Jacksonville City Council actions

Issue: City Council salaries
What it means: The council is expected to deny a bill introduced by Councilman Art Shad that would cut salaries in half from $45,000 for council members and $60,000 for the council president. Shad says the pay is too high for part-time employees. Bill No. 2009-645
Action: Denied, 16-1

Issue: Tentative budget process
What it means: The council is expected to pass an ordinance that would create a tentative budget process that would precede the formal budget process that begins in mid-July. The bill would require the mayor to supply projected revenues and expenditures to council members by May 1, and the council must provide feedback by June 30. Bill No. 2009-701
Action: Approved, 17-0.

Issue: City elections
What it means: Councilman Jack Webb is asking to withdraw a bill that would have started the process of moving city elections to fall 2011. The move wouldn’t save any money but would allow city leaders to transition in January, months ahead of the summer. Council members have indicated they want to let voters weigh in. Bill No. 2009-716
Action: Withdrawn, 17-0.

Issue: Sports complex renovations
What it means: There will be a public hearing and vote on a bill that would funnel additional bed-tax dollars to help fund maintenance at the sports complex. Now that the Prime Osborn Convention Center renovations are complete, the $5 million a year in bed-tax revenue it receives can be redirected. Bill No. 2009-817
Action: Approved, 15-0.

Fed rule will limit overdraft fees charged by banks, credit unions

The Federal Reserve released a long-awaited rule Thursday requiring banks and credit unions to get consumers' permission before charging steep fees to pay debit card and ATM overdrafts.

The final rule, which comes amid intense congressional scrutiny of bank overdraft practices, will take effect by July 1, 2010, for new customers and Aug. 15, 2010, for existing customers. The Fed released a preliminary rule on debit card and ATM overdrafts late last year, but didn't say then if it would require banks to get consumers' consent before signing them up for these programs.

Bundled payments a way to cut health costs: study

One of the best ways to control U.S. healthcare spending is to pay doctors, hospitals and other health providers a single set fee for treating all aspects of a surgical procedure or a chronic disease such as diabetes, researchers said on Wednesday.

Although such a "bundled payments" approach does not figure in current U.S. healthcare reform legislation, it would go a long way to controlling costs, the team at the non-profit Rand Corporation said.

The Congressional Budget Office has estimated that bundled payments could save the U.S. healthcare system about a billion dollars a year but the Rand team said broadening the approach, already used by Medicare in some areas, could save more than that.

Prime Time's Top-Earning Men

In an industry hammered by changing viewer habits and dwindling advertising dollars, the 50-year-old Brit and his Fox juggernaut American Idol continue to score record ratings and big money. Though the singing competition's viewership has slid in recent years, it still managed to round out last season with an average weekly audience of 27 million, making it the most-watched series in prime time. And like Cowell's fellow top earners, the host you love to loathe has found several avenues to cash in, including judging, producing and music publishing. His total haul between June 1, 2008, and June 1, 2009: $75 million.

At No. 2 is the real-estate mogul turned reality show host Donald Trump, who banked an estimated $50 million from his similarly vast collection of entertainment ventures this year. (Earnings are calculated before taxes, management fees and other costs; voice-only actors were omitted from the list.)

Fellow Idol-er Ryan Seacrest lands at No. 3 on the list, earning a cool $38 million during the 12-month period.

Rounding out the top five are TV actors Charlie Sheen and Steve Carell, who earned an estimated $21 million and $20 million, respectively.

Health Insurance Profits: Not So Outrageous After All?

A cursory glance at third-quarter earning results from major insurers could put the lie to the "they're not money trees" defense: WellPoint late last month reported a net income of $730.2 million, less than last year but better than expected. UnitedHealth, Aetna, Humana and Cigna all saw double-digit percentage increases in their profits. The latter three all reported earnings above $300 million each, while UnitedHealth's third-quarter earnings were just north of $1 billion.

But the companies' profits still represent a miniscule percentage of the $2.5 trillion Americans spend every year on health care.

"Insurance company profits in the large picture have very little to do with the overall rising cost of health care," said health care expert Henry Aaron, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution.

Carroll and others pointed out that the profit margins the health insurance companies report -- often below 5 percent -- pace some industries and lag behind many others.

"From a net margin basis, it's not that much," said Steve Shubitz, an analyst at Edward Jones. "The bottom line is any business needs to make money. That's why you're in business."

