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Florida’s legislative session is done. Here’s one Sunshine State observer’s assessment of its accomplishments — and failures:
By Dr. Richard Swier at Red County on May 4th, 2011
The Republican led Florida legislature announced a budget deal with Governor Rick Scott. Sadly, I believe conservatives lost and the liberal wing of the Republican party of Florida won during this legislative session.
A number of bills on immigration, outlawing the use of foreign laws in Florida courts and the final budget deal fell well short of the high expectations for this year’s legislative session. Rather than taking on the tough long term issues that are creating our deficit problems the Republican led legislature kicked, yet again, the ball down the road. Yes there were some advances to reducing government but I would not characterize them as bright spots. Rather they are dim spots.
I suggest Senate President Haridopolos and Speaker Cannon got their way and the people of Florida lost.
The much needed e-verify bill was stripped of any requirement mandating businesses use it. The Florida Law for Florida Courts (a.k.a. anti-Sharia law) died in committee and never reached the floor.
Finally, the announced budget deal is filled with half measures. Governor Rick Scott wanted corporate taxes reduced by 2% this legislative session and reduced that to 1% to garner support. What the legislature passed takes only 15,000 Florida business off the tax rolls. This amounts to just $30 million in business tax reductions. A mere drop in the a $68 billion budget bucket. As for us property tax payers we may see a very slight reduction in our water bills. Wow, that is great news with gas and food prices are going up and up daily – NOT.
Pork is still king in Tallahassee. According to TampaBay.com, “So lawmakers Tuesday quickly agreed to spend, spend, spend about $156 million on their hometown districts in projects that fund county health departments, a regatta center, meals for seniors, college buildings, a botanical garden and veterans programs.”
It is clear Haridopolos and Cannon are not serious about cutting taxes.
Senate Budget Committee Chairman JD Alexander, R-Lake Wales stated, “I can’t imagine a more difficult budget to work through, with a $3.5 billion-$4 billion revenue shortfall.” This is the same Senator JD Alexander that killed any chance of e-verify in Florida. Cutting the budget is not a difficult task if you don’t have any money. Just ask the 16 million Floridians who are doing that each and every day. I am shedding no tears for Senator Alexander, Senator Haridopolos or Rep. Cannon.
While for a fifth straight year, state employees will get no general pay raises they will continue to get step increases. Part of the budget has more than 650,000 public employees, who include police, teachers, county workers and some city employees in the Florida Retirement System, chipping in 3 percent for their pensions. This is to little to late. What is required is to change the Florida Retirement system completely into a 401 style program like the private sector.
The model being used by the legislature is to eliminate thousands of state jobs, a good move. However, this does not address the long term liability of the under funded state retirement system. One bright spot is prison operations in 18 counties, the entire southern half of the peninsula, would be put out to bids in the new fiscal year. Prison health services statewide also would be privatized. Why didn’t the legislature do this for other government functions?
They have not cut the growth of government, reduced Florida’s long term debt problems or attacked big issues like Citizens Insurance. The TEA Party propelled Rick Scott into office and he did his best to really change the way of doing business in Tallahassee. I thank Governor Scott for his efforts but the legislature was not on the same page.
Voters gave Republicans full control of of the Governor’s mansion, the Cabinet and super majorities in the House and Senate. What did we get in return? Sadly, in my opinion half measures.
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