The adage says that to get the job you want, be sure to excel at the job you've got. It's an election year, and with Tallahassee politicians of all stripes seeking other offices, they would do well to remember that. Florida's unemployment is at 11.8 percent — a near record — which means hundreds of thousands of Floridians who want to work don't have jobs at all. And it's not just the economy. Florida is facing key issues that deserve answers now, not after the November elections. With that in mind, we bring you "For a Better Florida," The St. Petersburg Times' preview of the annual legislative session that begins March 2. Published every year since 1951, it presents news articles and opinions intended to stimulate debate over some of the most important issues facing our state. More …

Jim Verhulst, Perspective editor