Used cars in high demand, command premium prices

Used vehicles prices jumped an average of 16 percent in October compared with a year ago, according to Edmunds.com, an automotive information Web site.

Leading the rise are minivans such as Sharp's, up 27.1 percent. The Web site shows increases for 14 of 15 vehicle categories, with the only decline being a 1.6 percent drop in the price of mid-sized cars.

The dramatic increase stems from basic economic principals, said Joe Spina, analyst for the California-based Edmunds.com. "Used car supply is down, and demand is up," he said.

The supply has diminished for several reasons, Spina said. One is because many vehicle manufacturers cut their leasing programs several years ago, meaning there are fewer vehicles coming off lease and entering the used market.

Another reason is the federal "Cash for Clunkers" program, which gave consumers an incentive of up to $4,500 to trade in older vehicles for new ones. Those older vehicles were destroyed, meaning nearly 700,000 vehicles that could have ended up in the used car market were eliminated.

And finally, new car sales are down — especially after the clunkers program ended in August, so fewer customers are trading in their used cars.

Meanwhile, demand is up because many traditional new car shoppers are now considering used because of the economy, Spina said.

Study: Jacksonville Among Most Dangerous Cities For Pedestrians

Transportation for America ranks four Florida cities among the most dangerous for walking.

The most dangerous cities in the 2007-2008 year were Orlando, Tampa, Miami and Jacksonville. They were followed by Memphis, Raleigh, Louisville, Houston, Birmingham and Atlanta.

The report found cities are spending less than 1.5 percent of total federal funds on pedestrian safety, despite the fact that pedestrians currently make up 11.8 percent of traffic deaths.

The group said 43,000 Americans have died this decade while walking along streets; it has consistently ranked Jacksonville among the worst for walker safety.

Report: 237 millionaires in Congress

As Washington reels from the news of 10.2 percent unemployment, the Center for Responsive Politics is out with a new report describing the wealth of members of Congress.

Among the highlights: Two-hundred-and-thirty-seven members of Congress are millionaires. That’s 44 percent of the body – compared to about 1 percent of Americans overall.

CRP says California Republican Rep. Darrell Issa is the richest lawmaker on Capitol Hill, with a net worth estimated at about $251 million. Next in line: Rep. Jane Harman (D-Calif.), worth about $244.7 million; Sen. Herb Kohl (D-Wis.), worth about $214.5 million; Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.), worth about $209.7 million; and Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.), worth about $208.8 million.

All told, at least seven lawmakers have net worths greater than $100 million, according to the Center’s 2008 figures.

Senators’ estimated median reportable worth sunk to about $1.79 million from $2.27 million in 2007. The House’s median income was significantly lower and also sank, bottoming out at $622,254 from $724,258 in 2007.

Book Review: Reflecting on America

Title: Reflecting on America: Anthropological Views of US Culture
Author: Clare L. Boulanger
Year: 2008
Type: Non-Fiction
Genre: Anthropology

Review: This is a decent set of articles regarding the study of culture in America. I especially liked the article on sports in Brazil compared to the US and the article on Barbie, Mickey Mouse, etc. Worth the read, though I would not purchase it.

Grade: C+

Key Vote: Department of Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations, 2010

Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010

- Vote Passed (247-178, 7 Not Voting)

The House passed this $32.3 billion bill funding the Department of the Interior, Environmental Protection Agency and related agencies for the 2010 fiscal year. The bill also includes a continuing resolution funding government operations through December 18, 2010 as 7 of the 12 annual spending bills remain to be completed.

Rep. Ander Crenshaw voted NO......send e-mail

or see bio

Key Vote: Small Business Financing and Investment Act of 2009

Small Business Financing and Investment Act of 2009

- Vote Passed (389-32, 11 Not Voting)

This House bill would reauthorize several Small Business Administration loan programs.

Rep. Ander Crenshaw voted YES......send e-mail

or see bio

Key Vote: Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2010

Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2010

- Vote Passed (385-11, 36 Not Voting)

The House approved this bill that authorizes $10 billion for the Coast Guard for fiscal year 2010.

Rep. Ander Crenshaw voted YES......send e-mail

or see bio

Key Vote: Interior budget

Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010

- Vote Agreed to (72-28)

The Senate gave final approval to this $32.3 billion bill funding the Department of the Interior, Environmental Protection Agency and related agencies for the 2010 fiscal year. The bill also includes a continuing resolution funding government operations through December 18, 2010 as 7 of the 12 annual spending bills remain to be completed.

