Senate cuts budget

The Florida Senate voted 26-13 on Thursday to further cut this year's budget by roughly half a billion dollars.

Their budget cuts differ from the House in two significant ways. The Senate swept $2.5 million from a trust fund to make sure no public defenders or state attorneys would get furloughed. Also the Senate passed a bill, 27 to 13, along party lines, to freeze Medicaid rates starting in the 2008-2009 fiscal year at current levels (which were cut back in October).

Comments

Understand the game they are playing with Medicaid. Medicaid ALREADY doesn't cover the cost of a person's stay in the hospital - so when a Medicaid recipeient goes to the hospital those with insurance are billed to cover what Medicaid doesn't pay - so they are TAXED by the Hospital who is being TAXED by the STATE.

Enough of this smoke and mirrors - either eliminate Medicaid in this state or pay the costs - QUIT LYING TO THE TAXPAYERS BY PRETENDING YOU'RE CUTTING THE BUDGET WHEN YOU ARE REALLY JUST SHIFTING THE COSTS FROM ALL TAXPAYERS TO TAXPAPYERS WITH HEALTH INSURANCE!!!!!

This doesn't just affect those with no health insurance. There are those of us who have medical insurance, but not coverage for long-term health care. Medicaid steps in to fill the gap left by private insurance and Medicare.
This is playing with people's lives.

[Don Mott]

How about showing us who voted for and against these cuts?

insurance... please

[GREG HAYSLIP]

MY CONCERN IS THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. ITS NOT WORKING,EVEN IF IT IS SPARED FROM CUT BACKS. LET THE STATE TAKE
THE MONEY AND USE IT IN A BETTER DIRECTION FOR ALL OF US. I'VE BEEN WATCHING A CASE FOR WELL OVER A YEAR. THE STATE HAS THE EVIDENCE TO CONVICT. THEY WOULD BE REMOVING A DRUG DEALER FROM OUR STREETS,WITH A PAST THAT GOES BACK TO DADE COUNTY.THIS GUY PLAYS THE COURT SYSTEM BETTER THAN THE JUDGE PRESIDING.THE JUDGE HAS LEARNED HOW TO WORK TWO HOURS IN AN EIGHT HOUR DAY BY TRAINING HIMSELF HOW TO PACE HIS CALANDAR FOR ANY GIVEN YEAR. THE DEFENDANT CRIES POOR,BUT SELLS PROPERTY ALL OVER THIS COUNTY,DOESEN'T WORK AT ALL WHILE WAITING FOR COURT DATE.ONE YEAR LATER THE COURT IS STILL IN PRE-TRIAL MOTION.

DON'T BELIEVE ME,HERES THE CASE NUMBER CRC0717955CFANO.ASK JUDGE BUFONE IS THIS CASE INTERFEARING WITH HIS VACATION TIME OR SOMETHING.THIS CASE SHOULD HAVE BEEN HEARD BY NOW,DON'T TELL THIS IS THE PROCESS.

THATS WHY I SAY LET THE STATE HAVE MY TAX MONEY AND USE IT IN BETTER PLACES.

[Omega83]

Don

Before you go on a partisan rant, remember there are billions in reserves - you know, tax dollars you paid when Jeb Bush was Governor that the state kept, didn't spend, and certainly did not give back to you - that were saved to solidify a budget during leaner years.

They've already taxed us - they're not giving it back - might as well put it to good use, like infrastructure or schools.

[luke davis]

THE FOUR MAJOR STATES SUFFERING SHORTFALLS IS A RESULT OF THE TWO MAJOR PARTIES GAMEPLAYING IN THE SMALL STATES WITH THREE CONGRESSMEN PARTICULARLY NORTH DAKOTA. THE STATE IS REPUBLICAN AND THE CONGRESSMAN ARE DEMOCRATS. ND GOVERNMENT AND ND AGRICULTURE ARE NOT MAKING A PROFIT AND ARE SUBSIDIZED BY FEDERAL DOLLARS FROM STATES SUFFERING SHORTFALLS. THE ONLY OTHER ND INDUSTRY IS SERVICE. MOST ND AGENCIES ARE USING FEDERAL GRANT DOLLARS TO PAY FOR SERVICES THAT BY LAW SHOULD BE PAID FOR OUT OF STATE FUNDS. ND AGENCIES ALSO CHARGE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FOR SERVICES THEY ARE NOT PERFORMING. ND AGENCIES ALONG WITH NON-PROFITS ARE REFUSING SERVICES TO QUALIFIED APPLICANTS IN VIOLATION OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS PROVISION OF THEIR FEDERAL GRANTS. THE NATIONAL PARTIES FOR THE REPUBLICAN AND DEMOCRATS ARE FULLY AWARE OF THIS GAME PLAYING AT THE EXPENSE OF CA. FL. NY. AND TX.