Florida Democrats heightened the pressure Tuesday on ruling Republicans to call a special session soon on a range of issues stemming from the BP oil spill.
Incoming House Democratic Leader Ron Saunders of Key West said local governments and property owners along the Gulf Coast are already absorbing millions of dollars in costs associated with the spill and deserve a swifter response from the state Legislature.
Also, the 2010-11 budget, which goes into effect Thursday, may need to be adjusted because of an anticipated decline in tax receipts caused by a tourism slump, he said.
I think were better off coming into special session sometime in July to be able to address budget changes; also if we need to make statutory changes to speed up the claims process, for example, or if we need to change the way advertising dollars are spent, Saunders said. Those things are better done quicker than waiting, because people are already being impacted.
Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink, a Democrat and the partys presumptive nominee for governor, also said Tuesday that she thought a session was needed. Right now, were in a situation with BP where there are no rules and there are no expectations, Sink said.
Sink, Saunders and Democrats in the House and Senate also are echoing Gov. Charlie Crists call for putting on the November ballot a proposed constitutional ban on oil-drilling in Florida waters, toughening a state law in place for more than two decades. The measure must be approved by Aug. 4 to make it on the November ballot, under state law.
Legislative Republicans have dismissed the ballot proposal as unnecessary. Senate President Jeff Atwater, R-North Palm Beach, a candidate for chief financial officer, has said the Legislature could offer property tax reductions to coastal residents whose values have dropped with the oil spill, or take other steps to spur the regional economy.
But Atwater has been short on specifics just as Crist has been about provisions that would fill out the special session besides the oil-drilling amendment, which has been condemned by the House.
House Majority Leader Adam Hasner, R-Delray Beach, said lawmakers would have a better idea later in the year about the extent of the economic damage facing the state. State economists are expected to update estimates on sales-tax collections Aug. 6, possibly helping lawmakers get their arms around the spills budget effect.
We know people are hurting. Everyone is frustrated, Hasner said. People are angry at the lack of response about what seems to be a very uncoordinated effort between BP and the federal government. But rushing into a special session without a full picture is not going to solve these problems.
Also hovering over a tentative special session is the fate of about $1 billion in Medicaid funding lawmakers expected Congress to approve but which now looks increasingly unlikely. The 2010-11 budget included $230 million in extra spending and $730 million in reserves that were to be appropriated if Washington came through with the cash.
Extra funding for nursing homes, hospices, the Bright Futures scholarship program and Everglades restoration were all to receive millions in extra funding if Congress approved the six-month extension of the Federal Medicaid Assistance Percentage (FMAP). While most states are pushing hard for the funding, Congress has twice denied the extension over the past two weeks, prompting Florida lawmakers to become increasingly doubtful about its prospects.
