South Florida Sun Sentinel from Fort Lauderdale, Florida • 8

FROM PAGE ONE SOUTH FLORIDA SUN-SENTINEL 8A Monday, June 23, 2003 NWS How would you rate the performance of Jeb Bush as governor? poor.9 Not sure: 8 Governor holds steady; new laws unpopular Voters and Jeb Bush A Research 2000 Florida Poll asked voters how they felt about Jeb Bush as governor and two measures that were passed by the Legislature and signed into law. Excellent: 14 Fair: 29 Good: 40 POLL These questions show how voters felt about the two measures before and after the issue was explained. There is clearly a disconnect on these issues statewide. EVERGLADES MEASURE Before explanation Do you approve or disapprove of the recent Everglades measure, passed by the Legislature and signed into law by Gov. Bush? Not sure: TELEPHONE MEASURE Before explanation Do you approve or disapprove of the recent telephone measure, passed by the Legislature and signed into law by Gov.

Bush? Not sure: 15 9 Approve: Approve: 32 46 1 Disapprove: 53 Disapprove: 45 INTERNATIONAL Bomb kills 7 Marine in training in Africa THE ASSOCIATED CAMP LEMONIER, DJIBOUTI An explosion that might have been caused by a bomb dropped from a B-52 killed a U.S. Marine and wounded eight U.S. service members during a Sunday training ex? ercise in this Horn of Africa nation, U.S. Central Command said. I The B-52 Stratofortress that might have been involved in the accident landed near forces at Godoria Bombing Range, along the northern coast of Djibouti; a Central Command state! mentsaid.

The names of the victim and injured were being withi held pending notification oi relatives. Two service members were treated for minor inju ries and returned to their units. The other six injured were transported to Bouf3 fard Hospital in Djibouti where they were in stable condition, said Capt. Will Klumpp, a spokesman for the Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa. 7 Two CH-53E Super Stallion helicopters supporting the exercise and parked niear the range also were dairi? aged in the accident, whjph was under investigation: Klumpp declined to give any more details while the invesr tigation was ongoing.

Forces supporting Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa were participating in a routine two-day training exercise, the statement said. The exercise was halted after the accident. Klumpp said he did not know exactly how many service members were par? Ali suggested the voter opposition to two such high profile measures enthusiastically supported by the governor could eventually take a political toll on Bush. The survey shows that Jeb Bush's job approval rating is lagging far behind that of his older brother, President Bush, who is riding high among Florida voters. BUSH VS.

BUSH The Research 2000 poll found the president gets a 67 percent approval rating, with overwhelming support everywhere in the state except South Florida, home to one out of every four Florida Democrats and the last battleground of the 2000 presidential election. The governor, by contrast, has a 54 percent approval rating statewide, with his strongest support along the state's heavily Republican southwest Gulf Coast. Among Republicans, 78 percent give the governor high marks as opposed to 5 1 percent of the independents and 33 percent of the Democrats. Ali noted the poll found Bush is faring better than other governors around the nation who are struggling with large budget deficits and program cuts, perhaps riding the president's popularity. "When you look at the governor's principled leadership over the last five years, it's not surprising to see his high approval rating," said Bratina.

"We have rising student achievement and our budget is growing so we're able to fund the state's priorities." After explanation Proponents of the telephone measure signed into law, which' gives authority over rate increases to the state Public Service Commission, will increase local phone competition, encourage cutting-edge technology and create jobs without hurting poor or elderly consumers. Critics of this measure feel that local phone charges could double in Florida within four years because the measure will compel the commission to rubber-stamp major increases in the costs to consumers. Do you approve or disapprove of the recent telephone measure, passed by the Legislature and signed into law by Gov. Bush? CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1A Both measures were overwhelmingly approved by the Republican-dominated Florida Legislature this spring. And both were quickly and quietly signed into law by the governor despite an outpouring of opposition from the public.

