Gov. Rick Scott and leaders of the Florida Legislature won praise from fiscal watchdogs as the new legislative session started on Tuesday while liberals dismissed those proposals and pushed their own agenda.
Scott offered the State of the State address on Tuesday, focusing on tax cuts, improvements to education and calling for less government interference in the economy. The centerpiece of Scotts $670 million tax-cut package is a $470 million reduction in the Communication Service Tax (CST), a proposal which has the support of Senate President Andy Gardiner, R-Orlando, and House Speaker Steve Crisafulli, R-Merritt Island.
Dominic Calabro, the president and CEO of Florida TaxWatch, which fights for fiscal responsibility in Tallahassee, praised Scotts, Gardiners and Crisafullis speeches on Tuesday, expressing hope for a productive session.
"Florida taxpayers will welcome and depend on the broad-based tax relief that the House speaker and Senate president have made their first priority in 2015, Calabro said on Tuesday. Reducing the prohibitively high Communications Services Tax (which is currently up to 16.29 percent) is a great way to provide tax relief for all Floridians, and we applaud the governor and Legislature for proposing to fairly lower the tax so that it more closely matches the state sales tax. This broad-based tax relief will enable average taxpayers to save their hard-earned dollars, and remove a severe impediment to job creation and business growth.
Calabro also backed Scotts and the legislative leaders efforts to improve school and higher education institutions while ensuring college and university education remains affordable.
"The governor and Legislature have also prioritized funding for Florida students and families, and are committed to improving outcomes to ensure graduates are college and career ready, Calabro said. By increasing per-student funding and supporting job training in schools, students can expect to get higher-wage, higher-skill jobs. In addition to student funding, the Legislature has clearly announced their intent to keep Florida schools responsible for student learning. Taxpayers should commend the Legislature for their commitment to enable Floridians to hold Florida's public schools accountable. Speaker Crisafulli and Senate President Gardiner also touched on the importance of flexibility in Florida schools. We must ensure that Florida properly unties the hands of principals and administrators around the state to better meet the needs of students. Recalculating class size across the school, rather than in each individual classroom, will allow more of the taxpayers' precious education investment to be spent on student learning and improving academic achievement.
Calabro praised Crisafulli for looking to move public pensions more into the line of the private sector despite the Senate showing little appetite for it in recent years.
Chris Hudson, the Florida director for Americans for Prosperity (AFP), liked what he heard from Scott and the legislative leaders but added results count more than speeches. .
I am encouraged by Gov. Scotts remarks today, Hudson said on Tuesday. While the governor gave encouraging signals in his remarks, it will be his actions and those taken by the Florida Legislature that will ultimately propel the state into more economic freedom and prosperity, or act as a major speed bump in our continued recovery. While the governor touts his record of eliminating unnecessary regulations and barriers to entry, there are still many areas the state can look at to give Floridians the best chance at pursuing the American dream. We hope the governor will not flounder on his previous commitment to not expand the states bloated and disastrous Medicaid system, continue to expand access to parents to choose the best education for their children, take a strong stance against Hollywood handouts and sports incentives, and lower Floridas regulatory burden. These are the steps needed to make Florida the No. 1 state in the country for job creation and prosperity.
Hudson also had praise for Crisafulli and his agenda on Tuesday.
I commend Speaker Crisafulli for laying out an aggressive agenda and committing to increasing transparency and accountability for taxpayers, Hudson said. We hope that in his efforts to promote a responsible budget, he works to eliminate additional red tape and job-killing regulations, fend off special interests seeking to collect taxpayer monies for their private businesses needs, and give Floridas children and families the freedom to obtain the best education.
Hudson sounded far more cautious when looking over to the Senate.
We look forward to having constructive discussions with President Gardiner and the Senate about the importance of reforming our states pension system, being good stewards of the states dollars, and working diligently to expand eligibility to Personal Learning Scholarship Accounts, Hudson said. However, we are deeply concerned over the lack of innovation to health-care reform and his continued support of expanding a broken and bloated Medicaid system.
In the meantime, Awake the State, a coalition of liberals, unveiled their own agenda on Tuesday, backing Medicaid expansion, more environmental regulations on water and banning fracking, promoting nonrenewable energy, increasing the state minimum wage to $15 an hour, and campaign finance reform.
These proposals would do more for hard-working Floridians than anything Gov. Rick Scott and his legislative allies have done in the last five years, said Mark Ferrulo, the executive director of Progress Florida
Floridians want health care, clean water, renewable energy, a living wage and a government we can trust to work for us, Ferrulo added. We deserve a Florida that works for all Floridians.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or follow him on Twitter: @KevinDerbySSN
