The Florida Legislature has a full agenda for the final week of its 2012 regular session. James Call reports, leaders of the House and Senate need to deliver a proposed state budget to members by the end of Tuesday if the session is to end on time this Friday.
Palm Beach Representative Mark Pafford, a Democrat, began Monday morning welcoming a group of retired citizens to the state capitol. Many had traveled to Tallahassee to protest proposed cuts to health cut programs.
"It’s great to be here on a cold Monday; arguably one of the most dangerous weeks in Florida given it’s the last week of the legislative session, when anything can happen."
It’s budget week in Tallahassee. Lawmakers are trying to balance a more than $70 billion state spending plan for next year. Conference committee chairs have agreed to reduce Medicaid payments by $340 million next year. Hospitals would take a $303 million cut while nursing homes would lose $38 million. The agreement does not include accepting $438 million in Medicaid money from the federal government. It would come from the federal health care law that Florida is challenging before the U.S. Supreme Court. Pafford calls the decision short-sighted and a tragedy.
"The state is sinking its head below the sand because it doesn’t want to deal with real issues. It’s a tragedy to so many people. There are cuts to Medicaid reimbursement."
The Legislature has cut spending five of the past six years. The budget they are working on will contain $3 billion fewer dollars than the one passed in 06. Monday afternoon, education was the last area of disagreement between the House and Senate. The Senate wants the universities to use $300 million of their reserves to help balance the state spending plan. Barbara Devane is with the Florida Alliance of Retired Americans walking the halls of the Capitol this week telling lawmakers she disagrees with their priorities. Devane says the decision to close a budget shortfall with only spending cuts and no new sources of revenue is what happens when lawmakers lack a backbone.
Devane: "That is deplorable that they will not consider new streams of revenue. The money is there if they would close the loopholes. If they would look at the sales tax exemptions. Things like that we would have the money to fund a budget that would take care of the citizens of Florida."
Lake Wales Senator JD Alexander, a Republican and Sebring Representative Denise Grimsley, a Republican are working out the details of a new state spending plan. They and their staff had worked through the weekend to reconcile the senate and House proposals into one document.
Their meetings are held when the chambers are not debating other bills. Although an hour’s notice to the public is required before the meeting can occur, the sporadic scheduling makes it difficult for people to follow the negotiations. This is the environment Pafford was referring to when he said this is the week when anything can happen in Tallahassee. Time is short, the issues are complicated and after nine weeks of session, people are tired and looking forward to going home. Lakeland Senator Paula Dockery says it is easy to miss significant changes in language or proposals. She has served in the Legislature for 15 years. Dockery says it is time to change the system.
Dockery: "I think there needs to be systematic and major reform to how we do our budget. It used to be most of the major decisions took place in the subcommittees. Now all the power is put in the hands of two individuals, four if you count the leaders of each of the chambers. So much is happening behind the scenes then they announce it in front of people when it is too late for anyone to do anything about it."
In addition to finishing up the budget lawmakers are also considering a plan to reduce membership in the Citizens Property Insurance fund, the state-back Citizens is Florida’s largest property insurer, they will debate a major reform of automobile insurance, and a parental trigger bill that would give parents and supporters of charter schools more authority to intervene in failing public schools.