Calabro

To rate the effectiveness of members of the 1996 Legislature, The Herald selected a panel of eight observers with broad backgrounds and interests. The panelists were asked to rate the effectiveness of lawmakers independently using the ``alteration ranking method.''

Initially, panelists were sent three lists to rank the 120-member House. Because of its size, the House had to be divided into thirds alphabetically. Next to each list of names were 40 spaces. The space at the top was marked ``highest,'' the space at the bottom ``lowest.''

Each panelist was asked to pick one name from the list to put at the top, then one for the bottom. The panelist was to continue down the list, filling in the next highest and the next lowest, until the blanks were filed. Panelists were asked not to rank legislators they didn't know well enough to evaluate.

Rankings were scored with a statistically weighted formula. The three House lists were sorted into a top-40 group, a middle group and a bottom group.

The panelists ranked those lists again, this time establishing the ranking among the House members. They also did the ranking of the 40-member Senate.

On Wednesday, the panelists examined the composite ranking and were given the opportunity to adjust any ranking they felt might be unfair. After discussions, panelists agreed to adjust the rankings of several lawmakers.

The final rankings are divided into fourths. Numerical ranks are published for the top quarter. Those who finished in the other quarters are listed alphabetically.

WHO DID THE RANKINGS

Dominic Calabro, 39, president since 1982 of Tallahassee-based Florida TaxWatch, a public-interest organization that studies tax and budget issues.

Bill Cotterell, 52, Capitol bureau chief, The Tallahassee Democrat, has covered the Capitol for the past 12 years.

Pete Dunbar, 49, was general counsel and director of legislative affairs for Gov. Bob Martinez, represented Pinellas and Pasco counties in the Legislature from 1978-88, now a lobbyist for Florida Power & Light, Time Warner, Nature Conservancy, Federation of Mobile Home Owners and Florida Outdoor Advertising Association.

Casey Gluckman, 52, lobbyist for Florida Wildlife Federation, Save the Manatee Club, Florida League of Anglers and Florida Hospices.

Victoria Hernandez, lobbyist for Miami-Dade Community College.

Stephen MacNamara, 42, former secretary of Department of Business Regulation, currently professor in School of Communications at Florida State University.

Kelvin Robinson, 34, lobbyist for Florida League of Cities, former state administrator in hotel and restaurant oversight division at Department of Business Regulation.

Mark Silva, 42, chief of The Herald's capital bureau since 1984.

STANDARDS USED IN RANKINGS