Broward Directory Blog

The bad news keeps on flowing from Tallahassee – Cuts coming to most all services.

Classrooms and hospitals hit hard in Florida Legislature cuts
By Josh Hafenbrack |  Tallahassee Bureau
January 15, 2009

TALLAHASSEE – The Florida Legislature voted Wednesday to cut money for classrooms and hospitals and dug into savings to patch a deficit that is $2.3 billion and growing, wrapping a 10-day special session with a vote split down party lines.

Some highlights from a package that includes more than $900 million in spending cuts, bringing the overall state budget to $65 billion:

• Increased Fines for speeding, Running a red light or not wearing a seat belt
• Increased Late-payment penalties fees
• Substance abuse programs for prisoners
• $480 million in cuts to K-12
• Broward County will lose $35.6 million
• Palm Beach County will lose $24.2 million
• Early learning coalitions that deal with children up to 5 years old will lose funding in Palm Beach County ($1.3 million) – Broward ($500,000)
• After-school mentoring programs would lose 4 percent
• Teacher bonuses will be reduced an average of $900 per teacher
• Higher education would lose more than $150 million
• Community colleges will lose 4 percent
• Hospitals will take another 4 percent hit in the state Medicaid reimbursements they get for treating uninsured patients
• $12 million loss for Broward hospitals
• $7.7 million for Palm Beach County hospitals
• Mental health and substance abuse programs trimmed 4 percent
• County health departments will lose 5 percent of their state funding
• Legislators voted to cancel $250 million in projects for Florida Forever
• South Florida Water Management District lost about $1 million
• Legislators are taking $700 million from the Lawton Chiles Endowment that pays for children’s health programs
• Legislators are taking another $400 million from the state’s rainy-day fund
• Legislators drained more than three dozen other trust funds
• Legislators cut $9.9 million from the budget of Visit Florida
• Legislators set aside $10 million for Gov. Charlie Crist’s “economic gardening” program

The Complete Story…

Now is the time to contact your state representative and let them know what you think!

Legislature passes plan to cut Florida’s budget deficit

By Josh Hafenbrack and Aaron Deslatte | Tallahassee Bureau
2:33 PM EST, January 14, 2009

TALLAHASSEE – The Florida Legislature has voted to patch a $2.3 billion-and-growing deficit, cutting money from schools and hospitals and digging deeply into savings accounts.

The package, assembled during a 10-day special session, includes more than $900 million in cuts to classrooms, social services and other programs, including $480 million in cuts to Florida’s 67 school districts.

The Complete Story…