Gov. Rick Scott signs Medicaid bill opposed by Fla. counties

Gov. Rick Scott promised steps will be taken to make sure counties' Medicaid bills are accurate Thursday as he signed legislation requiring them to pay nearly $300 million in disputed past-due billings. Scott signed the measure (HB 5301) over objections from county officials who contend they are being overcharged due to mistakes by the state's electronic billing system. Counties are required to pay a share of the costs for their residents who are enrolled in the state-federal health care program for low-income and disabled patients. [Source: AP]

Richard DeNapoli on the July 2005 cover of Florida Trend.

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Florida Trend Exclusive
How's a real estate flipper doing seven years later?

In July 2005, Florida Trend looked at the state's condo boom. Our story profiled lenders still lending, developers still developing and buyers still buying undeterred, as we noted at the time, "by talk of a bubble and fears that interest rates may rise." We featured on the cover Richard DeNapoli, then a 28-year-old Hollywood lawyer and real estate investor who had put down $200,000 for contracts on four units in three condo towers under construction in Miami.
» Find out how DeNapoli is doing today in this story update.

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Passenger rail planned for Miami/Orlando

Florida East Coast Industries, owner of the storied Florida East Coast Railway, announced plans for "All Aboard Florida" last Thursday. The private, intercity service would initially connect passengers in Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, and Orlando, with possible future extensions further west to Tampa, and north to Jacksonville. With a substantial right-of-way and a well-run freight railroad that could be adapted to passenger service more easily than most, the major question that remains is that of funding. [Source: International Business Times]

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Gov. Rick Scott debates pros and cons of splitting off USF Polytechnic

As Gov. Rick Scott considers whether to sign or veto a bill that spins off USF Polytechnic in Lakeland into a 12th state university, he hears a lot of advice from both sides. "The question on one side is going to be, is this something that we can afford. Can we afford a 12th university when we know it's difficult," Scott said, citing multibillion-dollar budget deficits in his first two years in office. "The other side of it is that people in the Lakeland area think they're underserved. It's going to be something I believe in — science, technology, engineering and math — so that's a real positive. But there's lots of arguments." [Source: Tampa Bay Times]

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Developing homegrown energy not easy or cheap for JEA

The Jacksonville-owned utility JEA is making moves to plug into the new energy economy. The Jacksonville-owned utility purchases electricity generated by a privately owned solar farm on the Westside and also buys electricity fueled by methane gas from decomposing garbage in the Trail Ridge landfill. But less than 1 percent of JEA’s electricity comes from those two renewable energy sources. One reason is that renewable power costs more than conventional power. Another, the agency admits, is because the state doesn’t mandate it. [Source: Florida Times-Union]

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ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› Orlando's military-simulation industry pleases Google exec. [Orlando Sentinel]
Google Inc.'s top technology guru said Thursday he expects Central Florida's military-oriented simulation industry to be at the forefront of the country's next wave of advances in training-and-education technologies. Michael T. Jones, chief technology advocate for the Silicon Valley-based Internet giant, said Central Florida should be in the vanguard of those developing next-generation systems for commercial and academic uses..

› Panama City Beach struggles with changing nature of spring breakers [Panama City News-Herald]
Many see the face of Spring Break changing from a college smile to a thuggish snarl, and local officials are struggling to cope. Caught in the middle are local businesses chained to the revenue and local residents who feel roped off from the beach. "It used to be school kids having a good time," said Vice Mayor Ken Nelson. "Now it’s thugs coming here for the biggest party in Florida. We need drastic action. When you throw a party you are responsible for who shows up."

› Propulsion company American Traction Systems opens in Fort Myers [Fort Myers News-Press]
In south Fort Myers, American Traction Systems engineers work on technology that’s powering vehicles, such as the Ford Fusion 999 hydrogen fuel cell car and the Ohio State University Buckeye Bullet. On Thursday, the company unveiled its new10,000-square foot design, manufacturing, testing and distribution facility to the public. A staff of 15 tinkered with high efficiency electric propulsion systems that power electric and hybrid vehicles. American Traction Systems is looking to create about 44 jobs in Southwest Florida over the next three years. Go to page 2 for more stories ...

› Agency reaches deal to buy Mad Hatter Utilities in Pasco [Tampa Bay Times]
A multicounty government agency that purchases private water companies has reached a tentative agreement to buy out Mad Hatter Utility, which has served portions of Land O'Lakes for more than 35 years. The Florida Governmental Utility Authority had been in talks off and on with the company for nearly three years. But a request last fall for dramatically higher water rates sped up negotiations. Under the agreement, FGUA would pay Mad Hatter $9 million, along with another $5 million in 2024.

› Gov. Rick Scott must decide future of pensions bill [Miami Herald]
On the last day of the 2012 session, state lawmakers voted to reduce contributions to the retirement accounts of 100,000 public employees, many of whom work in higher education or law enforcement. The bill (HB 5005) passed both chambers by wide margins with little discussion and will soon reach Gov. Rick Scott, who said he has not decided whether to sign it. The legislation reduces government contributions to employees enrolled in an investment plan, known as a defined contribution plan, as opposed to the traditional pension plan for public employees.

› College of Central Florida accreditation team working hard [Ocala Star-Banner]
This week, a seven-member team from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools was in Ocala looking at the College of Central Florida, reviewing bachelor degree programs for accreditation. Marsal P. Stoll, a SACS vice president from the Atlanta area, said the two-day review of CF's programs went very well. No major violations or problems were found. Labeling CF's review "excellent," Stoll said, "This institution has worked very hard to get to this point." Next step is the Commission On Colleges will evaluate CF in December.