Scott Raises Possibility Of Florida Government Shutdown

May 15, 2015

Gov. Rick Scott raised the possibility Thursday that state government could shut down because of a budget impasse in the Legislature and asked agencies to outline services that need to keep running regardless of whether lawmakers reach an agreement.

In addition to raising the issue of a shutdown with state departments, Scott appeared to try to preemptively blame the Senate if negotiations drag on past June 30, the end of the current budget year. Senators have pushed for the budget to include a $2.8 billion plan to use Medicaid expansion funds to help lower-income Floridians purchase private health insurance.

The federal government has also suggested that whether the state adopts something like the Senate plan could influence how much funding Florida receives for the Low Income Pool program, which sends money to hospitals and other medical providers that care for large numbers of low-income patients. The $2.2 billion “LIP” program is set to expire June 30 unless state and federal officials reach an agreement.

Scott and House leaders adamantly oppose the Senate expansion alternative.

“While we have asked the federal government for guidance on what health-care access proposals they would approve at no cost to Florida taxpayers, it is possible that Florida Senate President Andy Gardiner and the Florida Senate will not agree to any budget without the specific expansion of Medicaid (at a cost to state taxpayers of $5 billion over 10 years),” Scott wrote in a letter to agency heads. “Therefore, we are also requesting your agency prepare a list of critical state services our citizens cannot lose in the event Florida is forced into a government shutdown on July 1st.”

Scott’s letter came a day after the Legislature’s top two budget-writers, Senate Appropriations Chairman Tom Lee, R-Brandon, and House Appropriations Chairman Richard Corcoran, R-Land O’ Lakes, met to try to come to an agreement that would pave the way for a special session to begin June 1.

The letter and an accompanying memo also suggested that the state is pulling together the list of “critical service needs” for the special session, though Scott’s office said he will not propose a formal budget plan for the session. Already, the governor’s budget advisers have tabbed things like filling operating deficits in several state agencies, education spending and Medicaid in a list of 13 areas the state would need to keep funding, but they are also looking for other services that might fall in that category.

Scott has suggested the Legislature approve a “continuation budget” that would allow the state to create huge reserves in case the federal government refuses to extend LIP.

Legislative leaders, though, already seemed to be brushing off Scott’s suggestions.

“Florida’s constitution assigns the role of developing a state budget to the Legislature,” Katie Betta, a spokesman for Gardiner, R-Orlando, wrote in an email. “The president has outlined his version of a draft proclamation for the special session and is hopeful that he and Speaker (Steve) Crisafulli can finalize the proclamation within the next few days.”

As for the governor’s criticism of the Medicaid expansion alternative, Betta noted that the Legislature’s chief economist, Amy Baker, “projected the program to become an economic generator for the state, creating tens of thousands of jobs, with the state savings surpassing the state costs.”

Crisafulli’s office also indicated that the Legislature would take it from here.

“The House would prefer to have a joint call with the Florida Senate to complete a budget before the July 1 deadline,” an email from a Crisafulli spokesman said. “The House is working hard toward that goal.”

by Brandon Larrabee, The News Service of Florida

Comments

7 Responses to “Scott Raises Possibility Of Florida Government Shutdown”

  1. Mark T on May 16th, 2015 11:39 pm

    Please, Please shut it down !!

  2. M in Bratt on May 16th, 2015 12:42 pm

    The bluff of shutting down government is about as real as the Easter bunny. The bureaucrats would be scared to death the citizens would find out that they didn’t miss them. Shut it down, I dare you

  3. Keith on May 16th, 2015 11:59 am

    Free government money? What idiots who believe that. We have a governor who has principles. The federal money is only good for three more years. Then it contracts year after year therefore burdening future floridians with higher and higher costs. Wake up. I’m sick of having to pay for poor people. Enough is enough. Stick it too them Florida house and governor. Don’t burden our children with crazy higher taxes!

  4. jr on May 16th, 2015 12:53 am

    There may be more to this healthcare deal than we know. Funds from the government: use it the way I want you to or you don’t get it. I just have to wonder what the stipulations are.

  5. Rufus Lowgun on May 15th, 2015 11:58 am

    How much have all the lawsuits you’ve filed and then lost cost the taxpayers of Florida, governor? The only joke bigger than our governor is that we elected him twice.

  6. Kate on May 15th, 2015 5:42 am

    It is just stupid of the Governor of this great State to be so obstinate. He doesn’t want Medicaid to cover insurable people who would pay premiums for healthcare and subsidize their own care, but the money is free to the state but wants free money to only partially assist in helping hospitals pay for some of their losses for caring for the uninsured. It is prty politics and has nothing to do with Medicaid.

  7. coseys ex on May 15th, 2015 4:21 am

    It amazes me how states can just shut down because not everybody can agree on an issue. If this were any other business they’d come to an agreement or go out of business and nobody would get paid. This scenario has individual agencies and individuals who work for these agencies not getting paid because the higher ups can’t make a unilateral decision which won’t affect their paychecks anyway. Stop their checks and I’m sure they’d find a solution.

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News