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Recent St. Petersburg Times articles and editorials on Florida's KidCare program represent a serious mischaracterization of Florida's commitment to the health insurance programs for children. Our record clearly demonstrates that ensuring children have access to affordable health care is a top priority.
That's why we have expanded coverage for child health insurance dramatically. Since 1999, my first year as governor, funding for health insurance for children has increased by $1.4-billion, an 85 percent growth. During the same period, the program has doubled the number of children served, from 777,644 in 1999 to more than 1.5-million by the end of 2003. We will continue to increase funding for this important program in the next fiscal year.
Some may find it easy to suggest we use one-time, nonrecurring money to fund the annual cost of expanding coverage even more than we have. However, what will happen to the children next year? The notion that we would provide coverage to a child, only to have to cancel it after the one-time money is spent, is unfair and unwise. Rather, I continue to remain focused on those children most in need, and will continue to support sustainable increases the taxpayers can afford. The Florida Legislature's record of historic spending in health care programs for the poor, particularly during challenging budget years, speaks for itself. While the story in most states is the same - reductions in benefits, services, eligible populations and programs - this year in Florida, spending for Medicaid increased by $1-billion.
I remain proud of our record and will continue to support these important child health programs.
Every day I read the paper and become more and more disgusted! Millions of dollars are being thrown around as though they were pennies, from the president's re-election campaign to the space program. At the same time, there is a waiting list of about 70,000 children in need of health care right here in Florida.
For $23-million we could cover most of the Florida children with medical needs, but because Jeb Bush wants to save $413-million for next year, they will just have to wait. What if they can't wait? How many children won't be diagnosed for serious ailments because Bush just doesn't care or can't take the time to consider them? I'm not talking about the common cold or flu, but serious ailments!
According to the Internet, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis effects about 200,000 Americans. I wonder how many more there are who haven't been diagnosed. If the disease goes undetected, the joints don't grow correctly, which means permanent disability
How many children will not be diagnosed with cancer until it's too late? What about sickle-cell anemia, diabetes or other horrific diseases that could be cured or controlled if caught in time?
I would like to say to everyone to please, please, take the time to vote. It sounds like a cliche, but every vote does count.
Our state Legislature and governor felt such great compassion for one individual they passed a special law to protect her - never once, of course, considering the political gains. These same politicians can't seem to find any compassion for poor children, the elderly in nursing homes and the developmentally disabled. Ah, very few of these people can vote.
The money to extend Medicaid and other necessary benefits for these people, available now, is of better use in a "rainy day" fund for next year's budget. Translate that to money to be spend at the time of the 2004 elections so they don't have to think of any other way of increasing state revenues and losing votes. Always good to know our governor and Legislature have their priorities straight.
Your recent news stories about health care and medical research raises questions about political terms that are currently in vogue!
First, we hear that Gov. Jeb Bush is not going to use the millions of federal dollars sent to provide much needed aid for our nursing homes and medical care for children. Rather, he wants to hold these dollars for a "rainy day."
Sick children and those in our nursing homes must pray for rain. Is this an expression of a compassionate conservative?
And now the good part! The same governor signs legislation to give approximately the same amount to a biomedical company to do research in Florida. Is this an expression of crony capitalism?
Now we have real-life examples to these terms and know whose prayers for rain get answered.
The solution for Hillsborough County's $400-million education shortfall is simple. Place a hold on school enrollment, as it would be cruel to start teaching new students, only to have to disenroll them later, should another budget shortfall occur next year.
If this sounds ridiculous, it is exactly what the state is doing with the state insurance plan for our most important resource, our children.
Re: Tyranny takes a particularly petty posture with citizenry, by Howard Troxler, Jan. 9, and Group home parents dizzy after DCF runaround, by Mary Jo Melone, Jan. 11.
