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Governor Rick Scott has until next Friday to sign off on the state’s 74 billion dollar budget. His staff has been sending letters to organizations set to receive state money, asking for justifications. And government watchdog says at least one hundred million of spending ought to be axed.

When the ceremonial handkerchief fell ending the legislative session, lawmakers took home the biggest budget in state history – 74 point five billion dollars. “We actually think the legislature showed some restraint with member projects,” says Kurt Werner, Taxwatch Budget Analyst

For more than 20 years, Florida Taxwatch has been combing through the hundreds of pages of detail and recommending which budget items are unusual, didn’t go through a process, or are just plain wasteful. “A 107 individual appropriations worth a 106 million dollars in tax payer money.”, says Rob Weisert, Taxwatch VP for Research.

On the list is 9 million for Embry Riddle, a private aeronautical university in Daytona Beach.14 million for a building at Gulf Coast State college in Panama City that ranked low on a priority list, and four million for a film project in Clearwater. “This is a hundred million dollars that could have gone to things like schools or healthcare. “, adds Weissert.

The 100 million plus could have been used to hire three thousand more teachers added three more days of back to school sales tax holidays. Almost completely fund the Governor’s manufacturing tax cut. Or the money could have been used to add thousands of kids to the early learning program.

Governor Rick Scott has the final say.

When lawmakers were still in session, Scott used the threat of vetoing budget items as leverage to get his priorities. “And we know that that horse trading has a role.”, says Werner.

But that could mean that Scott will have to let some money be spent that would’ve otherwise been vetoe

Senate President Don Gaetz responded with ascathing statement.

For Immediate Release

May 16, 2013

Contact:

Katie Betta

(850) 339-7087

Betta.Katherine@FLSenate.gov

Statement from President Gaetz Regarding Florida TaxWatch

Tallahassee–Florida Senate President Don Gaetz (R-Niceville) today released the following statement regarding Florida TaxWatch releasing their 2013 Turkey Watch Report.

“The TaxWatch list is built on the unconstitutional perversion that if an appropriation isn’t recommended by unelected agency officials it shouldn’t be considered in conference by elected legislators.  This is an arrogance of the elite who spend too much time in Tallahassee and Washington listening to the echoes of their own invented wisdom and thinking they’re hearing the voice of God.

“No agency put in its budget a $3,500 raise for Florida’s most effective teachers, yet that was funded.  No agency testified before the Legislature asking for a raise for state employees who had been without one for six years, yet we passed it.  No bureaucrat in the Department of Education asked for a career-technical pathway to a high school diploma or an online pathway to a university degree, but we funded them.  Not a whisper of criticism from TaxWatch on any of these and a hundred other similar items.  So, apparently, their indignation is not only ill-informed but selective.

“TaxWatch has dismissed as ‘turkeys’ mobile medical and dental units to bring health care to poor people in rural areas, documentation and education about the Holocaust, housing for disabled veterans, rehabilitation for severely wounded soldiers who want to return to duty, and replacement of 50 year old educational facilities that produce workforce for companies bringing jobs to Florida.  In most cases, those who put together this list couldn’t find these projects on a map and haven’t put five minutes into finding out anything about them.

“If our founders had shared the slavish devotion of Taxwatch to unchallenged decisions and dictates of faraway bureaucrats, we’d all be drinking English tea and singing God Save the Queen.  A good song.  But not an American song.  The Constitution obligates and empowers elected legislators, who come from communities and go home to communities, to write the state’s budget.  If TaxWatch staffers want to test their budget theories in the public square, let them stand up in front of conference committees and testify in public.  More than thirty public, open conference committee meetings were held during the recent legislative session.  Every item in the state budget was proposed and adopted during those public meetings.  Testimony was requested and welcomed at every meeting.  Not once did any person from TaxWatch ask one question, offer one idea or say one word.

“It is little wonder that TaxWatch is irrelevant 364 days a year.”

# # #

An improving economic climate nationwide is good news for Florida. That’s because a record number of people are checking out Florida’s attractions. “We try to get here as much as we can,” said tourist Cleveland Wrighty.

Visitors are spending billions of dollars, helping revive the states economy. “There is no secret the Florida tourism industry is experiencing some incredible momentum,” said VISIT FLORIDA President & CEO, Will Seccombe.

Coming off of two record years, the first three months of 2013 have seen an almost 5-percent increase. Last year: 21-point-8 million tourists have already visited the state this year. “That momentum is pretty hard to stop,” said Seccombe.

Travelers we talked with say they have been coming to Florida more frequently. “Once a year, twice a year. Something like that,” said Seguin, Texas resident, Ronald Miller.

Last year just over 91-million people visited the Sunshine State, up 2-point-3 percent. With an increase in tourism, it equals more jobs, because every 85 visitors support one Florida job. “(It’s a) huge impact to jobs,” said Seccombe. “We had an additional 35,000 people employed in the hospitality industry.”

