Backroom deals

Click title for story link. Just when you thought the Florida Legislature couldn't look any more out of control, along comes Sen. J.D. Alexander. Alexander, R-Lake Wales, is chairman of the powerful Senate Ways and Means Committee. As such, he is the chief budget writer in the Senate and one of the most powerful people in Tallahassee. So when he offered a last-minute amendment to Senate Bill 2080 on April 29, no one objected or even questioned it.