State's finance picture dim, economists say

TALLAHASSEE

Economists warned lawmakers the state's financial outlook will remain grim for the next three years as legislative committees Monday began working on budget cuts to offset a $1.1-billion shortfall in tax revenue for the current fiscal year. Florida's economy is expected to improve, but the resulting income growth will be insufficient to match projected spending increases in education, health care and other areas, according to the latest projections by the Revenue Estimating Conference. Without budget cuts or new taxes, the shortfall would increase to $2.5-billion in the next fiscal year, which begins July 1, 2008, drop to $846-million the following year and increase to $1-billion the third year. Amy Baker, coordinator of the Legislature's Office of Economic and Demographic Research, presented the forecast to the Legislative Budget Commission. The panel will vote on adopting the projections next month, said its chairman, Rep. Ray Sansom, R-Destin.

ORLANDO

Former Marine blamed in 2 slayings, suicide

A 30-year-old former Marine was responsible for killing himself and two others in a double murder-suicide, authorities said Monday.

The Orange County Sheriff's Office did not reveal a potential motive, but determined Jason Robert Drake killed Ralph Gonzalez, a 39-year-old GOP political consultant, and David Abrami, a 36-year-old attorney also active for the Republican Party. The shootings happened in Gonzalez's house, where Abrami had been living since moving back to Central Florida from Atlanta within the past year, a friend said Monday. A former executive director of the Georgia Republican Party, Gonzalez managed U.S. Rep. Tom Feeney's 2002 campaign.

BUSHNELL

Plane crash victim had spoken of suicide

A reportedly suicidal Jacksonville man was found dead in the wreckage of a crashed, stolen single-engine plane, authorities said Monday.

Daren Ramphal, a 25-year-old pilot for a skydiving business, had threatened suicide over a recent breakup with his girlfriend, the Sumter County Sheriff's Office said.

[Last modified August 28, 2007, 06:49:43]