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Florida’s voluntary Pre-Kindergarten program is becoming a victim of its own success. Enrollment has soared, but state funding isn’t keeping up with the growing demand. As Whitney Ray tells us, the program is already eight million dollars short this year and additional budget cuts could set it back even more.

These kids are getting a jump start on their education. Nat (01:08:32) Developing skills they’ll use the rest of their lives.

140 thousand Florida students are enrolled in the state’s voluntary pre-kindergarten program, and the number is growing.

“This is where we go ahead and start getting the foundation laid for positive learning habits so they are ready for the Florida elementary system,” said Jennifer Kiester, co-owner of Scottsdale Academy in Tallahassee.

There are nearly 6,000 schools offering voluntary pre-k services in Florida. The classes are free for four year olds, but not to the state which is struggling to find funds.

The program’s already barrowing eight million dollar from next years budget, which will making finding the cash all the more difficult. Lawmakers may cut per student funding to help fill a three billion dollar budget gap.

“Funding per child is going to go down because it’s free and they are just figuring it out and they are starting to come out of the bushes and out of the hinterland,” said State Senator Stephen Wise.

The Early Learning Coalition says if funding is cut some providers may decide to stop administering the program.

“We are asking providers to do the same amount of work and meet the same standards all of those things for less money. I think that is going to be challenging,” said Chris Duggan, the CEO of the Early Learning Coalition of the Big Bend.

90 percent of a child’s brain develops before they reach five, which means a burden on the Pre-K program could result in a less productive workforce down the line.

Kids wouldn’t be the only casualty of a budget shortfall, Pre-K providers may be forced to layoff teachers to make ends meet if the funding is cut, which could force hundreds more onto the unemployment rolls.

Florida may soon have a Haiti Czar to help the state handle the influx of Haitian-Americans fleeing the earthquake ravished island. State Representative Mack Bernard is calling on Governor Charlie Crist to create the position. Bernard is on of three Haitian state legislators who have banded together to form a Haiti taskforce. Bernard says appointing one person to coordinate federal, state, and county relief efforts would speed up the process.

“It’s very hard to get all of that communication to different people so we need one person who can be responsible for getting that information to everyone,” said Bernard.

Bernard says Florida’s role in the relief efforts will last years and organization will be key to securing federal funds to deal with an increased number of Haitian students and victims of the quake who seek medical help in Florida.

People who text while driving are 20 times more likely to wreck than those who don’t. Legislation to ban the practice in Florida has failed three years running, but as Whitney Ray tells us, bans in other states and pressure from the federal government could create a different outcome this year.

One year ago Jamie Lowstetter was crossing the street near her high school.

“A girl was pulling out of the parking lot looking at her phone,” said Jamie.

A second later.

“She didn’t see me on the crosswalk and she hit me,” said Jamie.

Jamie’s head hit the hood of the car giving her a concussion.

The scenario plays out daily across the country, people sending text messages from behind the wheel and losing focus on the road.

Driver’s Ed teacher Riley Bell warns his students of the dangers.

“It comes down to being smart and making wise decision. I can only tell the kids so many times not to text and drive, not to drink and drive, but it comes down to them telling themselves,” said Bell.

It’s still legal for most drivers to text on Florida roadways, although federal rules outlaw the practice for people carrying heavy loads. Last week the federal government passed a ban on texting while driving for bus drivers and other commercial drivers.

Legislation banning texting while driving has failed three years in a row in Tallahassee, but the recent federal ban as well as bans in 21 other states are provoking lawmakers to act.

“This year we really need to take a strong stand to stop texting,” said State Senator Thad Altman.

Which could get more eyes off tiny screens and back on the road where they belong. People who are in the act of texting while driving look at the road on only two out of every ten seconds on average, according to recent studies.

Lawmakers are calling on Governor Charlie Crist to trash his current budget proposal and start from scratch.

Crist’s spending plan increases state spending and relies heavily on dubious revenues. The plan would boost funding for education and give two billion dollars to community colleges, at a time when lawmakers are preparing to make cuts. Despite heavy criticism of his plan Crist says he believes his budget is workable.

“I think we have an optimistic view of things but I’ve had very good conversations with the members of the House and the Senate and I respect their ability and their constitutional duty to appropriate and to go through this process. We’re a team around here. You know, just because we present a budget doesn’t mean that they have to accept it. I think it’s a good ebb and a flow and I look forward to the process as we go forward,” said Crist.

