughout other states. I think this is the reason many journalists get into the field, to get stories that truly matter and make a difference.
I think however, on the other side that stories like this also impact so many people in a negative manner. For example, when he brought up his first story about buss drivers with D.U.I’s. I think that perhaps some people might have made a mistake once in there past, and I feel like some of these people might have changed and then I becomes a mistake that’s brought to light in front of all the readership who will probably judge them for it. Although I can also see the side of a concerned parent who wouldn’t want their child being driven around by someone who has that on their record.
I honestly had written off investigative reporting prior to this presentation because I associated to reports with topics like that of a local resident who paid for a pool that was never finished by the contractor. I usually find these stories irrelevant and the kind of investigative reporting Matt described was very interesting and important
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
First Amendment Foundation
Andrea Harper’s presentation last week was very thorough and helpful.
She really took the time to fully explain our rights underneath the Sunshine Laws. From handwritten post-it notes to marriage licenses, there really is a lot of information available to the public in Florida. I thought that it was really interesting to see that public information is available to anyone in Florida, regardless of whether they live here or not, and even if they are not citizens.
Andrea seemed to really be passionate about her career and advocating the right to view public information, it was obvious that she really believes in the Sunshine Law. A great example of Florida’s Sunshine laws effectiveness is that other states contact Andrea at the First Amendment Foundation when they are shaping their public information laws.
I was really interested in the ambiguity of the laws regarding personal computers. I feel that as citizens, we truly do have the right to request to view whatever is on the computer considering that we pay for them with our tax dollars and public officials should really be limiting their use to strictly public business. However, being that this is not always the case the officials are allowed to sift through their computers and not hand over anything containing personal information. I feel that this allows them to really manipulate the information as much as possible because they can in turn regulate what information we receive if it may cast them in a negative light or is incriminating. It seems like we could only retain information like this then, with the help of whistleblowers who are on the inside and have access to such dealings.
I learned a lot from Andrea’s visit and can now appreciate the openness of our system here in Florida. I think it really serves the people and gives journalists here in Florida a really great advantage.
She really took the time to fully explain our rights underneath the Sunshine Laws. From handwritten post-it notes to marriage licenses, there really is a lot of information available to the public in Florida. I thought that it was really interesting to see that public information is available to anyone in Florida, regardless of whether they live here or not, and even if they are not citizens.
Andrea seemed to really be passionate about her career and advocating the right to view public information, it was obvious that she really believes in the Sunshine Law. A great example of Florida’s Sunshine laws effectiveness is that other states contact Andrea at the First Amendment Foundation when they are shaping their public information laws.
I was really interested in the ambiguity of the laws regarding personal computers. I feel that as citizens, we truly do have the right to request to view whatever is on the computer considering that we pay for them with our tax dollars and public officials should really be limiting their use to strictly public business. However, being that this is not always the case the officials are allowed to sift through their computers and not hand over anything containing personal information. I feel that this allows them to really manipulate the information as much as possible because they can in turn regulate what information we receive if it may cast them in a negative light or is incriminating. It seems like we could only retain information like this then, with the help of whistleblowers who are on the inside and have access to such dealings.
I learned a lot from Andrea’s visit and can now appreciate the openness of our system here in Florida. I think it really serves the people and gives journalists here in Florida a really great advantage.
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