Those jobs all created in the first quarter of this year, marking the 36th month of job growth in the tourism industry. It’s a trend likely to continue as people continue to visit. I like Florida, its where I plan to retire,” said Miller.

The number of international visitors is increasing even faster than domestic tourists with an increase of 11.3-percent increase.

Under a new bill sent to the Governor by state lawmakers, Floridians battling mental illness will be banned from purchasing a gun.

Supporters say it will save lives, while medical professionals say it will wrongfully take away second amendment rights for a large group of Floridians.

A loophole in Florida law has allowed people diagnosed with mental illnesses to continue purchasing firearms, until lawmakers closed the loophole with just one dissenting vote. “If it’s just one and they save one life, it’s a significant bill,” said Representative Barbara Watson (D) Miami.

The bill gained support by Democrats, Republicans and the NRA. “Keeping guns out of the hands of dangerous people with mental illness saves lives,” said NRA past President Marion Hammer.

The legislation requires people who voluntarily commit themselves to give up their gun rights. “This only keeps mentally ill people who are determined to be dangerous from being able to buy guns,” she said.

But thousands have called or emailed the governor seeking a veto of the bill. “I hope the governor vetoes it,” said counselor Robert Carton. Health officials worry the legislation will keep people from seeking treatment. “It’s likely to create the opposite effect of what legislators are intending,” he said. “Not everybody with a mental illness is homicidal, not everybody with a mental illness is suicidal.”

90-thousand mentally ill Floridians are already prohibited from buying guns. If the governor signs the bill that number is expected to drastically increase. If signed into law, the mentally ill would be prohibited from buying a gun after July 1st.

State and local governments are cashing in on red light camera tickets. Just shy of a million were written in the year that ended June 30th. Some lawmakers tried to get rid of the cameras this past spring, but the cameras will remain but will be a touch more friendly to motorists.

With each flash of a red light camera, 158 dollars flows to state and local governments. We met Steven Walker opening his wallet.

Reporter: “Did you deserve it?”

Steven Walker: “Actually, I don’t think I did because how they had the light and of course with the cameras you just never know.”

83 Dollars of Steven’s fine will go to the state. The other 75 to local government.

The number of red light tickets being written in Florida has increased fourfold in just three years.

This past year, lawmakers tried to require standard yellow light times based on the speed limit at red light intersections. It didn’t pass. Attorney Frank Ranier is skeptical.

Reporter: “So you think they shortened the yellow lights?”

Frank Ranier, Attorney: “I’m not accusing anybody of anything, but you know in my experience that’s what I’ve seen.”

A study by the Department of Highway Safety, says side impact crashes are down 43 percent at red light intersections. Statewide traffic crashes are at a five year low.

Which is why the Florida League of Cities argued against getting rid of the cameras. “We actually hope that it’s a declining revenue source. We hope that over time we don’t have to keep writing tickets for that, because basically that would mean that people are stopping when they’re supposed to stop at red lights.”, says Scott Dudley, Florida League of Cities.

Lawmakers did make it harder to ticket right turn violators. They also doubled the time motorists have to appeal the citations, that helps the owner of the car if someone else was driving.

Every year thieves target thousands of welfare recipients stealing their identities and depriving them of the benefits in which they desperately need.

Identity Thieves Targeted by State

Florida’s welfare recipients are the latest target of identity thieves, stealing from those who need it most. The state says it needs to stop. “For some reason Florida has the highest per capita rate of reported identity theft in the nation,” said Department of Children and Families Secretary, David Wilkins.

Nine of the top 10 cities in the country for identity theft are right here in the sunshine state. “In 2011 and 2012 the division of public assistance fraud investigated just over 6,600 cases of suspected public assisted fraud,” said Deputy CFO over law enforcement, Jay Etheridge.

A new state program will now make it more difficult for thieves to steal people’s identities and gaining access to state benefits. It’s expected to save the state 60-million dollars a year. “You’re saving months and potentially years of money going out the door,” said Wilkins.

The state is reaching out to local police for help. “I want to put those individuals who choose to commit these crimes; I want to put them on notice. If you commit the fraud we will find you and prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law,” said Tallahassee Chief of Police, Dennis Jones.

92-percent of cases that were investigated over the last two years were charged or disqualified for future state benefits.

Florida orange groves are dealing with the most serious bacteria disease in state history.

Citrus Greening is a disease first spotted seven years ago has affected every nearly 10-percent of the orange production in the state.

According to Erin Gillepsie with the Department of Agriculture – the disease causes the orange to drop early, essentially making is useless…which will eventually drive the price up on orange juice at the grocery store. ”The orange crops go up and down every year,” said Department of Agriculture, Erin Gillepsie. “Again, this is the lowest year we’ve had without a hurricane or of freeze. The crops go up and down the prices haven’t changed too much. If we continue to lose the orange crop, of course the price of orange juice will go up.”

The state has received funding to fight this bacteria disease.

Any homeowner in Florida with a mortgage is required to have insurance. If there is a lapse in coverage, the bank or mortgage company will then get lender-placed insurance for the homeowner.

