GOVERNOR CRIST SIGNS $66 BILLION BALANCED BUDGET, VETOES $251.1 MILLION
June 11, 2008
Contact:
GOVERNOR'S PRESS OFFICE
(850) 488-5394
TALLAHASSEE – Governor Charlie Crist today signed the $66 billion 2008-09 budget, funding essential state services at meaningful levels, protecting the most vulnerable, keeping citizens and visitors safe, and providing for continued learning gains of Florida’s students. The 2008-09 General Appropriations Act funds the critical needs of the state, without burdening the citizens of Florida with a tax increase in these difficult times.
“Historic economic times such as these demand leadership, commitment and fortitude to make tough choices,” Governor Crist said. “I commend Senate President Ken Pruitt, House Speaker Marco Rubio and the members of the Legislature for their strength, wisdom and sound judgment in considering the needs of Floridians and our state.”
At a time when other states relied on tax increases and releasing prisoners early, Florida was able to develop a responsible budget by using a combination of spending reductions and tapping reserves. Florida also continues to focus on economic recovery and growth, with a substantial commitment to creating jobs, promoting tourism and providing economic incentives.
Services to Florida’s most vulnerable citizens will be sustained by using a limited amount of state reserves. Funding is provided for programs that benefit the children of Florida, including enrolling an additional 38,000 children in KidCare, enhancing child protection by increasing the number of adoptions and creation of children’s zones to provide a comprehensive prevention strategy to children living in high-risk neighborhoods. Funding is provided to maintain and repair existing senior centers and county health departments. Citizens can rest assured that prisoners will continue to serve a minimum of 85 percent of their prison sentences as funding is provided for an additional 10,000 prison beds.
“Together we have faced many challenges, and together we must address the challenges before us now,” Governor Crist said. “I stand firm in my vision to expand Florida’s economy and believe that as we take steps to implement these changes, our successes will begin to bear fruit.”
Highlights of the 2008-09 budget include the following:
Economic Development and Transportation
· A high quality workforce and keeping citizens employed are essential to Florida’s economic recovery. To ensure recovery, additional funding of $20 million is provided for employment and re-employment services, and $7.1 million is provided for unemployment services. Local regional workforce boards will have the resources to deliver services most needed by their community.
Safe communities for our citizens and a safe infrastructure for the movement of goods and people are a high priority for the Governor. Funding is focused on projects promoting safety and mobility with $7.1 billion provided for the Transportation Work Program to make critical road and bridge repairs, and to construct, preserve, and manage the transportation infrastructure. To further ensure the safety of Florida’s roadways, the state will be able to retain and recruit experienced Highway Patrol officers. The budget provides $3.8 million to the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles for the establishment of an innovative recruitment and retention plan.
State and local shelters are made available during potentially catastrophic events to keep citizens safe from harm. To further provide for safety of our citizens, the budget provides $50 million for hardening of emergency operations centers and installation of generators at sites designated to serve special needs citizens.
Well-planned, vibrant, and livable communities make Florida a desirable home for its 18 million residents. The budget contributes to this vibrancy through its many community-focused programs:
· $66 million is provided to continue the Florida Communities Trust Program for investment in green space and recreational areas.
· $35 million is provided to continue the Small Cities Community Development Block Grant Program to ensure needy communities have access to resources for critical needs and infrastructure investments.
· $36.4 million is provided for cultural, historic, museum and library grants to support community access to facilities and programs fundamental to improved quality of life.
Other economic development programs include the following:
· $19 million to support aerospace development and infrastructure.
· $11.6 million to support military base protection and defense-related infrastructure projects.
· $35.55 million to support tourism marketing and promotion efforts.
· $95 million for economic development incentives to lure business, industry and film production.
Health and Human Services
$354 million from the Lawton Chiles Endowment has helped preserve the Medically Needy program and the Medicaid for the Aged and Disabled Waiver which provides direct services to more than 42,000 Medicaid recipients.
$29 million to enroll 38,000 more children into the KidCare program, reducing the number of uninsured children.
$3.6 million to establish children’s zone to fund a comprehensive prevention strategy in high-risk neighborhoods.
Expands the Nursing Home Diversion program to allow an additional 4,000 frail seniors to remain independent and continue living in their communities.
$10 million in funding to repair and maintain senior centers throughout the state.
$3 million to repair Domestic Violence Shelters.
$48 million to expand the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) in order to serve an additional 37,000 women, infants, and children.
$10.4 million to fund more meals for after-school programs and emergency homeless shelters.
$7.1 million for nursing care and $1.2 million for food preparation will allow the Department of Veterans Affairs to convert vendor contracts to state-run services in an effort to control costs and ensure better quality of care for all veterans residing in nursing homes.
The Department of Children and Families was provided flexibility to transfer money to enhance child protection and adoption.
$3 million in funding for the Early Steps program in order to provide remedial services to children with developmental delay conditions.
$61 million for the renovation and repair of nine county health departments and one Children’s Medical Services facility.
$6.6 million was provided to maintain compliance with the tobacco constitutional amendment.
$9.5 million to address the deficit for Agency for Persons with Disabilities services.
