One of the biggest pieces of legislation that Gov. Rick Scott and the GOP-led Legislature passed in 2011 was a requirement that all state workers put three percent of their earnings into their pension plan — the first time they've had to do that in 40 years.
But the state's biggest teachers' union, the Florida Education Association, immediately went to court to halt the action from being enforced, contending that the contribution amounted to an involuntary pay cut that couldn't be imposed without collective bargaining. A circuit judge agreed with the teachers, kicking the case up to the Florida Supreme Court.
Thursday morning, the court ruled 4-3 in favor of the governor. The justices who voted in the affirmative were Jorge Labarga, Ricky Polston and Charles Canady. They were joined by justice Barbara Pariente, generally considered in the liberal camp.
That prompted Orlando-area Democratic Party activist Susannah Randolph to write on her Facebook page, "WTF, Barbara Pariente. WTF."
Meanwhile, Republicans were ecstatic. House Speaker Will Weatherford tweeted, "This day just got $2 billion better," followed by the hashtag "#penniesfromheaven."
This article appears in Jan 17-23, 2013.