The largest “lender-placed” or “force-placed” insurance companies in Florida met with state officials about a rate change on the cost of coverage.

“It’s a very critical piece of insurance for Florida’s banks,” said Florida Office of Insurance Regulation, Kevin McCarty. “During the last several years there’s been a lot of interest in the state and federal level about business practices.”

Florida is not the only state questioning the business, more than 140-thousand Floridians have paid for the coverage.

“This is a normal hearing process we go through,” said Vice-President of Corporate Communications at Assurant, Shawn Kahle.

The companies work closely with mortgage lenders accused of charging up to four-times more for insurance for people who are having financial troubles; and have recently had a lapse in their homeowners insurance.

“As a result we see hundreds of thousands of consumers who are already struggling to pay the bill,” said Executive Director for Economic Justice, Birny Birnhaum. “When they get this really high force-placed insurance put on them and it really breaks their back.”

Opponents say the insurance companies are price gauging consumers, while the companies say they are doing what’s necessary to keep prosperities insured. “When that happens, the lender-placed insurance is put into place until the owner can provide insurance for themselves and show proof they have insurance in place,” said Kahle.

The companies argue that the rate changes may save some people money; however, they were not able to provide numbers for the regulators.

The insurance regulators are not expected to have a decision until the end of May.

What was a buyers market for years is now starting to turn into a sellers market. Florida’s housing industry is seeing some of the highest numbers in more than 6 years.

Homeowner Diane Winzler spent the last five years waiting for the perfect time to sell her old house on Florida’s Gulf Coast. “I was expecting to wait months or maybe even years before it sold,” said Winzler.

The number of people buying houses is increasing and at a rapid pace. “We’re heading in the right direction and people are moving to the state and so they’re buying our houses,” said Governor Rick Scott.

The housing crisis is ending much faster than expected. Receipts from the state doc stamp tax have increased 36-percent from year to year.

A large part of that includes home sales and refinancing current mortgages.

“This is really good for the seller who’s seen a pretty tough market for 4 or 5 years,” said Florida Realtor’s John Sebree.

For Diane it took less than two months from listing her house to closing; and three weeks from closing to buying her new house.

“I couldn’t believe it,” she said.

State lawmakers put a three percent tuition hike in the state budget this year. If approved by the Governor, costs for 30 credit hours will rise about ninety-three dollars a year. But Governor Rick Scott is casting a concerned eye on the hike.

Group of soon to be college juniors were touring Florida State in preparation for enrolling this fall. We asked them what they thought about the three percent tuition hike lawmakers put in the state budget. They unanimously answered “bad idea”. Francisco Curley, one of the incoming students, says “You’re making it harder for me to get my education pursue whatever I want to do in life.”

Their concerns are apparently being heard by the Governor. Rick Scott has been telling the state legislature he didn’t want a tuition hike since January. “I don’t think tuition should be going up.”, says Governor Scott.

But instead of listening, and instead of putting a dollar amount in the budget, they used a trick, telling universities what to charge. The idea is to make the hike veto-proof. They did the same thing in 2007 to Scott’s predecessor, Charlie Crist, but he said “no” anyway. “I don’t think it’s right to make them pay higher tuition.”, said former Governor Charlie Crist in May of 2007.

Back then, no one challenged what everyone thought was an unconstitutional act. So, now Rick Scott’s lawyers are telling him there is precedent for vetoing what is called proviso language. Scott isn’t tipping his hand completely – just yet. “It’s really impacting our families. And I worry about families like mine growing up that didn’t have a lot of money for tuition.”, adds Governor Scott.

Most universities see the handwriting on the wall. They’re moving forward with the budget plan that doesn’t include a tuition hike.

Friday, May 24th is the last day for Rick Scott to make his budget decisions. It is six years to the day that Charlie Crist vetoed the tuition hike.

State lawmakers recently passed “Lets Kids Be Kids” bill, focusing on allowing foster children to live lives as similar to their peers as possible.
State lawmakers were in Washington trying to help reform the national foster care

19-year-old Martan Gordon is adjusting to life after being in Florida’s foster care system for more than eight years. “It was basically go to school come home or group home. Wherever I was and that was basically my life,” said Gordon.

Laws had forced kids and their foster care families to get approval from social workers and judges on nearly every decision made, creating a feeling of isolation. “We have bubble wrapped these kids and deprived them of any kind of normalcy when it comes to childhood,” said Senator Nancy Detert.

Federal lawmakers listened to Florida’s new bill giving insight on possible changes at the federal level. “States might examine a law Florida enacted just this year, that is to ensure that foster youth are treated like every other child,” said U.S. Representative Dave Reichert.

Secretary of the Florida Department of Children and Families, David Wilkins says the strict rules made it difficult for not only kids in the system, but the adults trying to help those children. “Foster parents are burdened with paper work, court responsibilities, and jobs responsibilities all surrounding protecting the child,” he said.

Now federal officials are looking to Florida to see what changes to make so foster kids everywhere feel some sense of normalcy while living in the system.