Education K-12
Florida’s students and teachers continue to make gains in learning, as shown by several recent indicators. Education Week’s Quality Counts report ranked Florida’s public education system among the top 15 in the nation, moving from 31st place last year to 14th this year. The National Assessment of Education Progress ranked Florida as one of only four states in the nation to improve significantly in both fourth-grade and eighth-grade reading. According to the College Board, high school students in the Sunshine State excel in Advanced Placement (AP) participation and performance, ranking fourth in the nation in the percent of 2007 public high school graduates who passed an AP exam. Consistently, each year a greater percentage of students score at or above grade level in reading, writing, math and science on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test.
“I applaud our teachers and parents for their continued commitment to helping young people prepare for the future,” Governor Crist said. “Most importantly, congratulations go to our students for recognizing the importance of a strong education to their own economic opportunity and security.”
Total Florida Education Finance Program (FEFP) funding is $18.4 billion, a reduction of $332.3 million, or 1.77 percent from the current year’s funding. However, this level is a $423.7 million increase, or 2.36 percent, more than Fiscal Year 2006-07 FEFP funding.
Provides an additional $168.4 million for Class Size Reduction and allows for compliance to be measured at the school level for the 2008-09 school year.
$32.1 million for the Merit Award Program (MAP) for teacher bonuses in eligible school districts.
Excellent Teaching Program: Funds 10 percent salary bonuses for teachers who hold National Board of Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) certification.
Other K-12: Funds Just Read, Florida at $12.5 million; provides $6 million for A++ initiatives and $12.9 million for mentoring programs.
Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten (VPK) Program: Provides an additional $10.6 million to address projected enrollment increases. The per-student allocation is reduced slightly but is higher than the Fiscal Year 2006-07 per-student funding of $2,560.
Education – Postsecondary
UCF and FIU Medical Schools – Provides a $10.8 million increase for a total of $20.6 million for planning and implementation funding so that classes can begin fall 2009.
Florida Resident Access Grant (FRAG) – Provides $97 million in tuition assistance for the estimated number of students at private colleges in 2008-09, but at a lower award amount. Funds are provided to support 34,195 students at $2,837 per student. The award amount is $163 less per student than in 2007-08.
Access to Better Learning and Education (ABLE) Grant – Provides $4.4 million in tuition assistance awards for the estimated number of students at private colleges in 2008-09, but at a lower award amount. Funds are provided to support 3,756 students at $1,182 per student. The award amount is $68 less per student than in 2007-08.
Bright Futures Scholarship Program – Provides $436.2 million to fully fund the 169,895 estimated Bright Futures recipients in 2008-09. Total funding includes an annual expense stipend for eligible students at $375, which is slightly less than the $525 stipend provided in 2007-08.
Public Safety
$309 million for more than 10,000 new prison beds, based on the prison population numbers from the Criminal Justice Estimating Conference ensures that inmates continue to serve 85 percent of their sentences.
Expands eligibility for an existing Department of Juvenile Justice program to increase treatment services to meet the special needs of girls adjudicated delinquent for domestic violence, diverting them to probation rather than residential commitment.
$2.5 million to the Department of Legal Affairs to provide a 50-minute presentation in middle and high schools on the dangers of internet sexual predators and a public awareness campaign directed to parents to promote cyber-safety.
$241,000 for the Sexual Offender/Predator system to continue to provide the public with on-line map locations of all offenders and predators living within a specific distance from a homeowner’s address. Funding also allows Florida to comply with newly expanded federal and state registration requirements for sex offenders.
$124,000 and two positions for the Missing Children/Persons Information Clearinghouse. Allows the clearinghouse to be expanded to investigate cases of missing adults from ages 18 to 25.
Environment
$78.5 million for green energy, including $50 million for the Florida Energy Systems Consortium to provide research for efficient energy with an emphasis on innovative and alternative energy; $8.5 million for the Florida Gulf Coast University Solar Field; $8 million in matching grants for demonstration, commercialization, and research and development relating to bioenergy; $7 million for research and development grants and technology demonstration grants; $5 million for the Solar Energy Rebate Program to provide rebates to homeowners and commercial business owners for the purchase and installation of solar energy systems.
$15 million for the Water Restoration Action Plan to restore, protect and sustain water resources in the Southern Water Use Caution Area.
$50 million for Everglades restoration to continue the state’s partnership with the federal government to restore America’s River of Grass.
$300 million for Florida Forever to continue acquisition of land vital to the preservation and conservation of natural resources.
For more information about the 2008-09 budget and to see the Governor’s signing letter, please visit www.flgov.com/budget.
- # #
Governor Crist withheld approval of the following portions of House Bill 5001, the 2008-09 General Appropriations Act:
SECTION 5 - NATURAL RESOURCES/ENVIRONMENT/GROWTH MANAGEMENT/TRANSPORTATION
Specific Appropriation 1772C
Pages 233 through 236 – A portion of proviso language
"Harris Chain of Lakes Restoration........................... 300,000"SECTION 6 - GENERAL GOVERNMENT
Specific Appropriation 2636A
Page 321 – A portion of proviso language
"Exponica International...................................... 840,000"Section 78
Pages 391 and 392
"SECTION 78. The sum of $250,000,000 is appropriated from GeneralRevenue Fund on a non-recurring basis to the State Board ofAdministration for purposes of the Insurance Capital Build-Up IncentiveProgram established pursuant to s. 215.5595, Florida Statutes. Thisappropriation is contingent upon Citizens Property Insurance Corporationtransferring $250,000,000 to General Revenue Fund for this purpose asprovided by law. Costs and fees incurred by the State Board ofAdministration in administering this program, including fees forinvestment services, shall be paid from the funds appropriated by thissection."- # #