Gov. Charlie Crist lived up to his promise to protect Florida's most vulnerable citizens by vetoing cuts in line items 128 and 129 in the Agency for Persons with Disabilities Budget. ...more

February 5, 2009

Whittled to its essence, three messages emerged from Friday's annual summit of Pasco's state legislative delegation, where lawmakers entertained the concerns of local elected officials and agency chiefs. ...more

January 25, 2009

Florida House Speaker Ray Sansom said Gov. Charlie Crist should suggest ways to offset any items he vetoes in a deficit-elimination package when he submits his recommendations for the next state budget. ...more

January 22, 2009

Although the Florida Legislature slashed budgets for schools, children's health care and living assistance for the elderly in its recent special session, it ignored a couple of easy fixes - loopholes in corporate tax law - that could have produced revenue to avoid some of the worst cuts. ...more

January 22, 2009

While the Florida Legislature slashed budgets for schools, children's health care and living assistance for the elderly in its recent special session, it ignored a couple of easy fixes – loopholes in corporate tax law -- that could have produced revenue to avoid some of the worst cuts. ...more

January 21, 2009

We all know there is a need for cutbacks in the budget, nationally, on the state level, and even in our own homes, but I feel the State of Florida has gone too far in their budget cuts. I attended the District School Advisory Council meeting at the Highlands County School Board for January and came away disheartened at how little our children seem to mean to the State of Florida. According to the paperwork I received there, our state ranks 50th in school spending and the budget just keeps getting cut further. ...more

January 19, 2009

So many people are struggling in Florida. I had to cash in a retirement account to pay my property taxes this year. I cannot deplete my retirement account just to pay taxes to live in a house I worked for all my life to own. Please use the special session to cut taxes and government spending. Please ask Sen. Atwater to allow the 1.35 percent tax cap on the ballot this year. We need our leaders to work for us. Our citizens need relief now. ...more

January 10, 2009

With the state confronting at least a $2.3 billion budget shortfall, little is being spared lawmakers' ax. In the ongoing special session in Tallahassee, legislators have targeted programs serving the elderly, schoolchildren, the disabled and hospital patients. Environmental protections, higher education and many other efforts are on the chopping block. ...more

January 10, 2009

As Legislators aim to cut $600 million in state education funding, the School Board of Highlands County and South Florida Community College are looking at additional spending cuts that would not compromise student education. ...more

January 8, 2009

State lawmakers face a daunting task in cutting $1 billion from the state budget in the next 10 days, but it's a task they largely put on themselves. ...more

January 8, 2009