With $1 billion in additional tax revenue expected as the economy rebounds, Gov. Rick Scott's proposed $77 billion state budget would make significant investments in public education and the environment. But the governor's proposed $673 million in tax cuts are far too deep, and he ignores a looming crisis in health care for the poor and the uninsured. The Florida Legislature can do better.
To his credit, Scott has come a long way on public schools and the environment since the early days of his first term. More available tax money helps. The governor's proposed 2015-16 budget released Wednesday offers a $50 increase in per student spending that would enable the state to finally surpass the record set in 2007-08. Unfortunately, Scott also would continue to shortchange traditional public schools on badly needed construction money and steer too much of those funds to privately run charter schools.
Scott also could have invested more in higher education. He continues to oppose any tuition increases for universities and colleges while investing more in faux solutions like $10,000 four-year degrees. He would tie more money to performance measures such as graduation rates. There is nothing wrong with rewarding performance, but legislators have to be mindful to make sure that the effort does not come at the expense of universities and colleges with high concentrations of minorities or low-income students.
The governor who decimated water management districts and environmental regulation now demonstrates greater respect for water and preserving lands. He is to be commended for his commitment to preserving the Everglades as he calls for spending $150 million in Everglades projects next year. Even more important, he would permanently allocate for the Everglades a quarter of the money tied to Amendment 1, the voter initiative approved in November that sets aside funding for environmental preservation. Scott also calls for increased spending on restoring Florida springs, and he would resume spending on land preservation. Those are all steps in the right direction.
Unfortunately, the governor has not had a similar epiphany on health care. His budget pretends that the federal government will continue to send $1 billion to Florida to help cover health care costs for the uninsured and underinsured at Florida hospitals. That Low Income Pool money will run out at the end of June, because those costs were expected to be covered in other ways under the Affordable Care Act. Tampa General Hospital and BayCare hospitals each stand to lose more than $70 million, yet Scott assumes Washington will grant Florida another extension and keep sending the money. The Legislature will have to come up with a better solution than just assuming it will all work out.
Unlike a number of other Republican governors, Scott also made clear Wednesday he will not lift a finger to convince the Legislature to accept billions in federal Medicaid expansion money to cover up to 1 million uninsured Floridians. He refused to repeat his 2013 endorsement of accepting the federal money to help pay for private insurance, ignoring the strong moral and financial arguments. The Florida Chamber of Commerce, Associated Industries of Florida and a broad coalition of individual businesses and hospitals support accepting the Medicaid money. The Legislature should listen to them, accept the money and act in the best interests of all Floridians who deserve access to health care.