"The Legislature is just out of step," said Keith Hope, 56, a sixth-generation Floridian who lives on Key Biscay ne who participated in the poll. "I think the governor's probably a nice man and he's sincere, but I think his party is aligned with the special interests and the large corporations." SHOWCASE MEASURES Jill Bratina, Bush's communications director, said opposition to the Everglades bill has dropped over time. "As people get past the rhetoric they understand the legislation the governor signed is helping the state continue its commitment to the Everglades," she said. While South Florida voters are the strongest in their opposition to both new laws the only two showcase bills the Legislature was able to pass during its regular session there is no majority support for either measure in any area of the state. "Nowhere is there more than 50 percent support.

There is clearly a disconnect on these issues statewide, even in the conservative pro-Bush parts of the state," said Del Ali, president of Research 2000, particularly referring to the heavily Republican areas of southwest Florida. "There is definitely a lot of potential for a smart Democrat to really exploit Dei ali PRESIDENT OF RESEARCH 2000 this or take advantage of it." The opposition to both measures is especially strong among Democrats, but it is also notably strong among Florida's independents a key voting bloc in statewide elections. Independents oppose the Everglades law by a 52 percent margin and the telephone law by a 70 percent margin. Among Republicans, 20 percent oppose the Everglades measure but 50 percent don't like the telephone bill. "When the Legislature's two biggest accomplishments poll so poorly, it reflects on what they've done in Tallahassee, which is very little," said Scott Maddox, chairman of the Florida Democratic Party.

"Over time the voters will start to realize what's been happening in Tallahassee. The Legislature isn't doing their bidding but the bidding of major industries." Both measures were backed by major industry lobbying campaigns and large contributions to legislators and their political parties. Phone companies hired 100 lobbyists to work their bill and pumped $5 million into legislators' campaigns over the past two years. U.S. Sugar Florida Crystals Inc.

and other growers contributed more than 1 million to political coffers during the past two years and hired almost three-dozen lobbyists to push the Everglades bill. After explanation Proponents of the Everglades measure signed into law feel that this legislation shows that the state is committed to restoring the Everglades and that the state's new budget sets aside $225 million in the upcoming fiscal year for restoration, which amounts to twice the funding originally anticipated for restoration. Critics of this measure feel that federal funding for the Everglades is in jeopardy because the legislation delays water quality deadlines in the Everglades by a decade, from 2006 to 201 6, and that the measure extends a cleanup tax on property owners which would have expired no later than 2004 despite a 1 996 amendment to the Florida Constitution that states that polluters should be primarily responsible for paying to clean up their pollution. Do you approve or disapprove of the recent Everglades measure, passed by the Legislature and signed into law by Gov. Bush? Not sure: 4 Strongly approve: 5 Approve: 24 Not sure: Strongly approve: 8 9 Disapprove: 54 i a Strongly disapprove: 13 Approve: 34 600 likely voters phone interviewed statewide June 7-1 1 by Research 2000 of Rockville, Md.

Margin of error is plus or minus 4 percentage points. SOURCE: Soufn Florida Sun-Sentinel poll by Research 2000 i Staff graphic Disapprove: 37 Linda Kleindienst can be reached at or 850-224-6214. Strongly disapprove: 12 ticipatmg in the exercise, mm Jl liiir 1 IIIIRPT' 1 i WSN62303 1 BSfeu 1000 I HI Mill ill inn TM hi La! fit iimX I 4 lip TMACO The Windows And Doors That Greet The World Replacement windows provide: SAFETY SECURITY IMPROVED appearance of your home INCREASED energy efficiency REDUCED sound by up to 75 REDUCED heatingcooling costs up to 50 REDUCED condensation INSULATION from heat cold QUALIFICATION for insurance benefits in LIFETIME GUARANTEE PARTS LABOR i 1 -t ML Dffl mm JD B0DDL uu Ucmm C0C15O4217 Offer Expires 72303.