Speeches, Protests Mark Opening Of Legislative Session
TALLAHASSEE (CBS4) – Speeches, protests, ceremony and plenty of demonstrations marked the start of the 2011 Florida 2011 legislative session.
"We're going to watch spending like a hawk, it's your money," Governor Rick Scott told a crowd of Tea Part supporters as the session got underway.
Florida lawmakers are heading into this year's session facing another year of budget cuts and tough decisions but that didn't take away from the festivities during Tuesday's opening day ceremonies. Tea party activists say let the budget ax swing.
"The money, regardless of who spends it, comes from we the people. It's time that we have to say 'enough is enough', live with in your means as we have to," said Lloyd Wheeler.
"Stop the spending, America is getting broke." said Tea Party supporter Marcia Raisch, "We're just spending ourself out of America, so to speak."
Scott has promised the faithful that if his budget passes, jobs, a better economy, and tax breaks will follow.
"We're going to get rid of business tax, reduce property tax, fix citizen's insurance, we're going to fix our pensions. You guys don't have pensions you don't' have to pay for. No! Neither should anyone in the state," Scott told a cheering crowd.
Tea party activists are roaming the capitol and rallying outside to spread their message. They want the state to slash spending, make state workers chip in for their pensions, cut back on unemployment benefits for people out of work and reform Medicaid. They're backing Scott's plan.
"We're reducing the size of government, we're putting tax dollar back in your pockets. We're going to phase out business tax, reduce property tax. It's you're money we're going to make you get more of it every year," said Scott.
Many in the Florida House and Senate don't fully agree with the governor's plan; they say they back the principle but not all the details.
"I don't think there's that much disagreement in policy and principle, I think that some of the difference are going to be found in some of the applications of the budget," said Rep. Erik Fresen (R-Miami)
Demonstrations outside are plentiful and not just in Tallahassee, but all over the state.
State employees, labor unions and others are fuming. They say Scott's proposed cuts go too deep, leaving the unemployed in worse shape than ever and putting too much of the burden on workers.
"I don't think he's thinking straight. He's moving too quick. He needs to step back and think about what he's doing," said Linda Cherry.
Many of the protestors in Tallahassee are state workers who are afraid of losing their jobs. Under the Governor's plan, as many as 9,000 state employees could be laid off as he works to shrink government and consolidate departments. They're also angry at the governor's plan to have employees contribute 5-percent of their pay toward their pension and that includes police officers, firefighter and teachers.
"I'm worried, I'm hurt," protestor Liesha Jeter told CBS4's Ted Scouten. "We shouldn't have to balance the budget on the back of state workers. If it's just one or two things that he was asking for but he's asking for so much."
Inside the Capitol, there are demonstrators of a different kind. Members of the Tea Party are in the halls making their way to the House and Senate. They want to make sure lawmakers remember they want a leaner budget, smarter spending and less of a tax burden.
"We're not for Republican or any party, we are for us, the people of the United States of America," said Cindy Falco-diCorrado of the Tea Party. "United together, saying enough is enough, we're watching, we're going to take back our America."
During the session Tuesday, the Senate will begin a partisan debate over a proposed state constitutional amendment designed to thwart President Barack Obama's health care overhaul.
The proposal for the 2012 ballot is sponsored by Senate President Mike Haridopolos, who's also running for the GOP U.S. Senate nomination next year. Legal experts have said even if it passes it would be trumped by the federal law.
Another contentious item on the agenda this week is a cap on state revenues at their 2013-14 level with allowances for population growth and increases in the Consumer Price Index.
Both are on the Senate's calendar for this week although neither would go on the ballot until November 2012.
The first day of the session includes the State of the State speech, which for Scott will be his first. Observers expect essentially a reiteration of Scott's inaugural address that's heavily focused on economic development and jobs. The address is Tuesday evening.
