To keep social service programs from suffering deep cuts, they say, their Republican counterparts must postpone plans.
By ALISA ULFERTS
Published March 23, 2004
TALLAHASSEE - Democratic legislators Monday called on their Republican counterparts to postpone a series of planned tax cuts to spare the state deep cuts in social service programs.
Florida shouldn't lower taxes for corporations and investors when the state is considering eliminating prenatal care for an estimated 7,000 poor pregnant women, Democratic leaders said.
"We need to understand the first rule of holes is when you're in one, stop digging," said Sen. Steve Geller, D-Hallandale. "We don't need these tax cuts this year."
Republican leaders, including Gov. Jeb Bush, are considering three major tax breaks worth $277-million: the next phase of the intangibles tax cut on stocks and bonds, a piggyback on a federal corporate income tax break and a nine-day sales tax holiday.
Legislative budget writers are proposing social service cuts of more than $300-million, including reductions in prenatal care, a popular youth tobacco education program and health coverage for extremely sick Floridians who can't get insurance.
Meanwhile, House Speaker Johnnie Byrd wants to spend roughly twice as much as the governor proposed on construction at community colleges and universities, and Senate President Jim King has encouraged senators to find worthy pet projects in their districts to fund.
Democrats say Republicans' budget priorities are wrong.
"Republicans are pitting 7,000 pregnant women against 27,000 people enrolled in the Medically Needy program," said state Sen. Ron Klein, D-Boca Raton, referring to a health care program the Senate is proposing eliminating and replacing with a prescription drug program.
Byrd defended the tax cuts and spending surplus money on other projects instead of on annual programs. He unveiled a plan Monday to spend $75-million on an array of "homeland security" initiatives.
King has defended the program cuts as the best avenue for the state during tough economic times.
So far the Senate has allocated nothing to fund the Florida Tobacco Control Program, which educates youth about the dangers of smoking. Klein and the Triagency Coalition on Smoking or Health called on the Legislature on Monday to fund the program with at least $39-million.
The program got $1-million in this year's budget. The governor is recommending $16-million for next year.
Klein released a 2002 report that was never published in which state health advocates and legislators recommended that minimum funding for the program should be $40-million a year.
Democrats criticized $2-million proposed for the Florida Bass Conservation Center and $100,000 for a wild turkey project in the House budget, as well as high spending levels at community colleges in lawmakers' districts.
House and Senate budget committees are scheduled to debate their budgets this week, with debate beginning in legislative chambers next week.
- Times staff writer Steve Bousquet contributed to this report.
