Emerging as a “megastate” during the last generation, Florida now rivals California as a national trendsetter in popular culture and political importance. In 2001, it passed a civil service reform law known as Service First. Although government reform has been on the agenda in a number of states, seldom has it been as sweeping as Florida’s initiative abolishing job tenure for 16,300 career employees. This study reports the poll findings from employees recently transferred from the state’s tenured Career Service to unprotected Selected Exempt Service. The analysis provides background information, discusses the study methodology, presents the survey results, and examines implications for the future by reporting interview data from a variety of political actors.
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