Governor Scott's approval ratings

[Bob Wells]

Just a question. Is the 3% pay cut being put into retirement?

Depends on which one passed. Representative Gaetz advised that the money does not go into the retirement system and when asked why he advised "the State needed the money", Talking to Senator Gaetz I believe he said that money was going to offset what the State was going to place into FRS, and Representative Coley also advised us the same thing although my understanding was that it was being returned to the State budget.

 

[30ashopper]

Depends on which one passed. Representative Gaetz advised that the money does not go into the retirement system and when asked why he advised "the State needed the money", Talking to Senator Gaetz I believe he said that money was going to offset what the State was going to place into FRS, and Representative Coley also advised us the same thing although my understanding was that it was being returned to the State budget.

You have your own agreement and contribute 7%, so I'm surprised you were so against this when the news first came out.

 

[30ashopper]

what's the income tax in florida? what state ranks consistently in the bottom tier in education? who has an unindicted felon for a governor. whose postings have a consistent theme of self interest?

You know Bob you and Bob Wells are the only democrats I know of here who are willing to step up and admit raising taxes is what you want. So I'll give you credit for that. (The democratic party of florida has spent a lot of time complaining about spending reductions, but they never offer up their own alternative.)

As far as an income tax goes, the odds of getting that are slim to none. So to fill the kind of hole we had for next fiscal year, you would likely have to tap the main revenue streams we have - the sales tax, gas taxes, and the property tax. A one percent increase in the sales tax would net about 3 billion in additional revenue. So why not propose a 2 percent increase? The impact on the economy and jobs might be bad, but you'de be able to prevent cuts in education and give all the civil service employees a raise.

 

[Bob Wells]

You have your own agreement and contribute 7%, so I'm surprised you were so against this when the news first came out.

Mine was negotiated and voted on by the members of the plan, this one was mandated by force by politicians with little regard for its effects on the low end earner. So yes I have issues. As for my politics, my card say Republican and has been except for a brief period in 2008, since I began voting in 1978, but I am more of an Independent. I have voted more time for Republican candidates than Democrats but am not afraid, as some, to cross that blurry line between politicians and what they say and do that makes them who they are.

 

[beachmouse]

Oh, and by the way, the state has also been borrowing to pay for things, and we still came up short.

http://www.ncsl.org/?tabid=13294

$2,305,300,000.00 for unemployment. Thankfully it's intergovernmental. The feds can write this off if they need to.

That's because the state refuses to require employer contribution to unemployment insurance to be even close to adequate to pay for current unemployment levels in the state. They're still pricing that tax assuming 4-5% unemployment in the state, and not what they need to to make a program that's supposed to be essentially self-funding be nowhere close to it.

 

[30ashopper]

That's because the state refuses to require employer contribution to unemployment insurance to be even close to adequate to pay for current unemployment levels in the state. They're still pricing that tax assuming 4-5% unemployment in the state, and not what they need to to make a program that's supposed to be essentially self-funding be nowhere close to it.

I believe employers will also have to pay back the loans through higher unemployment taxes.

 

[beachmouse]

There's been a big fuss about this going back to midway through Crist's term, and when he tried to raise them to sustainability, the blowback was pretty epic, so they went with a 'minor' increase (I want to say about 35% in raw terms , though the cost per full time employee still didn't sound horrible afterwards) and a whole bunch of using stimulus money loans to fill the gap.

 

[scooterbug44]

I think we need a combination of reforms, cuts, and more/higher taxes.

But I also think we need to be SMART about how we do that so we don't end up spending even more in the future to fix the problems/debts we are creating right now.

The no contribution for state employees was made possible by a budget surplus in the 70s. That is no longer sustainable, so I think reforming that system (it is quite a bloated retirement package for politicians, judges, etc.) and by requiring state employees to match what the taxpayers are contributing is fair - and in most cases still far below what private sector employees are expected to contribute.

 

[wilcogal1974]

I think we need a combination of reforms, cuts, and more/higher taxes.

But I also think we need to be SMART about how we do that so we don't end up spending even more in the future to fix the problems/debts we are creating right now.

The no contribution for state employees was made possible by a budget surplus in the 70s. That is no longer sustainable, so I think reforming that system (it is quite a bloated retirement package for politicians, judges, etc.) and by requiring state employees to match what the taxpayers are contributing is fair - and in most cases still far below what private sector employees are expected to contribute.

And in some areas of state government we are paid lower than private sector workers. We put up with lower pay for thirty years to get the security of a some what decent pension for the years of service put in.

 

[30ashopper]

And in some areas of state government we are paid lower than private sector workers. We put up with lower pay for thirty years to get the security of a some what decent pension for the years of service put in.

Government workers don't get paid enough in some cases and get paid way too much in others - there are some pretty serious disparities in civil serivce pay in our state and our county. Our local firefighters enjoy six figure salaries and benefits in a county that has an average household income of around 35K a year, while our teachers "enjoy" around 70K a year in total compensation. I'd suggest you try to find solutions that balance the differences, if you do I think the citizens will listen.