Staff Reports
The state House on Wednesday rolled out a nearly $1 billion tax cut proposal.
The proposal is similar to the proposal that Gov. Rick Scott pitched earlier this year. Among other things the proposal includes eliminating the tax on manufacturing equipment and credits for renewable energy investments.
The House finance and tax committee has not yet voted on the proposal.
Chris Hudson, the state director for Americans for Prosperity—Florida, said in a statement:
“We commend the House for looking into how to more broadly reduce taxes for all Floridians. However, there were several key arguments made that Floridians need to be aware of in order to understand what their elected officials are proposing. Legislators should continue to work through these issues in order to produce better outcomes for the communities they serve.
AFP-FL has maintained a stern opposition towards any special carveouts for any industry. The House should avoid renewing any tax credit program that benefits any industry.”
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Parents could have more public school choice under a proposal that cleared the Senate education appropriations subcommittee on Thursday.
The bill (SB 886), sponsored by Sen. Lizbeth Benacquisto, gives parents the ability to enroll their child in any public school in the state that hasn’t reached capacity. It also spells out how parents can request a transfer their child to a different classroom.
Benacquisto sponsored similar legislation during the 2015 legislative session.
Patricia Levesque, executive director of the Foundation for Florida’s Future, said in a statement:
“Imagine a parent discovering the perfect school for her child, a public school with just the right magnet program or the right services for a child’s unique abilities. There is space available but she is locked out because she lives on the wrong side of a district boundary line. This has to stop.
It is time to allow children to cross invisible lines that serve as hardened barriers to opportunity and success. This legislation would allow them to do that.
Thanks to years of education reform, the needs of individual students are better understood and the options for meeting those needs have never been greater. Our public schools now possess unique programs and missions that are right for some students but seldom if ever right for all students.
I congratulate Senator Lizbeth Benacquisto for sponsoring this legislation, and for championing the rights of parents and the success of children.”
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Florida TaxWatch has released a 20-page report offering recommendations on how to combat predatory public records request.
Those requests, according to the organization, are ones filed with the intent of preventing government from functioning effectively. The report looks at the impacts of these types of records requests and makes recommendations on how to stem the misuse.
The Florida League of Cities said in a statement:
“Local governments embrace the spirit of Florida’s public records laws because they empower the citizens we serve to remain knowledgeable about their public institutions. However, an increasing number of individuals and groups are abusing these open government laws for their own purposes, filing countless public records requests with the sole intent to hinder local government services and profit at the taxpayer’s expense.
Today’s report accurately identifies many of the concerns shared by the Florida League of Cities and its more than 400 member cities, which frequently must contend with those who use legal loopholes to exploit the public trust. The Florida Legislature is considering reforms that would close these loopholes, and we commend Florida TaxWatch for contributing an independent voice and expert analysis to this important discussion.”
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The state Senate health and human services appropriations subcommittee committed to setting aside an additional $181 million next year for to help care with the state’s sickest children and babies.
The money helps to boost Medicaid reimbursements to hospitals that provide specialized care to children. The sum includes $75 million in recurring general fund dollars, which would draw down an additional $106 million in federal matching dollars.
Dr. Jerry Bridgham, president of the Florida Association of Children’s Hospitals and chief medical officer of Wolfson Children’s Hospital in Jacksonville, said in a statement:
“We sincerely appreciate the Senate committee for making Florida’s children a top priority. This funding will help ensure all children have access to the state’s high quality medical care at a time when they need it most.’’
