Gov. Charlie Crist has had the stage set for him once again.
You may remember the performance. In January, lawmakers were hustling to get an insurance bill agreed upon by all parties, and the projected savings for consumers was being whittled down.
Midway through the weeklong special session, Crist acquainted himself with the new pulpit voters had given him.
Remember Stan?
Stan Whitney of Port Charlotte had a property insurance horror story, and Crist used it to maximum effect to keep pressure on lawmakers. It was a pivotal moment in the budding relationship between a new governor and expansive Legislature.
Now property taxes are grinding to gridlock in the regular session. The months-long complaints from cities and counties about rationed services have had an effect. And the governor keeps smiling, and assuring red-faced reporters that things will be just fine in the end.
"What you're going to see in the next two weeks is a lot of back and forth and a lot of discussions," Crist said Monday, "and I think we'll get to a place (where) we'll have significant property tax reduction that the people will appreciate and they'll certainly deserve."
Tuesday, he'll talk to home builders at a property tax rally they're staging. Don't look for the governor to use this forum to make news.
Instead, Crist and Lt. Gov. Jeff Kottkamp are fanning out this week to host property tax public hearings in Pensacola, Orlando, Palm Beach Gardens and Punta Gorda over the next two days.
If there isn't some big movement between entrenched House and Senate positions this week, watch out for a new Stan to emerge.
Crist can turn this debate on its head with one well-choreographed press conference.
The only question is whether lawmakers want to walk out of session looking like heroes. Crist will be more than happy to don the cape.