Some legislators claim Crist created an overly optimistic budget to help him in his U.S. Senate campaign. They say he’s trying to prove that Florida is coming out of the recession while he is governor. Lawmakers will likely turn their up their noses at his spending plan and start their own budget from scratch.

The question over who to count in the US census is getting political. Former House Speaker Marco Rubio says illegal immigrants should not be included in Florida’s official population count. Rubio’s US Senate rival Governor Charlie Crist says everyone should be counted.

“Florida deserves to have her fair share and I think making sure we count every single Floridian is vitally important. That’s why I went to the school yesterday in North Miami. It’s important to our state. It’s important to our people and the notion that you wouldn’t want to accept funding to make a political statement is absurd,” said Crist.

States with the highest populations receive the most federal funding. Legal status of the people counted doesn’t deter federal dollars from flowing in.

Car booster seats may become mandatory for kids as old as seven years old under legislation being filed in Tallahassee. Right now the cut off age is three. Kids older than three still have to be strapped in, but Senator Thad Altman who is sponsoring the legislation to mandate booster seats says the belt can cause problems.

“If they are four or five years old they are required to wear an adult seatbelt, that adult seatbelt wraps around their neck. If you are driving 45, 55, 65 and you get in an accident, that child’s clothesline, severe neck injuries, severe abdominal injuries,” said Altman.

Florida is one of only three states without a booster seat law for kids ages 4 to 7. If the legislation passes drivers who don’t have their kids buckled in properly could be forced to pay a 60 dollar fine.

State lawmakers are asking voters to rethink their 2002 decision to implement strict class size requirements on schools. Right now schools are meeting the requirements based on the average size of their classes. But in August each class will have to meet the requirements individually. As Whitney Ray tells us, school administrators say they don’t have the money.

As the deadline to meet class size requirements approaches, lawmakers are looking for an out.

“If we don’t act now to right size the class size amendment massive rezoning, forced bussing, on going chaos and unnecessary expense will play out in schools across Florida,” said State Senator Don Gaetz.

Most schools meet the current conditions, which are based on averages. The deadline for classes to meet the requirements individually begins in the fall. Principal Rocky Hanna is afraid his school will be penalized because it lacks the money to meet the mission.

“I brought my piggy bank just in case; I’m going to start saving money for the fines,” said Hanna.

Teachers unions are against halting the last phase of class size.

“It’s always been about how we allocate money for education. I think the voters say they want more, but I the legislature is saying we’ll do it in this way but we won’t do it in this way,” said FEA Spokesman Mark Pudlow.

The legislation to stop the stricter requirements leaves the final decision to voters. But voters won’t have a say-so until November, after the last phase of the class size restrictions have already taken place. Which could leave cash strapped schools facing penalties that could hurt their budgets, unless lawmakers pump more money into education.

Since 2002, the state has spent 16 billion dollars shrinking class sizes. Lawmakers say implementing the final phase would cost the state another two billion.

Thousands of Floridians who purchased solar panels with the promise of a state rebate may be out of luck. The program is out of money and as Mike Vasilinda tells us, a recommendation from the Governor will only cover about one of three who have already applied.

It was a gray day in North Florida, but these solar panels were still producing electricity. Bob Lauther installed this 150 thousand dollar system in late June. Now he is one of thousands of Floridians waiting for a promised rebate.

“It would come out to just at a hundred thousand in rebates,” Lauther said.

Reporter: So that makes it a good deal?

“A good deal,” he said.

Reporter: without a rebate?

“Without a rebate, that makes it a marginal return on an investment,” Lauther said.

The rebate program started in 2005. It has always had more applicants than money.  This year, Charlie Crist is recommending the funding be doubled.

But even at ten million, only one in three who have already applied are likely to see a rebate. Right now, there’s enough money in the bank to get a check to everyone who applied before June 10th. That will leave any on the hook.

Almost 7,000 people are waiting for rebates. And they are coming in at a rate of a million dollars a month.

Al Simpler says the delay is costing jobs.

“We’re actually losing about 30 percent of our jobs, our job force of solar here in the state of Florida, because of loss of rebate money and the disincentive it has created in uncertainty,” Al Simpler with Simpler Solar Systems said.

