Report: “Florida Reformers Used Decoy Legislation, Spread Unions Thin to Allow Certain Charter Bills to “Fly Under the Radar” | Scathing Purple Musings

Report: “Florida Reformers Used Decoy Legislation, Spread Unions Thin to Allow Certain Charter Bills to “Fly Under the Radar” | Scathing Purple Musings:

Report: “Florida Reformers Used Decoy Legislation, Spread Unions Thin to Allow Certain Charter Bills to “Fly Under the Radar”

by Bob Sikes

Writing in The Nation, Lee Fang reports:

Patricia Levesque, a top adviser to former Governor Jeb Bush, spoke to fellow reformers at a retreat in October 2010. Levesque noted that reform efforts had failed because the opposition had time to organize. Next year, Levesque advised, reformers should “spread” the unions thin “by playing offense” with decoy legislation. Levesque said she planned to sponsor a series of statewide reforms, like allowing taxpayer dollars to go to religious schools by overturning the so-called Blaine Amendment, “even if it doesn’t pass…to keep them busy on that front.” She also advised