The visual I took back from Tallahassee last week, and I am a former legislator mind you, is that of a lot of little children running around wildly with large butcher knives in their hands, with no adult supervision. We the people, we the voters of Florida, must be the adult supervision. It will take some HEAVY LIFTING by the voters to make the Florida legislature sit up and listen. It will take a sea of citizen involvement - telling them we will not tolerate cuts to the very fabric of life that will impact our mortality and morbidity outcomes, our quality of life!I find it hard to believe that the writers and editors of the Miami Herald reside in the same State as those of us who have been in Tallahassee during the 4th week of the legislative session this past week.
As we watch and listen to the bloodletting going on at the hands of the Florida legislature, The Miami Herald 's headlines in the Local and State section highlights a crane accident, the Ultra music festival and the death of a deli. There are only 2 front page articles over the past 4 days related to the legislature's actions this week, and one of those was regarding finally paying compensation to a wrongly convicted man, and only one front page article focused on threatened and certain to occur Nursing home funding cuts.
The proposals that are coming out of the legislature will take this State back to times when we had no safety nets, as if right out of a Dicken's Novel:
Such as the House healthcare chair's proposals to eliminate hospice care and in hospital care for medicaid patients, and eliminating $7 million from the foster teens already on the brink of homelessness. The total cuts to healthcare alone are $700 million, and will eliminate vital healthcare services for Floridians from infants through elderly. I can't imagine why the Herald has not publicized the risks we face in losing precious services and programs.
The budget cuts will be discussed and debated over the coming week, and by the end of the week, will be finalized in the Senate and the House's final budgets, ready to go to conference. And Miami Dade legislators will certainly be able to say that they did not hear from any of their constituents about the cuts, so they must not care that they will lose these services and programs.
So it is this week ONLY that citizens must register their demands on our elected legislators. Yes, there must be significant cuts to the budget, as this state is suffering a significant downturn in the economy. But there are also many options on the revenue side that are not currently on the table. Governor Christ has proposed that we access our trust funds and the Chiles Endowment which was specifically created from settlement from tobacco litigation to provide funding for healthcare needs of Floridians. Then there are the recommendations that came out of the House Democratic caucus this week to raise revenue by closing tax loopholes for favored corporations and other services as well as raising the tobacco tax, a win win for us all.
And I haven't even started to discuss the cuts to education or our judicial system, and juvenile justice system, all cutting hugely vital intervention and prevention programs. Imagine what could happen in August when we are preparing to send our students back to school and we receive a notice form the school district that they will no longer be able to transport our children to school if they live within 5 miles of their assigned school. The cuts to personnel will certainly affect every aspect of not only K-12 but our institutions of higher education, and our court system as well.
Perhaps the Herald and the citizens of Miami Dade need to subscribe to some of the state and local advocacy organizations to learn about what is happening to Florida at the hands of the legislature.
9 comments:
Hallelujah!
I was starting to wonder if I was the only one who thought the tax swap is the final overdose in our elongated suicide here in Florida.
Why is the Herald reporting this? That is a common refrain on this blog. Thank you C. Lerner for telling us about it. I did read the story about the nursing home cuts and was pretty appalled. The elderly get the worst treatment of all. Let's see how Marco Rubio's relatives in nursing homes are treated...
I thought this was such a good post and I put it up so late on Sunday, I carried it over to Monday...
2008-09 Budget Cut Talks Heat Up
With state revenues down more than $3 billion from 2007-08, House and Senate appropriations committees heard dire predictions during their meetings this week about the impacts on important programs and services. Appropriations chairs will receive their allocations by this Monday and are expected to have committee recommendations by Tuesday. The budget will be compiled by week's end, so staff is bracing for a grueling week of painful budget work.
This week, state agency heads presented their recommendations for how a 10 percent reduction might be applied to 2008-09 agency budgets. The reductions come on the heels of cuts taken last year in special session, and a second round of cuts signed into law last week by Gov. Crist. At this point, everything is fair game, including state dollars used for federal match.
Health and Human Services
Some predict that Health and Human Services will have to be reduced by as much as $700 million to meet targets. These cuts are unprecedented in the state's history and will require many difficult choices for lawmakers. One lobbyist described it as, "worse than bleak."
Agency for Health Care Administration
The Medicaid budget will take large reductions based on the results of the Medicaid Impact Conference. These reductions are in the area of reimbursement rates, services, and reductions in services as a result of changes in eligibility criteria. Everything is on the table, including elimination of a planned rate increase, optional services and optional eligibility groups. Lawmakers will decide which areas to reduce next week.
Department of Children and Families
DCF experienced a $50 million cut in 2007-08, accomplished mostly through reductions in administrative costs. With the current recommendations, administration has been cut another 15 percent over last year's budget. For the 2008-09 budget, reductions in contracted services including community based care, mental health and substance abuse, and a reduction in forensic hospital beds are unavoidable. Community based care (child welfare) may be reduced up to $18 million. Special projects including family safety, substance abuse and mental health services, programs for the homeless and services for families at risk are also to be reduced ($2.5 million). Title IV-E Waiver GR funding is also in jeopardy.
Criminal Justice
Criminal and Civil Justice Appropriations Chair Victor Crist (R-Hillsborough) said his goals are to roll out a preliminary budget next Tuesday. He emphasized that if agencies do not conduct their 10 percent budget reduction exercise, the committee will do it for them.
Cindy, It is not surprising that you came to the same conclusion we have: That the Herald is not doing a good job of reporting the news - the important stuff that will impact us for years (not 24 hours). That is why we started this blog in the first place: To supplement the Herald's news.
I really wish there was more about the Foster Teen cuts, especially what portions are being cut.
I remember when this story was first reported in the Herald. I was horrified. They used adjectives like "modernized," "bold," "sweeping," etc.
The trickle of reaction stories now about "painful" cuts still doesn't even register on the balance scale. In comparison, look what the Palm Beach Post had:
"Tax Flip Benefits Richer Families."
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/state/content/state/epaper/2008/03/30/m1a_prop_tax_0330.html
Straightforward.
Do you think that Rubio really cares about his relatives in retirement homes? Would they be in crappy retirement homes if he did?
cutting down on health care is always a bad idea!$700 mil.is a catastrophe waiting to happen! what next,no rehab facility funding!?
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jane doe
Florida Drug Rehab
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