Even if state lawmakers doubled the program to ten million, they will still be breaking a promise to thousands of others.

State lawmakers must act before July if they are to keep the program alive. Several ideas are in the hopper to fund the rebates, but none are a done deal.

Governor Charlie Crist wants to increase state spending while lawmakers are looking for ways to reduce government. Crist’s plan holds state workers harmless, increases school spending and pumps millions into environmental projects. As Whitney Ray tells us, lawmakers call Crist’s plan “ambitious.”

After four straight years of declining revenues, Governor Charlie Crist is calling for an increase in state spending.

“We have got to move forward on education, that we have a recommitment to our environment and I think those two things are important to Florida’s economy,” said Crist.

Crist’s budget increases education funding by half a billion dollars, pumps 100 million into the environment and offers tax breaks to businesses. Florida TaxWatch calls the proposal optimistic.

“It doesn’t really get into cutting government and getting into what normal Floridians are doing, tightening their belt, finding ways to do more with less, focusing on core services and eliminating operational expenditures,” said Rob Weissert a spokesman with Florida TaxWatch.

Crist’s spending plan relies heavily on money from increased gambling, raids on trust funds and an uptick in revenue collections.

Over the past five months the state has collected more money than predicted, that trend is expected to continue.

Money from fee increases could also pump millions into the state’s checking account, but state lawmakers aren’t sure the boost will be enough.

“It’s ambitious. It’s our job to look at his categorization of the various priorities of spending and then craft a budget in cooperation with the senate,” said State Representative Dean Cannon.

If revenues don’t increase as much as the governor predicts, and a gaming compact isn’t reached, lawmakers will have to make tough decisions that could include spending cuts and possible layoffs.

One of Crist’s ideas receiving applause from Republican legislative leaders is reworking the class size amendment. State lawmakers are scheduled to unveil a plan tomorrow that would base class size on school populations instead of individual classes.

Florida hospitals are not taking any more victims from the Haiti earthquake in an effort to free up beds. 526 people injured in Haiti have been treated in Florida. As Whitney Ray tells us, the state is worried about its ability to provide medical attention to Floridians in the event of a major disaster.

Plane loads of victims from the Haiti earthquake will have to bypass Florida to find medical assistance. The federal government put a freeze on flights from Haiti to Florida hospitals. The state asked for the freeze over concerns of hospital space.

“We are trying to make sure we don’t over burden Florida and I think that it’s important that we don’t,” said Governor Charlie Crist.

526 people injured in the earthquake have been treated instate. Most of them are US Citizens. Some are in the country on visitor visas and may not have a way to pay for their medical care.

The state is asking for federal money to pay for the victims that don’t have insurance. But the federal dollars may not cover the total cost. The Florida Hospital Association says right now doctors and nurses are focused on care not cash.

“We’ll see what the cost is and then we’ll look for appropriate ways to seek funding for it, but our first priority are the folks who need care,” said Bruce Rueben, the CEO of FHA.

160 victims still being treated in Florida will be allowed to stay despite concerns over thousands of football fans headed to South Florida for the SuperBowl.

“I want to say about Miami, they are dealing with the ProBowl and they are dealing with the SuperBowl and they said despite that influx we’re going to continue taking care of these people,” said DCF Secretary George Sheldon.

The victims of the quake will still receive US care; they just may have to fly an extra hour or two to get it from another state.

Florida hospital administrators want to stress that they are not over burdened at this point and are still able to treat patients as needed.

Governor Charlie Crist is calling for a three billion dollar increase in state spending, while lawmakers are preparing to cut the budget by as much. Crist released his full budget proposal today, which includes increased spending on schools, the environment and health care. The proposal relies heavily on money from a failed gaming compact and trust fund dollars. Crist says his plan will help boost the state’s economy.

“I think what it is, is a recognition we have got to move forward on education, that we have a recommitment to our environment and I think those two things are important to Florida’s economy,” said Crist.

The governor’s plan doesn’t include layoffs, pay cuts, or benefit reductions for state workers. Legislative leaders will likely reject a bulk of the governor’s suggestions when they begin crafting the budget in March.

The state’s largest electric company didn’t get what it wanted or what it claimed it needed. Florida Power and Light customer won the rate hike battled, official today. FPL asked the Public Service Commission for a billion dollar rate increase. Here’s what they got instead.

