Prediction: The government of Florida will screw things up so badly that a wholesale change in the Governor's Office, the House and the Senate will come about. Problem: By the time the citizens wake up the problems will be so deep and broad that it may be impossible for anyone to put it to rights without a lot of pain.
Florida has depended on growth in housing, population and tourism to provide revenue for governmental expansion while at the same time tax loopholes were added or ignored and tax cuts were routinely enacted. So, when the "bubble" burst, Florida was scrambling. What happened: Cuts in education, security (police, fire and first responders) and human services for the elderly, handicapped and others. To make up for shortfalls in income the legislature and Governor wisely looted most or all of the State trust funds, raised tuition for students at state supported institutions and accepted billions in Federal stimulus dollars. This legislative session already sees cuts in State employees, education funding and funds for human services on the table. And, of course, tax cuts, trust fund looting and redirecting Federal dollars are also underway.
The results: A looming fiscal disaster of Aegean proportions when Federal dollars dry up .
Florida already ranks near the bottom in many comparative indexes. Can we go lower? Remember the the Limbo? "How Low Can You Go?". Oh yes, we can go lower.
A few inconsistencies: Florida is strongly for the death penalty but "pro life"; Florida is strongly "pro family" but sucking up gambling dollars in both lottery and casinos (known for targeting poor people); Florida is strongly for "Education" but consistently cuts education funding; Florida enacted the lottery legislation for "Educational Enhancement Only" then systematically reduced the budget for education, using lottery dollars to do so. Florida is strongly "anti-tax" but willingly adds "sin" taxes to the books. The list goes on but why go there. I don't know about my Georgia friends, but I suspect they are in the same cesspit.
Image: www.eleutheraliving.com/.../pp_leroy_limbo.jpg
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2 comments:
Y'know, years ago I had friends working in the Florida public schools who said the motto on the state DOE seal should be changed to "We're Number 49! Thank God for Mississippi!"
So. As long as California's in the union, Florida's financial status will never sink lower than #49. Whenever you start feeling bad about Florida's government fuck-ups, just spend some time reading the news out of Sacramento.
Yeah, but we are here. I wonder if it will ever get any better? If the citizens of Fl. elect another Republican for Gov. and keep the House and Senate in Republican hands, we will be in even deeper crap. As my English father-in-law recommended: "Just drink whisky, I do."
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