Florida's bleak revenue numbers

Get out the budget-cutting shears. A team of revenue forecasters tentatively agreed Wednesday that the state will have $1.5-billion less revenue this year than was projected earlier.

That will likely force cuts in services by legislators in a special session scheduled to begin Sept. 18.

Members of the Consensus Revenue Estimating Conference cited a steep slide in sales tax receipts. The statewide 6-percent sales tax is the major source of paying for state government's day-to-day operations. "(It) looks very much like a recession," said Frank Williams, a state economist. "I'm expecting weaker growth."

-- Steve Bousquet

Comments

Democrats in control, soaring insurance rates, greater energy costs, failed tax cuts, greater government regulation, schools in decline, economy in recession.

Jimmy Carter's America?

Nope, its Charlie Crist's Florida.

hahahahaha...more evidence of republican managerial expertise...the only major growth in florida is occurring in front of a kneeling bob allen, the men's room troll.

Charlie another Jimmy Carter...could very well be the case!

when a states revenues are based heavily on a sales tax, this is what happens.

happy?

Start by cancelling the $5 million "Parent of the Year" Prize to to Andreson's parents.

I agree, 12:43... but it was 8-million.

We could also make the State Reps give their $20 bills to the budget, instead of the boys in the bathroom... hell, that just might cover it.

So Crist did all that in his short time in office. Two words: Jeb Bush.

Jeb Bush doesn't have a prayer of national office, due to the massive incompetence of that coke-snorting brother of his in the White House.

[terminator]

hey give the guy (Charlie) a break.
He did install solar panels on the Gov's mansion pool and held a global warming summit.
As I said before, Charlie's forte is getting elected, not doing anything after he get's elected!

Hey lets get Attwater to raise money to make up the shout fall...he seem to be raising money for nothing.

Let's see .... a Bush as Governor and a Republican controlled state Senate and House ---- gee, those Republicans know how to ruin a good state fast, don't they.

Charlie better start taking care of business at home instead of running all over the country doing liberal photo ops. His rein is coming to a quick end.

kinda reminds me of what one texas lege said after the chimp won the nomination in 2000: "hope the sumbitch looses sos he has to come back here to fix the mess he left behind!"

as we all know, he didnt and look at the mess we ALL have to fix up.

ditto for FATJEB, too, i guess, eh?

Let's see how Charlatan Charlie delivers on his pandering tax cuts now. As the tax base shrinks, to stay at the same spending level, rates must increase. Will he blame the insurance companies for this too?

[Jeb?]

For someone who was admired Jeb Bush certainly did an awful job. This state is so screwed up thanks to his inaction. I thought Jeb cut government? Doesn't look like it does it. Thanks Jeb.

You redneck boneheads voted for the idiots..

Buahahahahahahahaaaaaaa, whoooooo, oh where, oh where has my Jebby Boy gone... oh where, oh where has he gone... Buahahahahahahaaaaaaaaa, whoooooooo.

[Will]

Umm, do people on here not realize that economies go in cycles, that fast expansions are usually followed by stagnation or recession, consolidation, and then another expansion. Crist and Jeb have nothing to do with the current fiscal problems.

Florida also has $7 billion in savings, but is choosing to leave that alone and cut spending, which is smart. So then, when Florida is booming again in 2009, they can once again start the process of cutting taxes deeper.

[Paul D. Harvill]

Consensus Revenue Estimating Conference?

With such lousy projections, we need some new staff there.

Definitely !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!