Budget hole widens to $2.14-billion

UPDATE: 5:30 p.m.: The final number is $2.14-billion.

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Revenue forecasters have yet to finalize their report but the ugly news is already out:

The current fiscal year deficit has ballooned to $2.2-billion, based on an estimate of $1.4-billion less in tax revenue since August. Much of that - more than $690-million - is a drop in sales tax revenue, the bulk from plummeting auto sales.

That puts more pressure on lawmakers to call a special session, or find a way to tap into additional reserves.

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Comments

I know where they can find $110,000 recurring.

[Pete Campbell]

Eliminate a vice president position and cut the "leadership institute" from the Northwest Florida College. That will save you $310,000!

maybe Crist should cancel his fundraiser tonite and return to Tallahassee to APPEAR that he is interested in the budget hole.

What's a budge hole?

[what a sad joke]

Our great leaders missed the chance to broaden the tax base. They were bought off by special interest groups and the wealthy. So where is the money going to come from now? Yup you guesed it. The only source of revenue left, the property taxes. No jobs, low wages, poor education, no hope, no future, high taxes, high insurance, welcome to Florida.

2.2 Billion is more of a "Bunge Hole"

[Buzzard]

Just do an across the board salary cut on anyone earning more than $50 K back to $50K. Put all the savings into the general fund with a promise to pay it back someday if things get better.

Don't worry---Obama is here to save the day!!!!! He will pay your mortgage put gas in your car get you a job and end the war!!!

[Draft Alex Sink for Governor]

3:15 -- Exactly, Charlie Crist really needs to get to work, but instead he's at a fundraiser.

His across the board cuts are opposed by 73% of floridians and his handling of the economy only has 46% approval (see: http://draftalex.wordpress.com/2008/11/19/unpacking-quinipiac-florida-voters-concerned-about-the-economy-charlie-crists-soft-support/)

We have no option, but to have a special session, but the Republicans are more worried about their own bank accounts. Sansom worried about his personal one, and Crist worried about Jim Greer's:

http://draftalex.wordpress.com/2008/11/21/special-session-watch-they-have-no-choice/

[Buzzard]

4:18 PM -
If I didn't know better, I'd think Alex Sink herself wrote that. You didn't, did you?

[Buzzard]

I see where congress is kicking around ceilings on executive pay - even on those companies not getting bailouts. Good place to start would be within the halls of government!!!!

[Draft Alex Sink for Governor]

Buzzard -- nope, just a citizen who wants a leader not a do-nothing governor. Thanks for the the flattery though, she is an impressive woman.

She is a Thai woman!

Sansom could have waited a day or two after he was sworn in as Speaker to announce his new job.

[Draft Alex Sink for Governor]

5:28 ... and?

as much as I hate to say it, sales tax on food for a year would fix the budget.

6:41 That would be a regressive tax that would hurt the poorer folks the most.

Let's tax political contributions. That way, we can get a slice of the bribery money to stem some of the damage done by the votes bought.

[Radical ideas for rough times]

If I bought hot dogs for my dinner and paid tax on $1.39 a pack and Mr. Rich Bigshot bought a lb of steak @ 17.99 per pound for his dinner, Mr. Bigshot would actually be paying more tax than me. Everybody eats, some with more expensive tastes would pay more total tax than those who bought on a budget as we do.

Your grocery store could start a card program and keep track of your purchases and give you a tax statement at the end of the year to take the sales tax off your federal income tax return.

The budget is going to be so bad that the Republicans are going to have to create special funding and extra deals in order to keep their charter school buddies afloat while they destroy the public schools.

Increase sales tax on gasoline and property taxes on 2nd homes, waterfront property, and any home worth more than 500,000.

Problem Solved!

No, 10:02 you don't solve any problems with your socialist ideas. Instead cut spending to match the decline in revenue. You can pick any of the non-essential services or bureaucratic agencies to eliminate that you like. I recommend starting wtih ending all spending that involves illegal aliens. Surely we waste a few billion a year on education, medication and incarceration.

[salestaxjoke]

Hey! Where is Rubio and his lame brained idea of using sales tax to fund schools? Had we followed his stupid suggestion we would be in a bigger budget hole than 2.14 bill.
since sales tax revenues have fallen.

Good thing we still have property taxes or the hole would have been a cave.

Know how to make the hole smaller?
Stop giving tax breaks to big corporations...they are closing up shop any way and having the local taxpayer foot their bill...so why cater to them to begin with?

Let the CEO's of the any new company wanting to open up shop first show the taxpayer what their personal compensation will be, before the commissioners approve their tax break.

Seems that during the Jeb Bush era the companies came in, got the tax breaks, made the taxpayer foot their bill, and now they are bailing out when the going is tough. Screwing the taxpayer again.

When will we wake up
FLORIDUH?

11:19 you certainly have the right "handle" - salestaxJOKE

Alex can't talk Thai.

I agree don't give companies tax breaks but your criticism of the sales tax idea is misguided.

Lets get everyone paying, including the illegals, under the table workers and other tax cheats.

Sounds like you don't want everyone to pay their fair share. So, is this about your greed instead of the CEO's you reserve your wrath for?

How sunken is our ship of state?

Time for revenue increases -- way past time. Otherwise we are literally destroying our future.

[the scapegoat]

Increasing taxes won't solve the problem. The more money you give the slime in Tally/DC the more they will spend.

For those of you who keep crying.. 'the children .. the children,' I would like to see you write a personal check from your discretionary spending to the jerk-offs at DropOut High and not use my tax money.

I know how to fix many problems with the paddle board not the school board.

[Easy Train]

Step right up and get in line cause we are going to give you alot of money and save you from your mismanaged ways so step right up to the Treasury and we will give you a bailout just like we did with AIG and what is a few billions from the taxpayers. The attached strings, of course, will be that no republicans can be elected to office until the loan is paid back.

Sales tax on food is a horrible idea that would hurt poor people.

For heaven's sake, let those special interest groups keep all their sales tax exemptions, right Mr. Speaker Hypocrite?

[Jason Straight]

Increase them property lower taxes on big business shut the courts down (git rid of them liberal judges) starve them widows and orphans ..Show that Commie Obama we really know how to be outta touch and run this state into a depression !!You show um what the GOP cndo!

[Jason Straight]

Draft anyone fer governor with a brain that dont shot mooses or breeds!I can see Cuba from my house (Hialeah)

How sunken is our ship of state?

Time for revenue increases -- way past time. Otherwise we are literally destroying our future.

We know where they can find $110,000 recurring. Could pay for two plus real teachers.