Sen. Jones disagrees with governor's plan on affirmative action

11/16/99 -- 5:25 PM

MIAMI (AP) - State Sen. Daryl Jones will not serve as chair of a state education task force because he disagrees with Gov. Jeb Bush's executive order eliminating components of affirmative action in state programs. ``The governor's proposed `One Florida' plan is to deny 14 million people the right to vote on whether or not affirmative action should be ended in the state of Florida by issuing the executive order,'' Jones said Tuesday.

Bush signed an order Nov. 9 that eliminates race and ethnicity as factors in university admissions, and it bars racial set-asides and quotas in contracting decisions.

Bush's plan, dubbed the ``One Florida Initiative,'' guarantees state university admission to the top 20 percent of students in every Florida high school senior class, bolsters financial aid, and makes it easier for minority businesses to be certified, among other things.

Jones argued that current affirmative action goals should not be replaced until there is proof that the new plan actually works.

``The governor really should maintain what he has for affirmative actions, begin to implement his policies ... if he's successful, then we need to put some checks and balances in place,'' Jones said.

Bush's actions come as California businessman Ward Connerly pushes forward a petition drive for the Florida Civil Rights Initiative, a series of ballot measures that would eliminate the state's affirmative action programs.

Connerly, who is black, earlier led efforts to eliminate affirmative action in California and Washington state.

He said Friday that he will continue his Florida effort to get the anti-affirmative action measure on the ballot despite Bush's plan.

Affirmative action programs give minorities special consideration in an effort to eliminate the discrimination many minorities say they face in competing for government business.

In a brief letter sent to Bush Monday, Jones, a Miami Democrat, said that ``after examining in detail your One Florida Initiative, I have decided not to accept your offer'' to head the education task force.

Bush was to arrive back in Tallahassee late Tuesday following a trade mission to Israel, but was aware of Jones' letter, said Bush communications director Justin Sayfie.

``Gov. Bush has great respect for Sen. Jones but he is profoundly disappointed that he has decided to resign his position as chairman of the educational opportunity task force,'' Sayfie said.

The Equity in Educational Opportunity Task Force will suggest ways of reducing inequality in public schools. Jones said that he never officially accepted the position as chair and was only removing his name from consideration.

Sayfie said that Jones indeed did accept the position and that he had resigned. A replacement for that position has not yet been chosen, Sayfie said.

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