Does anyone else recognize a troubling pattern of behavior here in Florida? Our governor and Legislature refuse to adequately fund the KidCare program, so 70,000 children remain on the waiting list despite overwhelming public support for the program and the availability of funds. A local phone rate increase bill, written by lobbyists, is passed and validated by a rubber-stamp PSC despite overwhelming public opposition. Our governor continues to initiate plans to overthrow the expressed will of the people in regard to the class size amendment, despite the fact that the costs of it are proving to be much more reasonable than the governor's exaggerated estimates during his re-election campaign. Reporters are "kicked out" of public policy meetings, and those affected by the public policies threatened that if the story gets into the newspaper "all offers" regarding the care of the clients are off the table.
And what is the response of our elected representatives? Are they outraged that the will of the people is not being heard, let alone enacted? No. Instead they seek to limit citizens' rights further by limiting amendments to the state Constitution. And when they hold public hearings in regard to their proposal, hold them at inopportune times, in inconvenient locations, and belittle those citizens who find a way to attend and comment with insulting lectures about their interpretation of "republican" government. They show surprise that a citizen represents himself and his family instead of some special interest group, and offer nonsense about electing a different Legislature when they have gerrymandered the districts so that creating a new party balance in Tallahassee is near to impossible.
Our Pinellas legislative representatives, when confronted at local meetings with the citizenry, bemoan the situation but blame it on the "leadership" of the state, despite the fact that those state leaders are the leaders of their political party. They claim that they, too, are excluded from decisionmaking if they disagree and that there is little they can do.
No more excuses. If a more moderate brand of Republicanism is truly represented by those from our delegation in Pinellas, it is time for them to publicly say so and, like great Republicans before them, stand up for what is right. And don't limit our rights any further with limitations on amendments to the Constitution. Start addressing the problems, and these amendments will not be necessary.
Re: Tyranny takes a particularly petty posture with citizenry, by Howard Troxler.
Indeed, state Rep. Ronald D. Brown has finally put the record straight: Democracy is tyranny! If only he could have elaborated to tell us how the common riff-raffers, the proletariats, need to be ruled (not governed) by an elite executive class of careerist overlords. These elites view their service in such bodies as the House of Representatives (ideally the people's house) as mere stepping stones to ever-higher pursuits and offices. Never mind the people's business. It is all about the career - next stop the Senate or perhaps a lucrative position with a lobbying firm.
Yes, the elites serve themselves first, and the peasant classes are too obsessed with egalitarian notions to understand that craven selfishness is the highest form of public service.
Re: Tyranny takes a particularly petty posture with citizenry.
Howard Troxler's reporting of citizen petition drive hearings provided a deplorable irony.
Of the five main faults of citizen petition drives that were cited, our dear legislators are often guilty of the first two! Substitute "legislators" for "voters" and you'll have the basis of not-uncommon news reports from Tallahassee during legislative sessions: Legislators don't really know what they're proposing, and legislators really don't know what they're voting for.
Want some evidence? Turn just a couple of pages in the same newspaper and read about House Speaker Johnnie Byrd (Byrd signals doubt on phone rate hike). Only now does he have questions about the telephone rate hike that was passed overwhelmingly by the Legislature. Apparently he paid no heed to those who spoke against the rate hike while he guided and voted for the legislation.
Unwittingly, Byrd says it all. He wants to ensure that the "Legislature's intent" is fulfilled. He should be wanting to fulfill the needs of the people of Florida. But when it is the "citizens' intent" that is at stake, legislators work to undo our mandates. It's a sad state.
It is said that "a picture is worth a thousand words." Pray tell, what did the Jan. 7 picture by Douglas R. Clifford say about Epiphany in Tarpon Springs?
Having attended the event with out-of-state guests, I was disappointed to see that the major depiction of it was the vestments of three "headless," seated altar boys. I would imagine even they were disappointed not to have enjoyed the opportunity to have their picture in the paper for friends and family to see.
It seems that in this case, news was set aside for the photographer's idea of art.
Re: Creative license, editorial, Jan. 9.
I'm surprised your editor hasn't come up with a "creative idea" about license plates. Put them on the front! Leave the back plate for identification since Florida only requires one plate.
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