Nov 18, 2008 10:05 am US/Eastern
Miami Beach Senator Pushing For Special Session
TALLAHASSEE (CBS4) ―
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Florida Lawmakers In Tallahassee
CBS
At least one influential South Florida state lawmaker is calling for a special legislative session in Tallahassee to figure out how to deal with a worsening economy that is affecting everything from school budgets to healthcare.
Foreclosure signs have become the new symbol for the state's battered housing market. People are not spending and sales tax revenues that fill state coffers are in free fall.
On Tuesday Florida state lawmakers—old hands and the newly elected—will salute one another at swearing-in ceremonies at the state Capitol. Then it will be time to start sweating out an economic downturn that is decimating the state budget, and prompting at least one call for a special legislative session, and soon.
That call is coming from a new state senator with plenty of experience in Tallahassee. He's Dan Gelber, and before his election night victory he served as the House Minority Leader. The Miami Beach Democrat says,
"We need to be in Tallahassee," said Gelber. "This is a legitimate crisis. We must cut another $3 to $4 billion from our state budget next year and we've already cut $5 to $6 billion. We are no longer cutting fat we are cutting bone.
State Republican leaders do not agree. They think 4 percent across the board budget cuts already in place and trust fund money will be able to tide the state over until the regular legislative session in March.
Either way, though, very tough choices are ahead from education to healthcare. Schools across the state say they are feeling the budget axe; in Miami Dade teachers try to 'plug the holes' in classrooms.
"The first thing is teachers pull money out of their pockets all the time for students and are now being asked to supplement supplies. There is no paper, Kleenex, sometimes no toilet paper," said United Teachers of Dade President Karen Aronowitz.
The leader of the teacher's union said this year it has been a 'perfect storm' and there is nowhere to hide.
"The wages we've been promised have not been paid," said Aronowitz, "in addition there are going to be more cuts, more students before us and we are drowning, and when we are drowning you know the students are going to drown too."
CBS4 reporter Michael Williams reports it is not just schools. Medicaid costs are on the rise as people find themselves out of work. Gelber says he'll keep pushing for a special session.
"Education and health care are priorities," said Gelber, "protection of children in state care are priorities."
Lawmakers are expecting more bad news when the next state economic forecast is released on November 21st. Some say expect more calls for help from Washington in the form of foreclosure relief and a jobs stimulus package.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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