In a time when money is tight and social service programs are under a microscope even children's programs are being examined.
Senator Joe Negron R-Stuart is sponsoring SB 1216 which would revise the membership of councils on children's services; require the governing body of the county to approve the purchase of real estate or the construction of a building by a council on children's services, and require a council on children's services to submit a tentative budget and millage rate to the governing body of the county.
"The bill is all about accountability and transparency," Negron said. "If you're taking money from the property owners of Florida to spend it is your responsibility to make sure your spending it how the voters want it spent. All the bill does is simply require that every six years a children's services council needs to report into its shareholders. They need to have an annual review."
Negron held a press conference last week to announce that the Children's Services Council of Martin County should do away with its plans to build a new headquarters. Instead the $2 million should go to the Boys and Girls Clubs to build a new club in Indiantown.
An average homeowner in Martin County pays about $61 each year on his or her property tax bill for the CSC. That amounts collectively to about $5.8 million each year that is used to reach about 10,000 residents in the county
However Roy Miller, president of the Children's Campaign inc. says "the strength of the councils is their independence and that citizens throughout the communities are well represented."
Milller's statewide organization is devoted to making children's issues a legislative priority.
"I think this legislation would be an extraordinary opportunity for the children's advocacy people to showcase what they're doing," Negron said.
The children's watchdog group counters by saying that Governor Crist in his last State of the State address continued his "lackluster" leadership on children's issues.
"Senator Negron has a very narrow view of the state's $65 billion budget should be spread out. We have a much broader perspective and say that if we don't invest in a child from the very beginning their will be long term consequences like grade retention, teen pregnancy and adults in jail," Miller said
John Hinds can be reached at JHinds1949@aol.com
