As criticism of Gov. Rick Scotts budget poured in Tuesday from educators, legislators and interest groups, the governor was able to find one receptive audience -- the Florida Chamber of Commerce.
Business leaders are gathering in Tallahassee all this week as part of the Chambers Capitol Days, and Scott touted his budget plan before them Tuesday, talking about tax cuts, less spending and creating private-sector jobs.
If were not the best place to do business, were not going to win, Scott said.
The business leaders applauded Scotts plan to reduce the corporate income tax from 5.5 percent to 3 percent, eventually phasing it out altogether, but had questions on cuts to education, Medicaid and whether his tax cuts will still be able to fund his budget proposal.
Scott said he was confident increased growth and added jobs resulting from lower taxes would balance the budget better than the current tax structure.
Its good to give everyone an incentive to do more business in Florida, Scott said.
He took the same approach to a question on his proposed cuts in education funding. Scotts budget proposal significantly reduces federal stimulus dollars for the education budget and suggests school boards not spend the $518 million generatedby requiring teachers to contribute 5 percent of their salaries to the state pension fund. Scott pushed the need for greater teacher accountability and school choice for parents, but there is no specific voucher program in his budget, as he campaigned on.
We need a fair measurement system for superintendents, principals and teachers. We also need to create as much choice as we can, Scott said.
During an impromptu press conference after his question-and-answer session with the Chamber, Scott also defended his proposal to eliminate the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program and the Office of Drug Control.
That proposal drew criticism from Sen. Mike Fasano, who pushed for the creation of the PDMP when it was passed in 2009, and Attorney General Pam Bondi, who praised the program during a press conference last week to highlight the need for stricter measures in combating pill mills.
It is beyond my comprehension why the governor would propose the total elimination of two entities that have been and have the potential to be the best tools this state will have in fighting prescription drug abuse, Fasano said.
But Scott criticized the PDMP as not effective. Since being signed into law, the PDMP has had trouble getting off the ground. The program is not funded by the state, and it is reliant on law enforcement and health organizations to raise the money to fund it.
That program has not been working. Im working with Attorney General Bondi to make sure that we deal with the issue we have, that we deal with the issue we have with these pill mills, Scott said.
The PDMP, designed to create a system for doctors to enter and gather information on patients prescribed various Schedule II, Schedule III and Schedule IV drugs, was supposed to be online by December, but is not yet up and running. The cost for operating the program in the first year is about $1 million, but as of September, little over half of the total needed had been raised.
Despite Scotts pledge to work with Bondi, the attorney general does not appear to be backing down in her support for the PDMP.
My legislative priorities to stop pill mills in Florida are focused on increased criminal penalties for pill mills and civil penalties for doctors that do not adhere to the standard of care and overprescribe. If properly implemented, the PDMP could be an important additional tool to address prescription drug abuse, Bondi said.
Reach Gray Rohrer at grohrer@sunshinestatenews.com or at (850) 727-0859.
