Florida's Budget Proposals...Unenlightened, Shortsighted and Irresponsible.

[GoodWitch58]

Florida budget plans are shortsighted, irresponsible - St. Petersburg Times

A more enlightened Legislature would take a more balanced approach to lessen the pain. It could make it easier to collect the state sales tax on Internet sales as a House committee approved on Tuesday. It could start closing sales tax exemptions on goods and services. It could attract more federal matching dollars in health care, social services and unemployment compensation. It could free millions in private gifts to universities waiting for public matching dollars. Instead, Gov. Rick Scott and the Republicans who control the Legislature have backed themselves into a corner by focusing solely on cutting spending and refusing to raise revenue.

Florida will never cut its way back to prosperity. Businesses and families cannot be expected to invest their futures in a state that cares so little about investing in its institutions and its people.

I wonder what it will take before voters wise up?

 

[Bob Wells]

With all these cuts for the medically needy, and medicaid the cost of hospital care will be going up. So those who use the hospital services will be paying more to cover the losses imposed by the Legislature and Governor. IMO
If you don't think there will be a trickle down look at it this way. Folks who would normally use Tri County or Okaloosa transit to go to doctors appointments may end up using ambulances to go to the ER instead. Now the taxpayer is on the hook for the transport for a higher amount. It also takes an ambulance out of service for emergencies. Its cheaper to fund a van transport than ambulance transport, and visiting a physician in an office is much cheaper than visiting one in the ER. IMO

 

[GoodWitch58]

To Legislature, the enemy is us - Fred Grimm - MiamiHerald.com

It must be a struggle for dutiful legislators just keeping track of who to punish: teachers, judges, foster children, environmentalists, state workers, prison guards, probation officers, the mentally disabled, school kids, immigrants, college students, school board members, nosy doctors, the poor (especially if they?re sick), state regulators.

So many adversaries. It?s as if the wild and vengeful 2011 Legislature has adopted the old Pogo observation as the state motto: ?We have met the enemy and he is us.?



Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/04/06/2154375/to-legislature-the-enemy-is-us.html#ixzz1IwYMJAVa

 

[Matt J]

This is going to be bad for many many people, and unfortunately it's probably going to get worse. Reinstating the funds for medical needs will be next to impossible once cut. On the bright side Sacred Heart can gobble up Bay Medical for pennies on the dollar.

 

[Bob]

keep cashing those checks generational warrior-poets of tetley

 

[idlewind]

To Legislature, the enemy is us - Fred Grimm - MiamiHerald.com

Looks like they are spreading the pain around pretty good. Seriously, what would you suggest they cut differently in order to achieve a balanced budget? Without further damaging the economy? We allowed the government to go so far into fiscal insanity and now the bill is due. It will be painful for whoever takes the cuts because cuts are always painful.

 

[30ashopper]

Looks like they are spreading the pain around pretty good. Seriously, what would you suggest they cut differently in order to achieve a balanced budget? Without further damaging the economy? We allowed the government to go so far into fiscal insanity and now the bill is due. It will be painful for whoever takes the cuts because cuts are always painful.

They don't want to cut, they want to raise revenue through increased taxation and pull more income from [strike]the federal government[/strike] China. (But apparently Gov. Scott is the irresponsible one, go figure. :roll All this liberal gnashing of teeth is rather entertaining really. In the end, the budget will pass and the state and it's residents will be just fine. They may even be better off.

 

[beachmouse]

How the holy hell does losing your subsidized prescription for anti-rejection drugs after a kidney transplant make someone 'better off'? Or the disabled elderly person left sitting in a soiled two day old Depends because the money that used to pay for a person who changed that has been slashed?

 

[30ashopper]

Nothing like that will actually happen. It's just a bunch of horror stories cooked up by liberals in an effort to scare people.

 

[beachmouse]

Yeah, yeah, keep trying to pretend it isn't true. In the meantime, here's the latest column by well known local non-liberal Del Stone:

DEL STONE JR. Our most vulnerable citizens will suffer because of state cutbacks | mcdaniel, vulnerable, most - Northwest Florida Daily News

She lies in her bed at her Elliott?s Point home, a 23-year-old infant. She receives her meals through a tube. She is utterly dependent on round-the-clock care. ...

... care that may soon end.

Natalie?s mother, Vanessa McDaniel, got the call at 3 o?clock on April 1 ? a nasty surprise on a day known for harmless pranks. Natalie was being discharged by her care provider because the state agency that helps foot those bills was ordered by the governor?s office to cut payments to providers by 15 percent.

Fifteen percent doesn?t sound like much, but 15 percent will probably make the difference in Natalie receiving professional home care, Vanessa having a job, and Vanessa?s care provider remaining in business.

I an utterly sickened that you think this is no big deal.