A Message From House Appropriations Chair Bruce Kyle

This week, the Florida House proudly passed "Florida's Family Budget". Like any family, we take our budget seriously. When faced with difficult decisions, we turned to principled positions, not political posturing. When forced to set priorities, we favored the needs of Florida's future over the pet projects of the past. We chose the needs of Florida's families and most vulnerable over the wants of Florida's government.

In total, our proposed budget for next year is nearly $52.2 BILLION dollars. While other states are wrestling to simply stay afloat, our budget grows over this year by 3.54% - and this is prior to including the authorization for school class size bonding.

"Florida's Family Budget" proves that tough economic times do not have to punish our children, elderly, and most vulnerable citizens. We have funded medical assistance to the needy, prescription drugs for seniors, increased pay for school teachers, and still balanced the budget—all without raising taxes or new gambling.

This was something that many said could not be done.

Drawing from our real world experiences, House members have invoked kitchen table economics. When tight times come in my family, discussions with my wife around the kitchen table inevitably establish our priorities according to what we can afford. Whether these are decisions about putting new tires on the car, refitting pipes in the bathroom or getting braces for the kids' teeth, Florida families prioritize, plan, and persevere. They make the hard decisions.

Major Issues Addressed By The House Budget Proposal

• Restores $291.4 million for Medically Needy coverage
• Funds PACE Centers for Girls at $10 million
• Funds CINS/FINS at $32.6 million
• Increases spending in public education by over $140 per pupil
• Provides over $16.5 million for additional staff (484.5 positions) among the Department of Children & Families, Community Based Care providers, and Sheriffs Offices to address child welfare caseloads
• Funds Bright Futures Scholarships

While "Florida's Family Budget" meets many needs, there are some that it does not. Our budget does not meet any need to raise taxes on Florida's families, any need to secure the status of special interests, any need to play political games, or any need to heed the siren call of gambling.

Speaker Byrd likes to say that today is a great day in the state of Florida. I agree with him. And I think most Floridians do too. Unfortunately, too many politicians and pundits in Tallahassee prefer to paint a picture of gloom and doom. While they want to believe the sky is falling, I believe the sky is the limit.

"Florida's Family Budget" is a blue-print for how things can and should be done. Our budget is proof that we can reprioritize to meet the needs of Florida's future and most vulnerable without raising taxes on Florida's working families.