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News & Notes
Legislative Update
The Florida Legislature met for the first time since the break and found out quickly and abruptly that the holiday season is over. Both Houses received presentations outlining the updated revenue outlook for 2007-08 and next year. The trend is still on downward path and all indications suggest that an additional $2 billion will have to be cut from the current fiscal year. The Legislature previously cut $1.1 in October of last year. The following is a brief summary of committee hearings.
Budget
In addition to the revenue outlook, Legislators received presentations from Florida Tax-
Watch and Associated Industries of Florida (AIF) suggesting some expenditure priorities
that might serve as an economic stimulus package. The suggestions targeted the following
key areas: Infrastructure funding (transportation, affordable housing, public schools,
water supply and ports); technology enhancements (space technology and research institutes);
and international tourism (marketing).
Florida League of Cities/FAC Legislative Priorities
FLC presented their Legislative Program this week to the House and Senate. Committee
members showed particular interest in FLC's position regarding the January 29th ballot
question. The Senate Community Affairs Committee proved to be the most awkward as
Senators Villalobos and Haridopolos questioned President Frank Ortis (Mayor of Pembroke
Pines). President Teresa Jacobs (Commissioner of Orange County) will be presenting
the FAC Legislative Program January 23-24 in Tallahassee.
FAC met with Governor's Public Safety planning and budget staff this week to discuss status of regional conflict counsels, juvenile justice billing issues and suspension versus termination of Medicaid benefits for inmates (less than one year). Based on our conversation, FAC can count on some level of support from the Governor's office on all three issues. Presently, it appears that the Governor's budget staff is more readily prepared to address office and equipment funding issues created by the regional conflict cases followed by the Medicaid benefits issue for short-term inmates. While the Governor's staff (along with Senate staff) supports front-loading the juvenile detention billing system so counties could eventually be billed based on services actually rendered the biggest obstacle is the need for cash ($30 million) up front during a tight fiscal year.