From TPD training facility to teacher pay: Packed crowd shares wish list to Leon lawmakers

Leon County residents filled every seat, lined the walls, and crowded the entryways into the Commission Chambers when their legislative delegation called a meeting to set priorities for the legislative session that begins in March.

“There is a fire code violation here,” said the Florida Professional Firefighters’ Mike Bellamy, when he introduced himself to talk with Sen. Corey Simon, R-Tallahassee, and Representatives Jason Shoaf, R-Port St. Joe, Allison Tant, D-Tallahassee, and Gallop Franklin, D-Tallahassee.

While Bellamy talked to lawmakers about retirement and health benefits for first responders, sheriff's deputies quietly nudged openings among observers in the chambers’ three doorways.

The chamber seats 117 and at least another 30 lined its circular walls and the hallway leading to its doors.

Legislative delegation meetings are usually an opportunity for local government officials to list their wants, with a few citizen-activists chiming in with comments about their projects.

Last week’s meeting differed in that with a large turnout of citizens, elected officials kept their comments short – with everyone attempting to abide by a three-minute time limit.

Mayor wants $766,624 for TPD, 'state-of-the-art training facility'

Tallahassee Mayor John Dailey came with a wish list of more than $3 million. The city is seeking $766,624 for a police academy training center to be built alongside a planned new headquarters at the site of a former shopping mall.

The police academy, said Dailey, will be a regional resource for the Big Bend and Panhandle.

“We are building a state-of-the-art training facility. It is important that our police department is equipped with the right social skills and police skills to confront the issues we face today,” said Dailey.

The city also wants help with a southside transportation project and to expand trade facilities at Tallahassee International Airport.

The money for expansion at Tallahassee International would also serve regional interests. Dailey said plans are to have the infrastructure in place for international trade to begin within 18 months. He said it would help if the delegation can get the state to give $1 million to the effort.

Money for the southside would go towards construction of a transit center, which Dailey described as “a new sort of a metro stop” in an opportunity zone, “which is going to be absolutely fascinating and a model for the southeast United States,” said Dailey.

Superintendent points to teacher pay disparity, voucher expansion

Leon County School Board Superintendent Rocky Hanna focused his remarks on fairness in pay and regulations for public education.

Hanna explained legislative efforts in recent years to raise the pay for new teachers has created a salary compression issue for veteran teachers.

“We have veteran teachers of 14 years that makes the same $47,000 that a beginning teacher makes. And as a former teacher myself, that’s a morale issue. That’s a big morale issue. We have to do something,” said Hanna.

Hanna also expounded on HB 1, a school voucher expansion bill that critics fear will do severe financial harm to the public education system.

He noted that private school teachers and students are not held to the same standards and testing requirements as those in public schools.

GOP priority:Republican-led voucher expansion could steer $2.4 billion from Florida public schools

“If you want to send public tax dollars to support private institutions, they should be held to the same standard as our traditional public schools,” said Hanna.

Elections supervisor highlights 'difficult, cumbersome' mail ballot requirement

Supervisor of Elections Mark Earley advised lawmakers that many voters are unaware that election security reforms have invalidated their vote-by-mail request for ballots, which could possibly affect the 2024 presidential primary elections.

Florida had required voters to request a mail ballot every four years, but in 2021 lawmakers changed that to every election cycle. Earley said his office processed 67,000 mail in ballots in 2018 but after the 2021 change, he now has just 7,000 vote-by-mail requests for the 2024 election.

He said what once was a requirement simply to check a box, has become “a difficult, cumbersome, very, very difficult,” process for people to get a vote-by-mail ballot.

Background:Florida Senate Republicans push ahead with election security critics say will blunt voting

Guns, toxic sediment and a historic schoolhouse

About 60 people lined up to speak after Earley.

Franklin, Shoaf, Simon, and Tant sat and listened for four hours and 15 minutes.

Moms Demand Action spoke against a proposal to allow firearms to be carried in public without a permit.

“Florida requires completion of a firearm safety course before a person can get a concealed weapon license. Safety training ensures that permit holders are aware of responsible practices for handling and carrying. A permitless carry bill would remove all of these requirements,” said Jaime Ito.

The bill:Florida lawmakers move to let gun owners carry without permit in 'Constitutional Carry' bill

Max Epstein asked for support to clean the sediment at Lake Munson.

The Friends of Lake Hall School invited the lawmakers to visit the site of a schoolhouse built in the 1870s by formerly enslaved workers they are trying to preserve.

Gadsden delegation:Rep. Gallop Franklin, Sen. Corey Simon pledge to bring 'dollars' to struggling Gadsden

Nia Wellendorf, parent of a public school student, talked about fear in the classroom generated over the last two years by legislation such as the Parents Bill of Rights and Individual Freedom.

She said she was, "scared for youth who have lost their safe place at school," and for teachers "who can't do their job."

"Lets not cripple our teachers over what they can say or can't say," said Wellendorf.

A contingent of retired teachers, parents and others listed what they perceived to be a community-wide mental health crisis, a lack of respect for teachers and American history, an attack on public education, and environmental degradation as a list of priorities for the 2023 session of the Florida Legislature.

Lawmakers share perspective on 'wonder of this community' and indoctrination 'garbage'

That list prompted Tant to talk afterward about “the wonder of this community,” and how Tallahassee continuously surprises her in a way she admires.

“Did you see the compassion? The way people ask for others? Whether it was a plea for mental health services, or benefits for first responders, or standing with the school teachers … this community is rich in knowledge, passion and compassion,” said Tant.

Numerous speakers, including a gaggle of retired teachers, state workers, and parents, expressed concerns about the Florida Department of Education rejection of an African-American Advanced Placement history course.

They viewed it as part of an ongoing attack on public education, and a distortion of American history for ideological reasons.

Back story:Harris shows DeSantis on abortion while governor aims at AP Black studies course

In his closing remarks, Shoaf said he would be remiss if he did not address the criticism.

“Here in the state of Florida. We do require the teaching of African-American history in our schools. We have and we will continue to” said Shoaf.

He added that he did a quick search of the controversy during the delegation meeting and found that the rejected course included things like queer studies and the ranking of people based on race, wealth and sexual orientation.

“This type of indoctrination is garbage, folks, and doesn't belong in our schools for our kids,” said Shoaf.

The 2023 session of the Florida Legislature begins March 7.

Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated the amount of money requested for construction of a police academy.

James Call is a member of the USA TODAY NETWORK-Florida Capital Bureau. He can be reached at jcall@tallahassee.com. Follow on him Twitter: @CallTallahasse

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Florida Legislature: Tallahassee officials discuss 2023 priorities