This week marked the half-point of session. The budget appears to fund many initiatives, but in reality, exorbitant costs are pushed down to the local level, forcing many counties and cities to raise property taxes to generate revenue. So many counties, especially rural, small counties and cities, are financially strapped and already facing the constitutional limit for property taxes. We cannot simply continue to absorb the state's financial burdens.
In addition, the House raided hundreds of millions from trust funds to pay for their proposals. The budget proposal has massive raids to the state's trust funds, such as affordable housing. These types of reductions will mean counties will have to shoulder an even larger share of affordable housing costs or thousands of families will lose their chance at the dream of home ownership.
In response, my colleagues and I have proposed a series of amendments this week to the Appropriations bill. Personally, I worked on an amendment to restore cuts made to the salaries of Florida Highway Patrol troopers. Unfortunately, the House defeated my amendment, which would have budgetted $2 million for overtime pay for our troopers who are busy protecting our state in the battle for homeland security.
On another subject, I am concerned about the massive tuition increases at our universities proposed by this budget. My colleagues and I are concerned about how this might impact the Florida Pre-Paid College Tuition Program. About 25 percent of Florida's 3.8 million children have signed contracts for Florida's Pre-Paid Tuition Program. But the drastic increases to higher education tuition, coupled with the massive cuts to the community college and university budgets, signals the beginning of the end of the Florida Pre-Paid Program.
The program cannot remain fiscally sound if tuition increases more than 7.5 percent each year without massive cost increases. In addition, when each university sets its own tuition, the program will not guarantee full-tuition at any Florida university, since the costs will be different at each school.
My plan would tap $50 million set aside for school vouchers to fund university budgets, eliminating the need for a massive tuition increase. As a result, tuition would remain flat during the 2003-2004 school years. The tuition cut would also provide significant savings for the Bright Futures Lottery Scholarship Program, which is under similar assault in the House budget.
On a final note, please continue to pray and support our troops in this time of war. Remember that many families and neighbors near you have loved ones serving our county overseas. | 
