Pre-session survey results now ready

This week [April 11]marked the end of week 6, only 3 more weeks left in the 2008 Legislative Session.

Please accept my heartfelt thanks for responding to my 2008 Pre-Session Survey. The overall results of the survey have been tabulated and are available at www.flhouse.us/d002.

The Pre-Session Survey is a great tool that allows me to hear the opinions and concerns of my constituents. Many of you included comments on your survey, and I really appreciate your extra effort. Your participation in the survey speaks highly of your concern for our community and state and your willingness to get involved. The survey results equip me with valuable information that I utilize.

This week the legislature focused on the budget, in fact, we spent 14 hours on the house floor discussing and debating the 2008- 2009 Budget. In the early afternoon of Thursday, April 10, we, the Florida House of Representatives, approved a prioritized $65 billion budget for FY08-09 that places the highest priority on education, health care and public safety while preserving core missions of government and responsibly balancing Florida's budget. "No one relishes making these difficult reductions, but I am proud of the fact that the House worked very diligently to protect our most important priorities and pass a balanced budget that puts us in the best possible stance to put our economy back on track," said Representative Ray Sansom (R-Destin) who serves as the House's chief budget negotiator. "Spending our emergency savings down to the last penny, or recklessly hiking taxes, would devastate Florida's economy." Despite continued declining revenues, the budget approved today preserves core missions and sets real priorities.

Temporarily suspends economic development subsidies awarded to sports franchises in Florida, a savings $20 million.

Maintains per student education funding above 2006-2007 levels, with more than $6,800 being spent on every K-12 student in Florida.

Eligibility for Medicaid and KidCare are protected, and 38,417 new slots in KidCare are being fully funded, as well as 107,000 new slots in the Medicaid program.

Funding for adult dental, vision and hearing services have been protected and maintained.

The Agency for Persons with Disabilities is protected with $14 million in restored funding, and no eligibility cuts were made.

Military Affairs core funding is preserved, with $6.6 million being spent on armory revitalization, $400,000 to continue the Family Readiness Program, $100,000 for body armor replacement for state active-duty personnel.

The Department of Revenue includes a $51.4 million budget increase directed toward child support enforcement, which is the department's top priority.

No reductions were made in prison construction, crime lab or DNA forensics.

I encourage you to keep abreast of what is going on in the legislature by frequently visiting "Online Sunshine," the official website of your Florida Legislature. At http://www.leg.state.fl.us/ you'll find links to both the Senate and the House websites. Online Sunshine provides links to the Florida Statutes, The Florida Constitution, and other governmental information and entities.

The Senate and House websites provide great legislative bill search engines to help you research proposed and passed legislation. Each respective web site provides web sites for each of the 40 Senators and for each of the 120 Representatives.

As my schedule allows, I am happy to speak at local community events or groups about issues of interest. My Legislative Assistant, Olivia Lagergren, or my Secretary, Jerrie Lewis, are the contacts for such an invitation. My Pensacola Legislative District Office is located behind University Mall at 7100 Plantation Road, Suite 3b, Pensacola, FL32504-6234. Phone Number: 494-7330.