rssFlorida faces further budget cuts
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Last year, the state of Florida suffered through a round of austere budgets cuts, which largely fell on state health programs and education. Now, the News Service of Florida is reporting that this upcoming budget will also face a “significant” revenue shortfall — requiring the state to cut spending once more.
The News Service of Florida reports:
Amy Baker, coordinator of the Legislature’s Office of Economic & Demographic Research, said Wednesday that earlier projections of general-revenue growth this year and during the 2012-13 fiscal year will drop “fairly significantly.’’
That means more difficult budget choices for lawmakers when they start the 2012 legislative session in January — though Baker said things won’t be as bad as during this spring’s session, when lawmakers faced a $3.6 billion shortfall.
“I believe that you will be looking at another tight session,’’ she said during a presentation to the state’s Low Income Pool Council, a group that works on Medicaid-related funding issues.
Analysts, including Baker and representatives of the governor’s office, House and Senate, are scheduled to meet Oct. 11 to revise general-revenue estimates. Those estimates play a crucial role because lawmakers use them as a basis for knowing how much money will be available to spend.
Earlier projections said general revenue would increase $1.2 billion, or 5.5 percent, this fiscal year and $1.7 billion, or 7.1 percent, during 2012-13. That helped lead to a recent report indicating the state would be able to meet expected needs in 2012-13, with nearly $274 million left over.
But Baker told the council Wednesday that forecasts have changed as the state and nation have gone through a turbulent economic period in August and September.
Public health spending, namely for women and children, took a big hit this past year. Groups that provide prenatal care and testing for babies, for example, had their budgets cut dramatically.
Public education also saw big reductions. Early learning programs such as after-school care, in particular, are facing problems due to a reduced state budget.
The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities recently included Florida in a list of states that made “unnecessarily harmful” budget cuts this past year. Economists have also said that deep budget cuts in states such as Florida are “a big part of why the economy is back at risk.”
Despite the continuing decline in state revenues due to the state’s sputtering economy, Gov. Rick Scott is still looking to further reduce state revenues by eliminating business taxes. Yesterday, Scott made an appearance on Morning Joe, in which he described his plan to lower business taxes.
“We have a low business tax that I am getting rid of,” he said. “I am phasing that out. So, people know that we are controlling the size of our government.”
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Comment posted June 27, 2011 @ 4:53 pm
If you are illigal whether or not you are hurting anyone ICE needs to stay out of our law enforcement when making arrests, detaining and deporting. Our country has been going down hill for a long time. Enough is enough. If your illegal you need to go back to your home country and if you want to come to America then do it correctly, otherwise stay out.
Comment posted June 27, 2011 @ 5:01 pm
“The fact that over 2 million people have been deported since then
means that there was no ‘backdoor amnesty’ then and there is none now.”
The number 2 m needs to be put in context here. What percentage is that? Yes, 2m sounds like a lot, but if that’s 2m out of 15m, it becomes a much less impressive number …
Comment posted June 27, 2011 @ 5:04 pm
if there is no difference from 2000 then why did they bother laying out new policy. you don’t lay out the old policy again. It is a sad state of affairs when people can be actively committing a crime and taking the benefits our country has to offer while natural citizens cannot, and then we have these fools trying to say they dont need to be arrested because they are “not a threat to anyone.”
Comment posted June 27, 2011 @ 5:10 pm
Saying these people are not a threat to anyone is a lie. If you think being a drain on our healthcare system, schools, jobs, welfare and social security is not a threat to anyone, then you need to check your dictionary for the definition of the word. I agree that people should be allowed to come to this country, but why is America the only country expected to allow people to break our immigration laws to come. You try that anywhere else in the world and expect it to work for you like it does here. You will be in for a rude awakening……….in a foreign prison.
Comment posted June 27, 2011 @ 5:17 pm
Business as usual for the Obama “administration.” Everything he has done has been against the people who elected him. (And the rest of us unwilling citizens.)
Comment posted June 27, 2011 @ 5:24 pm
this is just the double talk this president is famous for this man need to be taken out of office and exacuted, he is going to be the down fall of this country.
Comment posted June 27, 2011 @ 5:41 pm
Mexico is here. We are Amerexico. There were 93,000 people at the LA Soccer Game and 80,000 were Mexicans. They will be allowed to enter so Dems can get votes and they will vote for politicians that will supply more FREE policies like Welfare and continued Anchor Babies.
Comment posted June 27, 2011 @ 5:43 pm
I guess Obama doesn’t want to win a re-election, because the majority of Americans are already against for the deficit, and our job market not coming up as he promised. As far as I’m concerned, I won’t vote for him again, he has lied to the American people way too many times now.
Comment posted June 27, 2011 @ 5:58 pm
Does this means that the border states have to allow more illegals and drug smugglers into this country? If that IS the case, I have a feeling citizen in the border states are going to start vigilante groups themself, become a peoples militia, and then the mass killings start. Is that what the federal government wants? A country of non-military people to take control of their rights and the destiny of this country.
Comment posted June 27, 2011 @ 6:13 pm
Oh there is “backdoor amnesty”. If there was not then why is there, as reported by the administration, 12 million Illegals in this country? From 3rd party reports that number is more than double the “official” number. Independent watchers of border security on our Southern border, AZ in particular, show that hordes are still invading. BTW many strapped with bales of drugs. The recent Monument fire, with strong evidence, is thought to be started by Illegals. Our borders are not secure. With Obama and his administration not enforcing the laws with regard to this issue they have not upheld their oath of office. They should go to jail.
The fact that the problem dates back to policies of the Bush administration, is not an excuse. Bush should go to jail as well. If any one thinks that amnesty will solve the problem is not well informed. It was tried before and Illegals continued to invade. It is invasion of this sovereign nation. As Ron Paul has stated “A nation without secure borders is no nation at all. It makes no sense to fight terrorists abroad when our own front door is left unlocked”. American’s must decide if we want open borders. I don’t think that decision should be left to the elite in Washington. I do believe that with this open door policy it will lead to America no longer standing as a sovereign nation. Mass migration of the hordes is occurring all over the world. We have Mexico as a failed state. The Mexican peoples need to fight for their rights and a better life in Mexico. And yes Obama and the democrat’s are looking for Illegal votes. Throw the bums out of office and consider the rebuke of the Republicans as well after all they looked the other way during Mr. Bush’s administration and both party’s allowed amnesty in the past. I think in the next election,so far, Ron Paul is the only viable choice.
Comment posted June 27, 2011 @ 6:29 pm
and we should expect what else from this administration????
Comment posted June 28, 2011 @ 12:32 am
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Comment posted June 28, 2011 @ 9:12 am
Politicians won’t be satisfied until we are the United States of Mexico
Comment posted June 29, 2011 @ 1:59 am
If they are here illegally then they are a threat – the broke the law to get here the, it safe to assume to they will break the law to stay.
Comment posted June 29, 2011 @ 2:01 am
If they are here illegally then they are a threat – they broke the law to get here, then it is safe to assume to they will break the law to stay.
Comment posted June 30, 2011 @ 10:55 am
It greatly saddens me to witness what is going on with the old INS. I spent a few years with the old agency. I am sure there are many who are disgusted. Jack Holmes
Comment posted July 4, 2011 @ 1:12 am
AMERICANS: Time to rise up! Do your part. contact your congressmen and senators. Its easy….you can do it online. Tell them you demand they stop this. Get active…..when there is going to be an illegal demonstration…..we Americans need to be there to quiet them with our presence…..Demonstrate also…..Get legal or get the hell out. Sign your states petitions and do your part
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