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Ultimate Pledge: 'No More Pledges'

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By JOE O'NEILL Tribune Correspondent

The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 25, 2009

You would have thought that George H.W. Bush's infamous "No new taxes" pledge in 1988 would have been forewarning enough. It eventually did what such expedient political promises typically do: run smack into unforeseen reality down the road. Bush de-pledged. He had rolled the rhetorical dice and hoped ensuing events - fiscal and political - wouldn't require a recant.

He was wrong. "Read-my-lips" wrong.

Which brings us to the upcoming Florida Legislature, which will have to address unprecedented, mushrooming-as-we-speak, budget deficits that could exceed $5 billion by 2010. The recessionary economy has already resulted in statewide job layoffs, critical service cuts and important infrastructure-improvement deferrals.

Well, Strategy One should be pretty obvious, especially when deficit spending is prohibited: increase voluntary taxes such as tobacco, close unjustified sales-tax exemption (including services) loopholes and get proactive - finally - about Internet sales taxes.

Except. There's this pledge.

The Florida Legislature has provided yet another example of why political "pledges" should be seen for what they really are - blatant exercises in political expedience and pandering. Twenty-nine sitting legislators, including Senate President Jeff Atwater and incoming House Speaker Larry Cretul, have signed a no new taxes pledge that pre-dates "Read-my-lips" notoriety. Also signing: Gov. Charlie Crist and Attorney General Bill McCollum.

Now comes their truth-in-pledging Rubicon. They can stand by their "taxpayer protection" pledge, glibly nuance their words to accommodate economic adversity or fall on their ideological, no-tax swords.

Atwater acknowledges he may have to do some "revisiting." Sen. Mike Fasano would consider raising "fees." Others have used the "no net revenue" rationale that means increasing some taxes if they were counterbalanced by decreasing others. Which makes no net sense in times such as these. Still other signatories call for the relaxing of class-size-limits standards. Etc.

Best bet: Absolutely nobody denounces the cynical, self-serving ploy that is a political pledge. Some will keep their pledge, figuring stuff will still get done without their help, and they can remain unalienated from their conservative base.

And enough will go the parse-farce route - and hope nobody notices.

They'll probably be right. But sometimes the voters do read lips.

Rays' Bandwagon

It's serious business when it comes to selling Tampa Bay Rays season tickets - especially in Hillsborough County. That's where the most erosion has been.

So last week's Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce luncheon for the Rays - in effect, a Rays' pep rally and business-community bandwagon opportunity - was a critical marketing forum.

The turnout was both large and enthusiastic.

The Rays brought their highlight video of last season's emotionally-charged, "worst-to-first" season that galvanized national attention and took them to the World Series. The video was well received. Really well received. It got a standing ovation.

Some outtakes from Rays' representatives:

Rays' President Matt Silverman:

• "It happened much faster and sooner than we expected. We knew we had potential. Actually, '08, we felt, would be the least-talented team we would field in the next three years. But timelines sometimes have a mind of their own. And we were ready.

"The challenge in '09 is that we can't sneak up on anyone this year. But we're ready for the restocked Yankees and the re-socked Red Sox."

• "The Saturday night concert series will be back. We're working on the acts and dates now. We should be ready for an announcement in a couple of weeks. It was a great success last year. We'd like to do 81."

Rays' Senior Vice President for Baseball Operations Jerry Huntsinger:

• "This is a business that can humble you quickly. We will not be the hunter this season. We will be the hunted. ... But we will not be a one-hit wonder. The best is yet to come. We all believe that."

• "(Centerfielder) B.J. Upton hasn't even scratched the surface of what he can do in this game."

Rays newly acquired (from the Florida Marlins) relief pitcher Joe Nelson:

• "There were probably 27 or 28 teams rooting for these guys last year.

After our (Marlins) season, I was rooting for them, too."

• "You know, there are more people here than were at most Marlins games last year."

Tenuous Tenure

Most teachers will tell you that former Gov. Jeb Bush missed the mark when he equated educational accountability with FCATs. They were right. Teaching to standardized tests inevitably results, and teaching to standardized tests is inherently flawed.

Teachers will also tell you that Bush's plan to end teacher tenure also was without merit. They were wrong.

Teachers - after a three-year, annual-contract period - now get permanent "professional service" contracts. It's unique. It's supposed to be a buffer against "vindictive administrators." As if bad bosses only gravitate to education.

The reality is this: Time and red tape make it almost impossible to fire a merely incompetent teacher. Too often they are transferred and become some other school's and some other students' problem. That's inexcusable.

It's a lot easier if they are sexual predators or drug dealers. The merely overwhelmed and underperforming are more the case - and likely to be tolerated.

The issue is packaged in a bill that will head to the Legislature next month. If passed, the end of tenure as we now know it, however, would only apply to those hired after July 2009. But that's not consolation enough for the state teachers union that's already braced for battle.

The loss of tenure, it will be argued, is yet another indignity - low salaries, lousy FCAT-related morale, budget cuts - being imposed upon teachers.

Granted, these are especially challenging times for those presiding in Florida's classrooms. But they are no less consequential for students. And whatever is done with the end of improving their learning environment, it won't much matter if there's not a quality teacher in front of them. That's really what the tenure debate is about.

Joe O'Neill is a South Tampa writer who can be contacted at moesez@aol.com or www .opinionstogoonline.com.

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