Topic: Budget Deficit

Sen. Dorothy Hukill, R-Port Orange, filed SB 266 which would cut the communication services tax by 2 percent, costing the state $282 million but possibly providing relief to consumers' cable and cell telephone bills.

House Democrats voted against motor vehicle registration and drivers' license fee increases in 2009, but Senate Democrats supported them. Then-Gov. Charlie Crist broke a campaign pledge not to raise taxes when he signed them into law, but the Republican-led Legislature has its fingerprints on the tax increases as well. That could complicate GOP efforts to blame Crist, a possible Democratic contender for governor.

Several state agencies and programs will be affected by the shutdown, with the severity depending on the length of the federal budget impasse. ... Related Research: Drafts of Florida Senate Reports on the Federal Government Shutdown.

Florida's chief economist Amy Baker told a House budget panel the positive projections for the state budget could quickly turn around depending on the outcome of two federal budget crises. ... Related Research: Sept. 25, 2013 House Appropriations Committee meeting packet and video.

State agencies must come up with 5 percent budget reductions this year as part of an exercise in their legislative budget requests, due out Oct. 15. ... Related Research: State of Florida Legislative Budget Request Instructions Fiscal Year 2014-15, Sept. 12, 2013 Joint Legislative Budget Commission meeting packet, and DRAFT Long-Range Financial Outlook Fiscal Year 2014-15 through 2016-17.

A court decision effectively reducing payments to the agency from counties for juvenile detention center stays is the main contributor to a $54.5 million budget hole. ... Related Research: Sept. 12, 2013 Joint Legislative Budget Commission meeting packet, a letter and judicial opinion.

Report also says revenues from insurance industry taxes and fees aren't matching regulators' expenses. ... Related Research: Aug. 2013 Florida Auditor General Report No. 2014-009 - Office of Insurance Regulation operational audit.

Banks and lenders have been slow to take advantage of a new law designed to speed up the foreclosure process. If initial foreclosure proceedings continue to fall short of projections, it could affect funding for the courts, which rely in part on fees from foreclosure filings. ... Related Research: Recommendations of the Foreclosure Initiative Workgroup, Foreclosure Backlog Reduction Plan for the State Courts System, a backlog status report and court revenue projections.

Department of Juvenile Justice Secretary Wansley Walters wrote to Gov. Scott and legislative leaders alerting them to a potential $54.5 million shortfall stemming from a court ruling and new federal guidelines. The shortfall could lead to the closing of juvenile detention centers if steps aren't taken to mitigate the shortfall, she wrote.

Some House Democrats dropped their budget protest over Medicaid expansion, and Gov. Rick Scott got his top two priorities of a teacher pay raise and manufacturing tax cut.

As Florida's military bases brace for federal budget cuts, lawmakers fear the impact on the state economy. An economic expert says Northwest Florida needs to diversify its economy to soften such blows in the future.

Leaders in both chambers said they want to wait for fresher revenue projections and that budget allocations will be ready "early" next week.

Budget discussions are moving ahead in the Senate, but uncertainty abounds.

The drama over the deep federal cuts set to hit Friday is already having an impact on state budget talks. ... Related Research: White House fact sheet "Impact of March 1st Cuts on Middle Class Families, Jobs and Economic Security: Florida."