TALLAHASSEE -- Sen. John Grant had a nicely feathered nest awaiting when term limits forced him from office. Then Gov. Jeb Bush stepped in, and it got a little less cushy.At the end of this legislative session, the Tampa Republican will become the executive director of the statewide Public Guardianship Office. Bush appointed Grant to the job in November.
It was a pretty good deal then and it was about to get sweeter after a colleague of Grant's decided that Grant deserved a bigger salary than the governor and should be allowed to work from his hometown of Tampa.
Rep. Larry Crow, R-Palm Harbor, filed a bill that would have set Grant's salary at $125,000 a year and expanded the program he will oversee. Over the objections of Democrats, committees in both the House and the Senate signed off on the idea.
Then Crow got a call from the governor.
On Thursday, Crow killed his own bill.
"The governor was adamant -- he said, "If you pass it, I will veto it,' " Crow said. "He thought the public perception was bad." [snip]
The new guardianship program Grant will lead is designed to help some of the state's most vulnerable citizens conduct their daily lives.
Public guardians are appointed to handle the financial business and make decisions for certain elderly or disabled citizens who can no longer handle their own affairs. Reports of theft and abuse on the part of guardians have been widespread for years.
Grant will review the needs of the state's 67 counties and complete a report on the situation by Jan. 1, 2001. Legislators envision the appointment of a guardian in each of the state's 20 judicial circuits.
Is it possible that the local brokers are so up tight that they are all trying to find redeeming cover from the negative fall-out this unholy local alliance is about to face? Is the proverbial stuff about to hit the fan? Can it be the play book has been opened for all to see, and there's no way to defend against our attack? Did Crow test the wind, and wisely chose to move to safer (political) ground?
Could it be that Crow's been an insider looking to play the role of an outsider? Are walls of St. Petersburg collapsing as a result of our trumpets for justice?
Defections are indicative of opposition weakness. However, I'm reminded of the saying (slightly altered), beware of powerbrokers bearing gifts.
Larry Crow is in my view another 'Johnny-come-lately' attempting to wash the indelible stain of passivity from his hands.
And that's a very positive sign.