Sayfie Review Roundup - June 20, 2015
Florida's top headlines that attracted the most
readers on Sayfie Review this week
James L. Rosica - Tampa Tribune - June 15, 2015
...The Senate's health policy chair announced late Monday he was asking for the creation of a "Joint House and Senate Task Force on Health Care Policy Innovation."
Sen. Aaron Bean, a Fernandina Beach Republican, issued the news in a press release that he was cancelling Tuesday's meeting of his Health Policy committee.
Bean was the architect of the Florida Health Insurance Affordability Exchange, the Senate's version of Medicaid expansion that the House shot down the first week of special session.
"I have had the opportunity to meet with senators...The consensus view is that a 20-day special session focused primarily on our constitutional responsibility to pass a balanced budget does not lend itself to a thorough and proper vetting of foundational changes to our health care delivery system."
Patricia Mazzei - Miami Herald - June 16, 2015
...The final speaker to fire up the crowd before Bush bounded to the microphone seemed a surprising choice: state Sen. Don Gaetz, the Niceville Republican and former Florida Senate president who doesn't exactly appeal to any of the other groups of voters (women, Hispanics, African Americans) targeted by prior speakers.
But Gaetz delivered some of the best one-liners of the afternoon, attacking President Barack Obama directly -- and Bush rival Marco Rubio indirectly.
He turned a few heads on a day when national media and political consultants were watching -- a plus for a politician who has his sights set on Congress if U.S. Rep. Jeff Miller of Chumuckla runs for U.S. Senate.
Florida lawmakers reach late night deal on budget
Gary Fineout - Associated Press - June 18, 2015
...The final budget is full of winners and losers.
Legislators bumped up money for schools and set aside more than $400 million for tax cuts. Republican leaders were able to secure millions for hometown projects, including money to create downtown campuses for universities in both Tampa and Orlando. They also agreed to boost funding for the state's scandal-ridden prisons system and tripled money available for therapy, tutoring and other services provided to children with disabilities.
But the budget has no pay raises for state employees and critics contended that the GOP-controlled Legislature ignored the wishes of voters who last fall approved an amendment called for setting aside money for land conservation. Democrats pointed out the boost in school funding came largely because of an expected surge in home values that will trigger a rise in property taxes.
