FLORIDA DIGEST December 11, 2006

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The Sun-Sentinel





http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-cshawklein10dec11,0,956982.story?coll=sfla-home-headlines

Ron Klein vs. Clay Shaw race for U.S. House seat cost $63.51 per voter
TV ads accounted for much of spending in House contest

By Anthony Man
Political writer

December 11, 2006


Spending in the contentious Ron Klein-Clay Shaw congressional contest thisyear reached stratospheric levels by Election Day. The total, which exceeds$13.5 million, works out to $63.51 for every vote cast in the Broward-PalmBeach county district.

Klein's victory in November was the culmination of one of the most expensivecongressional contests in the country. The reason is no secret to any SouthFloridian with a television set. The contest was fought largely over theairwaves in one of the nation's most expensive television markets.

Klein, a Democrat from Boca Raton, and Shaw, a Republican from FortLauderdale, spent a combined $7.7 million. In addition, $5.9 million wasspent on their behalf, with 96 percent of that cash coming from theDemocratic and Republican committees charged with supplementing efforts bytheir parties' congressional candidates.



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HeraldTribune.com

http://www.heraldtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?Date=20061211&Category=BUSINESS&ArtNo=612110394&SectionCat=COMMUNITY&Template=printart

Higher wage, minimum problem
By DEVONA WALKER



devona.walker@heraldtribune.com

In the days before Florida voters passed a minimum wage amendment to thestate constitution, business owners and their industry advocates werepredicting doom.

An increase would spell calamity for Florida's tourism, retail andhospitality sectors, create a spike in unemployment, dim economic growth andlead to a vast exodus of industries to lower-wage-paying states.

Rick McAllister, president and chief executive of the Florida RetailFederation, joined that chorus, saying that boosting the floor above $5.15"could have a billion-dollar inflationary effect" on Florida's economy.

Two years later -- with a new Democratic-controlled Congress poised toincrease the federal minimum wage to $7.25 (a jump that would mean a 58-centraise for Florida workers) -- none of that has come to pass.




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The Sun-Sentinel


http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-psalaries11dec11,0,7263376.story?coll=sfla-home-headlines


Florida's university presidents are among the highest paid in the nation

By Scott Travis
South Florida Sun-Sentinel

December 11, 2006


Florida's universities may not be considered the best in the nation, butthey do rank high in one category: presidents' salaries.

This year, three of the state's public university presidents surpassed the$500,000 mark, while a fourth barely missed, according to a recent reportfrom The Chronicle of Higher Education, a well-known almanac of academia.Last year, none surpassed $500,000.

Bernard Machen, of the University of Florida, at $730,676, and John Hitt, ofthe University of Central Florida, at $684,000, are among the 10highest-paid public university presidents in the country, according to themagazine.



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