by Mike Sharkey
Staff Writer
When the Florida State Legislature convenes in Tallahassee Jan. 22, the mood will be a little different.
Typically, sessions are difficult enough. Each delegate goes to great lengths to make their constituents happy and at the same time, work together for what’s best for their area and the state as a whole.
Casting a distinctive pall on this year’s session will be the tragic events of Sept. 11. Almost to a man, or woman, the 11 members of the Duval delegation believe that the terrorist attacks and its consequences will have a major impact on the mood of the upcoming session. The attacks have also left the state and country in a recessionary period, meaning some difficult decisions lay ahead.
“It’s going to be different,” said 17-year veteran Terry Fields, D-Dist. 14.
Fields says education and health care, two very sensitive subjects regardless of one’s social, economic or political situation, will be studied.
“I think this will be just a little different because we are going to have deal with cutbacks in education, in health and human welfare, with Medicaid and Medicare,” said Fields, a Democrat. “We’re going to have to make some tough decisions.”
Second-year legislator Mark Mahon, R-Dist. 16, spent his first official session in 2000 (he was elected in September 2000) trying to help determine who won the 2000 presidential race.
“I just can’t believe my luck,” said Mahon. “We started with the Bush-Gore fiasco with the election and we were called into special session for that. Then, we figured that’s over with and we can get our feet under us, then the economy takes a downturn.”
Mahon is of the belief that redistricting, just like it was for City Council the last six months, will be a hot topic in a couple of weeks.
“Just because it’s on everyone’s plate,” he said. “It’s going to take so much time. It’s going to be a real time-consuming task to make sure everything is done correctly, legally and also satisfy everyone’s interests.”
Like Mahon, Steve Wise, R-Dist. 6, thinks redistricting will take center stage.
“I think the issue this time is reapportionment which is really very, very difficult,” said Wise. “The other piece is going to be dealing with taxes and what the president and the Senate wants to do with taxes. That’s going to be difficult.”
Locally, Wise said education is something every Duval delegate should focus on.
“I think it’s always education because that’s one of the main staples that state government has to deal with, education, it’s funding and the policies dealing with education,” said Wise. “I think it’s going to continue to be that way.”