Senate committee advances budget cuts despite Democratic opposition

The Florida Senate Ways and Means committee passed its budget cuts on Thursday morning, voting 14-7 with most Democrats voting against the package. Sen. Gary Siplin, D-Orlando was the only Democrat to vote for the bill.

"The cuts to human services are really catastrophic," Sen. Nan Rich said. "I believe we should have found a way to prevent our most vulnerable from being hurt by this budget. Unfortunately we have not found a way to do so."

In both chambers, education and health care are taking the deepest hits.

So far, one of the bigger sticking points between the House and the Senate is how to raid the Lawton Chiles fund. The Senate takes a bigger first bite: $700-million from the Lawton Chiles fund. However, the money can't be taken before June 10.

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Comments

Rollback taxes and spending to 2002 levels, cap taxation and spending at the annual CPI going forward, expand SOH to all property both residential and commercial, and vote every incumbent out of office at your first available opportunity.

Problem Solved!

Boy the dems did a great job diverting all of their money to Siplin's campaign and ignoring good dem candidates that could have helped their cause....DUMB DUMB DUMB DUMB....I'm sure it helped that FDP took payoffs from Republicans in exchange for not supporting their own dem candidates. There are some great Dem Senators...but there could have been more if FDP wasn't so corrupt!

Republicans ruined our economy and they are ruining the lives of millions. They deserve jailtime and worse for their negligent and criminal behavior. Pleas hang in there citizens. Vote every Republican out and eventually we will break their stranglehold on our nation.

[Buzzard]

Stranglehold? Puhlease. Democrats got that locked up with every liberal tv station. We kick your behinds on radio, tho.

[Cherie]

9:53 - what the heck are you talking about? I think the black caucus holds their money hostage. Look what happened in 2006.

10:11 there were several targeted dem races and the dems dropped all of them. So who did they fund?

It's a shame that the state I love has become a last refuge for failed conservative policies and politicians. Let's clean house and put an end to the selfish corporatists - always voting to cut taxes on the rich and then slashing services to children, seniors and the needy. This is a democracy and the vast majority of our citizens have been betrayed by Republican politics. Remember, and vote them out!

Dear voters,
I encourage you to write and contact your lawmakers. Education is being critically cut. This will negatively affect the classroom and the students. We as a state, are constitutionally required to balance our budget. We are also constitutionally required to fund class size amendment at the state level. The lawmakers need to follow all the laws, not just the ones that they want.
Support our children and teachers!

[Olive Oil]

Pappy always said, “Theirs is no difference between a D and an R in office. The R versus D thing is a scam to keep the water cooler wannabe’s busy. To politicians, it’s not about Red versus Blue, it’s about Green – and they’ll steal as much of your green as you’ll let them.”

Jennifer -

Please justify the comment that education and health care took the deepest cuts... what percentage of their budgets were cut compared to other cuts?

Welcome to Floriduuuh!

Last in Education; First in Corruption!

... go figure

10:47 - what was that recent ranking of Florida's educational system? B-???

Didn't realize every other state got a better grade!

[Don't blame "The Government" - Blame the GOP!]

Pappy always said, “There a big difference between a D and an R in office. Don't let them lyin' Libertarians and Neo-Cons fool ya - Government works for you and if you try to destroy it you're just handing power over to the exploiters and criminals that your government is there to keep an eye on. Just because the R's are setting such a bad example right now, that's no reason to give up on Democracy in general. Yessir he gave me some wise words to live by:

[Bleat!]

Jennifer -

Please justify the comment that education and health care took the deepest cuts... I believe the biggest cuts were in government regulation of corporate crime, environmental protection, and in the tax rate for the rich over the last 30 years.

11:02,

Pay me 2-million tax dollars, and I’ll create a matrix that ranks Florida #1.

Don’t get mad at me , just because you’re a acquiescent pinhead!

11:14 -

Nah, i'll blame the government. Government sucks.

Government = coercion = loss of freedom

I'll take more freedom, less government.

A 3.5% reduction, following a 75% increase in revenue, being sold as the end of times.

Freaking Brilliant!

And it will work too, because you’ve already forgotten the 800-billion Dubya gave to Wall Street without any form of accountability… and your focus has been redirected to the Obama Stimulus Plan.

And as soon as American Idol starts, you’ll forget that.

Extra-Double Freaking Brilliant!

11:40 -

Nah, i'll blame the government.

Government sucks. Everytime I want to build another bunch of condos, they always worry about the environment. And when I want to sell cigarettes to the little kiddies, they tell me no. Heck given their way, they'd probably try to prosecute me for most of the other crimes I commit, too.

Government = oversight = regualtion.

I'll take more crime and pollution, less government. All the rest of you can got to Hell, I want my share, and yours too, and I don't wan't no government telling me I can't take it!

"I'll take more crime and pollution, less government."

Oh yeah, that's a Republican.

12:12 - no you want a government that will take other people's share and redistribute it to you...

Typical lazy....

I’m with 12:47.

I’m rich, screw the rest of you… unless of course I need someone to cut my grass. Oh, never mind, we have illegal immigrants to do that, so it’s back to screw you! Oh wait, unless of course I make bad investments and need you to bail me out. Oh, never mind, my bot Dubya already pulled that one off for me… ummm… ok, we’re good; Screw you!

Gary Siplin is a Dino

Sen. Peaden went to the wood shed today and Sen. Gaetz gave him a woopin.

Does that mean Peaden sold out the Pharmacist?

So its true that if the phrase "liberal media" often enough it will be true?
Then the fair and balanced crowd only has to say that for it to be true also? I firmly believe that fair and balanced means to disparage democrats with the same ferocity and same length of time as you praise the virtues of the republicans.As soon as anybody points to a corrupt republican they want to point to a corrupt democrat but dont they claim to be the leaders of the religious right? The family values party? The moral majority? Horse apples.
Its the party of the hypocrites.