Blasting Crist's 'sleight of hand leadership'

Steve Bousquet, St. Petersburg Times/ Miami Herald

Lawton "Bud" Chiles III, son of the former Democratic governor, renewed his criticism of Republican Gov. Charlie Crist Monday for having "snatched away" a second raid of about $700-million from a health care endowment named in his father's memory.

The younger Chiles said at a Tallahassee news conference that while the raids on the fund to balance the state budget are legal, "it certainly doesn't make it right." He rattled off a series of services in which Florida ranks near the bottom of all states in funding, and announced a two-day conference in August where students will get engaged in his venture, www.WorstToFirst.org.

"The state of Florida's an embarrassment on education," Chiles said, "and it's time that we stopped this sleight of hand leadership, where you say one thing and promote one thing and go around the state ... (and say) that casino gambling is going to enhance education. I'm holding onto my wallet when I hear those promises now."

Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson appeared with Chiles and said: "When you raid a trust fund, you raid the trust of the people. And when you do that is it any wonder that it leads to the cynicism that we have toward government today ... This nonsense has got to stop. Trust funds are exactly that: They're set up in trust for a certain reason." Nelson said the Chiles fund is still worth about $1-billion, but the governor's office said Monday that it is valued at $576-million, based on the June 12 market close.