Sen. Bill Nelson voted YES......send e-mail

or see bio

Sen. George LeMieux voted NO......send e-mail

or see bio

Key Vote: Solar Technology Roadmap Act

Solar Technology Roadmap Act

- Vote Passed (310-106, 16 Not Voting)

The House passed this bill that intends to guide research, development, and demonstration of solar energy technologies.

Rep. Ander Crenshaw voted YES......send e-mail

or see bio

Key Vote: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010

National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010

- Vote Agreed to (68-29, 3 Not Voting)

The Senate gave final approval to this bill authorizing defense spending, which also contains a provision that extends the definition of federal hate crimes to include crimes in which victims are targeted because of their sexual orientation and gender identity.

Sen. Bill Nelson voted YES......send e-mail

or see bio

Sen. George LeMieux voted NO......send e-mail

or see bio

Key Vote: Medicare Physician Fairness Act

Medicare Physician Fairness Act of 2009

- Vote Rejected (47-53)

The Senate failed to garner the necessary votes to begin debate on this bill that would repeal the Medicare physician payment formula that results in annual cuts that Congress reverses every year.

Sen. Bill Nelson voted NO......send e-mail

or see bio

Sen. George LeMieux voted NO......send e-mail

or see bio

Key Vote: Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2010

Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2010

- Vote Agreed to (79-19, 2 Not Voting)

The Senate passed the conference report of this $42.8 billion bill funding the Department of Homeland Security, sending it to the President.

Sen. Bill Nelson voted YES......send e-mail

or see bio

Sen. George LeMieux voted YES......send e-mail

or see bio

China promises billions in aid, loans to Africa

China's premier on Sunday pledged $10 billion in concessional loans to African nations over the next three years and said Beijing would cancel the government debts of some of the poorest of those countries, as the Asian powerhouse looked to deflect criticism that its investments in the continent were motivated purely by greed.

A look at Jacksonville’s health care terrain

Someone who goes into the Southside’s Memorial Hospital to get treatment for a heart attack can expect to be charged $81,301. But if that patient travels instead to Baptist Medical Center Downtown, just five miles down the road, the bill would plummet to $39,032.

Same illness. Same part of town. More than $42,000 difference between the bills.

How can one hospital charge so much more than another? Is it because Memorial’s heart attack patients get far superior care?

It doesn’t appear so. Readmission rates, a crucial quality indicator, are nearly identical at the two hospitals for heart attack patients — 10.7 percent at Baptist and 11.7 at Memorial.

Memorial and its sister hospital, Orange Park Medical Center, tend to charge patients much more than their Northeast Florida competitors, according to a Times-Union analysis of area hospitals’ self-reported charges. And the only discernible difference between the two hospitals and the rest is that they operate to make a profit for shareholders.

About 90 percent of hospitals in the United States are operated as nonprofits, a proportion that mirrors Jacksonville’s health care landscape. Instead of having to share profits with investors, the Jacksonville area’s 11 nonprofit hospitals can plow that money into new medical equipment, additional staff, facility upgrades and other improvements.

As nonprofits, they receive tax incentives, most notably a pass on paying property taxes, which can add millions of dollars a year to a for-profit hospital’s expense ledger. To make good on their nonprofit status, hospitals are supposed to provide benefits to the community, such as writing off care to the poor and uninsured as charity.

Corrine Brown Votes For Health Care Bill That Passes House

In a victory for President Barack Obama, the Democratic-controlled House narrowly passed landmark health care legislation Saturday night to expand coverage to tens of millions who lack it and place tough new restrictions on the insurance industry. Republican opposition was nearly unanimous.

The 220-215 vote cleared the way for the Senate to begin debate on the issue that has come to overshadow all others in Congress.

Local Representative Corrine Brown voted for the proposal, while area members Ander Crenshaw, John Mica, Cliff Stearns and Jack Kingston from Georgia voted against it.

Brown said " For Floridians in particular, where more than one in five residents do not have health insurance, and for my constituents in Florida's third congressional district and minority communities nationwide, the need for health care reform is obvious. It is imperative."

Representative John Mica said "It is a sad day for Congress and in particular a sad day for Americans who lack health care coverage. The Democrats totally miss the mark. People want lower premiums, increased access, less costs and red tape. They want choice and quality health care."