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Politics
Lawmakers must approach state budget with scissors
By STEVE BOUSQUET, Tallahassee Bureau Chief
Published October 1, 2007
The Florida Legislature will convene Wednesday to cut about $1-billion from the current year's $72-billion budget. Here are some questions and answers about the special session.
How did this shortfall happen?
The budget is based on anticipated revenues, but state tax collections have fallen well short of estimates for several months because of a slack housing market. The result is a paper deficit. The state Constitution prohibits deficit spending.
Why is the session being held now?
The state fiscal year is already 3 months old. The longer legislators wait to make budget cuts, the harder it is to do because agencies keep hiring employees, signing contracts and spending money. Besides, this session has been postponed once already because the House and Senate couldn't agree on how to make cuts.
Who decides what gets cut?
Mainly four people, all Republicans: Senate President Ken Pruitt, House Speaker Marco Rubio and the respective appropriation committee chairs, Sen. Lisa Carlton and Rep. Ray Sansom, with much input from their staff members.
The House and Senate have drawn up tentative lists of cuts in most programs. To keep things in context, the total cut represents about 1.4 percent of the total budget.
How will the cuts affect us?
Not much. Lawmakers and agencies have tried to make cuts as painless as possible, revealing flexibility in such a big budget. Some cuts are accomplished by getting rid of unfilled jobs or reducing amounts the state pays for contracted services. One big savings is realized by delaying a $147-million teacher bonus plan for one more year.
Why don't they raise taxes instead?
That's out of the question. Gov. Charlie Crist and the Republican Legislature oppose higher taxes, especially when the economy is slow. Legislators will raise tuition by 5 percent at universities and community colleges, however. Democrats may suggest eliminating tax breaks or restoring a tax on investments, but they don't have enough votes to prevail.
What will they do to lower property taxes?
Nothing in this session. The governor may ask the Legislature to return later this month for another special session to retool the constitutional amendment proposed for the Jan. 29 election.
A judge struck the amendment from the Jan. 29 ballot because the language about expanding the homestead exemption was misleading. The state is appealing the ruling.
Will they resolve the problem over no-fault car insurance?
Not likely. This controversial subject will be dealt with in a separate special session. Rubio and Crist want no-fault, or personal injury protection, to be revived (it expired today). But the Senate shows little interest.
[Last modified October 1, 2007, 06:59:08]
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by Bill
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10/02/07 01:25 PM
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This might explain why the Governor proposed holding the public schools harmless. The Legislature had already basically provided the minimum increase allowed under the Constitution.
The Legislature doesn't read or need the Constitution.
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by Bill
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10/02/07 01:24 PM
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How does the Legislature keep the Constitutional requirement for the State (not the districts) to fund CSR costs with these cuts? CSR costs nearly $600 million more than last year. State GR (after cuts) only increase about $350. Problem?
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by Hoshi
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10/01/07 02:13 PM
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Why is this happening now!!! You must know they are doing this to make them look good - what a picture - 3 politicians voted in by us and YET we are the last things on their minds. So typical of worthless politicans.
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by Bob
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10/01/07 12:14 PM
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Has anyone ever figured out how much extra these "special" sessions cost? Since everyone was called back, they get costs/paid above and beyond that with their normal duties...With so many special sessions, cant we jus estend their work time?
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by neil
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10/01/07 10:25 AM
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It was the senate that passed a pip bill in 2006. It was the Pruitt that instructed Posey to get an agreement. On Wednesday of last week bothe Pose Rubio and Bogdanoff agreed and a PIP Bill was drafted.
Off course SF Again sting arms
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by JT
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10/01/07 09:34 AM
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Take PIP scam out back and put a bullet in its head full of quack fraud, accident staging,ambulance chasing and what amounts to a subsidy for the cheap labor employers who support cheap or no ins for their labor and rest of us paying to cover them
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by Bill
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10/01/07 08:49 AM
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"One big savings is realized by delaying a $147-million teacher bonus plan for one more year." This is not a fully "correct statement. The funding is delayed until next year, but the program moves forward this year. The "Gradebook" blog explains.
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by Mark
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10/01/07 07:55 AM
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No PIP; Higher property taxes for hospital and fire rescue care. Higher health insurance and now I have to sue the at fault driver and wait 5 years. If he/she does not have insurance then I have to make a claim against my and inscrease my premiums.
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by cris
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10/01/07 07:42 AM
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save pip or we will all pay more. Pip is no longer mandatory. Did u save any money? I did not. State Farm lies.
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by Randy
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10/01/07 07:36 AM
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I cannot believe that a a government can so irresponsible to allow an entire system to expire without thinking it through and without even debating a system to take its place. Shame, shame, shame!
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by Jan
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10/01/07 05:52 AM
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These people are idiots. They need to be addressing the problem of a lack of stable revenue stream. Instead, they'll go to Tallahassee, attend fund raisers and vote for whatever the Party bigwigs want. Not a single serious thinker among them.
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