“On January 13th, the commission provide FPL with a revenue increase of 75 million and that will equal about a dollar three for the average typical FPL customer,” said PSC Spokeswoman Cindy Muir.

The new rate will go into effect in March.

Plans to create thousands of jobs in Florida by pumping money into movies, tourism, and space are in the works in Tallahassee. Governor Charlie Crist is calling for 300 million dollars in state spending and incentive programs. As Whitney Ray tells us, the spending and tax breaks could create jobs if state lawmakers don’t need the money for schools, roads, and hospitals.

For decades Florida has been familiar ground for Flipper and other film stars. The industry created a 29 billion dollar economic impact in 2007, employing more than a hundred thousand people.

Governor Charlie Crist is pushing 15 million dollars worth of tax incentives to attract jobs and tourist.

“We get a six to one return on that investment. In addition to that we get Florida advertised all over the globe,” said Crist.

The governor’s budget recommendations call for 32 million dollars in space spending, 15 million for public research, and 100 million to harpoon high-tech business. The Florida Chamber of Commerce says the investments would create better jobs.

“Those are the type of jobs we want. They are high wage, high-tech jobs and what we want to go to the next economy,” said Gabe Sheheane with the Florida Chamber of Commerce.

State lawmakers who are charged with crafting the budget are likely to take one look at the governor’s recommendations and start from scratch.

Senate President Jeff Atwater says Crist’s proposals depend too heavily on money from a failed gambling compact.

“We are going to deal with the facts as we see them and the facts as we see them are we have less revenue,” said Atwater.

It’s unlikely all of the governor’s budget recommendations will survive once lawmakers begin making tough decision to fill a three billion dollar shortfall. But if they do, experts say thousands of jobs will be saved and created.

Florida has flirted with his speed rail for almost thirty years. Each time the dream of lightening fast ground travel has collided with the reality of cost, but as Mike Vasilinda tells us, the difference this time is money from the federal government.

In 1983, then-governor Bob Graham went to Japan to ride a 200 mile-an-hour train levitated by magnets.

“It was like, I’d say, riding in a very fast jet airplane,” Graham said. “Almost frictionless.”

At the time, the governor even handed out tickets and the first press pass to a young reporter.

By 1989 the state was accepting high-speed rail proposals that went nowhere. Then in 1996, Fox Overland Express was given the contract. More cost studies followed. Then, during his first week in office, Jeb Bush killed the deal.

“The financial structure of this deal was not viable,” Bush said.

Voters objected, narrowly approving a privately funded constitutional amendment in November 2000.

But four years later, Bush led the rail repeal effort. At the time the state was being hammered by four hurricanes. Voters were worried about their homes, not trains, and voted 2 to 1 to repeal high speed rail.

Governor Charlie Crist says this time will be different.

“[I am] as confident as ever,” Crist said. “You know, you get 1.25 billion dollars. If that wont build a train, I don’t know what will.”

One difference is having federal money to build the train. But finding the money to keep it running has always been the obstacle no group has been able to overcome.

Legislative leaders are promising temporary relief to business owners facing an enormous tax increase. Florida’s unemployment tax has gone up between 5-hundred and a thousand percent to help pay jobless claims. As Whitney Ray tells us, if the tax is delayed the state will have to continue borrowing money from the federal government to pay the jobless.

This cleaning service owes the state 22-thousand dollars in unemployment taxes. This gas station owes even more. Both businesses are seeing an 500 percent increase making it difficult to find the tax payment due March 31st.

“Most of my customers have already let me know they aren’t going to accept any fee increases,” said Business Owner Randy Marin.

Thousands of business owners are asking legislative leaders for help saying the increase could force more layoffs. Senate President Jeff Atwater got the message.

“We hope to have relief for them on Governor Crist desk the first week of session,” said Atwater.

The legislation would place a temporary hold on the tax increase, which was raised to help repay debt accumulated by skyrocketing unemployment.

Since August the state has borrowed more than a billion federal dollars to pay unemployment claims. Tabling the tax increase will force the state to take on more debt, which business owners will eventually have to pay back.

“The business community is very well aware that there will be obligations in the future and there will be interest on the money in the future, so none of this is without complete and thorough knowledge,” said House Speaker Larry Cretul.

But delaying the tax until the economy improves could help many businesses stay afloat. The state is borrowing an estimated 300 million dollars a month. The money is interest free until January of next year.