1/27/2003
Jeb Budget roundup, part III
This is the last installment. Promise.
The first editorials praising Bush's budget appeared this weekend. Predictably, the Republican Party talking-points sheet known as the Times-Union editorial page likes the budget. What's odd is how faint the praise is. Only seven paragraphs and the admission that the Legislature might be able to improve it.
They could learn from the Naples Daily News which cheers the governor and warns the Legislature to refrain from adding pork. OK, it's delusional, especially in regards to health care and child welfare, but at least they tried to put the best face on things.
The only major paper that hasn't commented on the budget is the reliably conservative Tampa Trib.
The Gainesville Sun, by contrast can't stop. It runs its third budget editorial.
+SARASOTA HERALD-TRIB -- Putting Florida's needs last. It's bad enough that balancing Florida's next budget will require painful choices because of increased mandates and the economy's restraints on revenue growth.
What's worse is Gov. Jeb Bush's refusal to balance his narrow-minded commitment to political dogma with the pressing needs of Florida and its residents. . . .
We encourage Southwest Florida's legislative delegation to vigorously challenge Bush's budget.
+FLA. TIMES-UNION -- STATE GOVERNMENT: A good start. Bush manages to balance the various interests by judiciously trimming back lesser priorities and, in some cases, turning functions over to the private sector or local governments. . . . .
The Legislature may be able to improve upon the final product, but Bush has given lawmakers the outlines of a prudent budget.
+GAINESVILLE SUN -- Next year? Despite a revenue shortage and his proposed Draconian budget cuts, Gov. Jeb Bush remains steadfast against any new or expanded state taxes (although he seems willing to see local taxes raised) and wants to continue phasing out the state intangibles tax.
+NAPLES DAILY NEWS -- Governor's budget plan makes most of an uncertain situation. Gov. Jeb Bush has delivered a budget that not only meets fiscal realities but seems to allocate limited resources where the needs are greatest � education, health care and child welfare.
+BONUS COLUMN, ST. PETE TIMES. -- Martin Dykeman: To combine Florida's state and local taxes and break down the impact by income groups is to discover that only the rich have gotten a tax break during the (Jeb) Bush years.
The first editorials praising Bush's budget appeared this weekend. Predictably, the Republican Party talking-points sheet known as the Times-Union editorial page likes the budget. What's odd is how faint the praise is. Only seven paragraphs and the admission that the Legislature might be able to improve it.
They could learn from the Naples Daily News which cheers the governor and warns the Legislature to refrain from adding pork. OK, it's delusional, especially in regards to health care and child welfare, but at least they tried to put the best face on things.
The only major paper that hasn't commented on the budget is the reliably conservative Tampa Trib.
The Gainesville Sun, by contrast can't stop. It runs its third budget editorial.
+SARASOTA HERALD-TRIB -- Putting Florida's needs last. It's bad enough that balancing Florida's next budget will require painful choices because of increased mandates and the economy's restraints on revenue growth.
What's worse is Gov. Jeb Bush's refusal to balance his narrow-minded commitment to political dogma with the pressing needs of Florida and its residents. . . .
We encourage Southwest Florida's legislative delegation to vigorously challenge Bush's budget.
+FLA. TIMES-UNION -- STATE GOVERNMENT: A good start. Bush manages to balance the various interests by judiciously trimming back lesser priorities and, in some cases, turning functions over to the private sector or local governments. . . . .
The Legislature may be able to improve upon the final product, but Bush has given lawmakers the outlines of a prudent budget.
+GAINESVILLE SUN -- Next year? Despite a revenue shortage and his proposed Draconian budget cuts, Gov. Jeb Bush remains steadfast against any new or expanded state taxes (although he seems willing to see local taxes raised) and wants to continue phasing out the state intangibles tax.
+NAPLES DAILY NEWS -- Governor's budget plan makes most of an uncertain situation. Gov. Jeb Bush has delivered a budget that not only meets fiscal realities but seems to allocate limited resources where the needs are greatest � education, health care and child welfare.
+BONUS COLUMN, ST. PETE TIMES. -- Martin Dykeman: To combine Florida's state and local taxes and break down the impact by income groups is to discover that only the rich have gotten a tax break during the (Jeb) Bush years.
