Friday's Daily Pulse

Florida tourism funding untouched amid budget cuts

Despite another tough budget year, legislators seem fully behind Gov. Rick Scott's proposal to spend $35 million on Visit Florida, the state's public-private tourism agency. It's the same amount the Legislature appropriated last year, a 31 percent increase over the prior year. "It's all about jobs," Maryann Ferenc said. Ferenc is a board member of Visit Florida. "Just about overnight, people are realizing that tourism brings jobs. All of a sudden we're getting the attention." [Source: Tampa Bay Times]

Florida Legislature 2012: Roundup of recent news and opinion

» With Florida primary revving up, lawmakers keep short agenda in Tallahassee: Activity in the Legislature have slowed down with the GOP primary coming up, but redistricting, prisons and voting are still top-of-mind. [Miami Herald]

» U.S. Senate panel holds Tampa hearing on Florida election law: Two Democratic U.S. senators will hold a hearing in Tampa today to focus on what they say are problems with Florida election laws. [Tampa Bay Times]

» Florida lawmakers, U.S.-born students make push for in-state tuition: Bills sponsored by Rep. Reggie Fullwood, D-Jacksonville, Rep. Hazelle Rogers, D-Lauderdale Lakes, and Sen. René García, R-Hialeah, would change Florida's controversial policy of denying in-state tuition benefits to U.S. citizens who are children of illegal immigrants. [Miami Herald]

» Florida bill would make doctors, health centers post prices: Doctors call consumer bill intrusive, punitive. [South Florida Sun-Sentinel]

» Lawmakers to rework wage theft prevention program: After a contentious first hearing, a proposal to ax Miami-Dade County’s wage theft prevention program is set to be remade. [Miami Herald]

» Opinion: Florida Legislature wasting time on social issues: After promising to work on jobs, budget and reapportionment, the Legislature has been squandering time on three anti-abortion bills and a bill to allow students to lead sectarian prayer in public school. [Orlando Sentinel]

Cable TV’s mad-as-hell guy comes to South Florida

MSNBC’s Dylan Ratigan, who made his mark with a wild rant against -- well -- everything, is doing his show from Miami Beach. Ratigan, who wraps up three days of telecasts from the Mondrian Hotel today, has been a familiar face on cable news for nearly a decade. But it wasn’t until his mad-as-hell moment went viral on the Internet last October, inspiring video salutes and even songs from impassioned new fans, that he became a cultural icon. [Source: Miami Herald]

Jeb Bush kicks off Hispanic conference in Miami

Florida's popular former Gov. Jeb Bush says the presidential candidates must earn his endorsement. Bush told reporters at the Hispanic Leadership Network's conference Thursday he wants the candidates to work hard to get to know Florida before he lends his support. [Source: AP]

» Speaker Gingrich, Governor Romney and Senator Santorum will address the HLN conference on Friday. More at the Hispanic Leadership Network website.

Oil drilling set to begin off Cuba

A giant oil rig floating off the north shores of Cuba is expected to begin drilling an exploratory well as early as this weekend about 56 miles south of Key West. And the potential environmental impact of deep-water drilling so close to Florida has set off a flurry of actions to try to contain an oil spill if disaster strikes. “I hear today the darn rig is in place and that drilling will begin within the next week,” said U.S. Rep. John Mica, R-Winter Park [Source: South Florida Sun-Sentinel]

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› Few Floridians go for Bank of America's short sale incentive (so far) [Tampa Bay Times]
Only 60 Floridians have received cash from a Bank of America program that pays up to $20,000 to homeowners who sell distressed properties in a short sale. The lender still expects thousands more in the Sunshine State to collect the money before the pilot program ends in August. Bank spokesman Richard Simon said it's too early to judge the results.

› DOE: Florida named leader in educator quality [WTXL]
A national publication has awarded Florida an overall grade of “B,” highest in the nation, in its biennial report. The National Council on Teacher Quality 2011 State Teacher Policy Yearbook released the report on Wednesday. The "B" grade is up from a grade of "C" in 2009. The state also received high marks for making progress in policies and practices that govern the teaching profession.

› Editorial: For-profit colleges are no answer to high tuition [USAToday]
Mitt Romney is recommending for-profit colleges as an answer to rising tuition. A closer look at the record of for-profit universities suggests that Romney needs to go back to school on the issue. The industry is plagued by institutions with low graduation rates and high loan default rates.

›Local experts pessimistic about JC Penney's low-price makeover [Lakeland Ledger]
Local marketing experts gave J.C. Penney's new brand makeover a low probability of success and shoppers at its Eagle Ridge Mall store in Lake Wales had their doubts. "Pricing is the easiest thing to move. What's harder is consumers' perception," said Mike Tracy, executive in residence at Florida Southern College with 30 years of marketing experience for companies such as Pepsi, Disney and Home Depot. Larry Ross, a professor at Florida Southern, calls this type of pricing strategy "rarely successful."

» Backstory: J.C. Penney goes for low-price makeover

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