PRESS RELEASE June 7, 2001

TALLAHASSEE Despite warnings of significant budget shortfalls just around the corner, Florida lawmakers managed to pack plenty of turkeys onto the spending menu for the 2001-2002 fiscal year.

Florida TaxWatch today released its annual list of so-called "budget turkeys", recommending veto of more than 500 projects to generate savings close to $300 million for Florida taxpayers.

The annual turkey report spotlights member projects placed in the budget without proper public review; which circumvent competition and the lawfully established procedures; which benefit a very limited special interest or local area of the state or are low priority items that get funded over higher priority needs. Florida TaxWatch made a considerable effort this year to recognize legislative policy-making initiatives so that projects which underwent full review of both the House and Senate would not be included on this list.

This year's report reveals the 2001 legislature generated a total of 528 budget turkeys, totaling $288.3 million. The number of turkeys is even more disturbing in light of clear evidence that a fiscal famine is looming.

The change in the federal estate tax will cost Florida $170-190 million in estate tax receipts in that same fiscal year. Full-year funding for new programs to be instituted during the 2001- 2002 fiscal year will add require an additional $100 million in 2002-2003. Together, along with yet to be determined amounts of non-recurring revenues used to fund recurring projects, this could add up to a budget challenge of more than $300 million in the 2002-2003 budget.

"This adds greatly to the severe burdens and cost pressures Florida already faces in the coming years," said Dominic M. Calabro, President of Florida TaxWatch. "It is critical for our state leaders to start looking ahead now to prepare for lean times. Packing the budget with special interest projects now could very well mean cuts to vital programs in the near future. We are calling on Governor Jeb Bush to provide the necessary leadership and veto turkeys unless there is a compelling reason not to."

According to the Florida Constitution the only bill that has to pass each year is the budget. Florida TaxWatch began its annual "turkey hunt" in 1983, providing the Governor with a list of recommended budget vetoes.

As in previous years, it is important to note that the "budget turkey" label does not denote condemnation of a budget item's worthiness. The term merely suggests that with the state's vast and pressing needs, and limited resources, the question must be asked, "Is this the best use of Floridians' state tax dollars?"

This and previous Turkey Watch reports are not attempts to record only government waste or inefficiency. While in some cases that may be a factor, this year's report offers an independent assessment about the honesty, integrity and public review of the state's $48.3 billion 2001-2002 budget. Florida TaxWatch points out without an appropriate review process there is no fiscal integrity and accountability to citizens' hard-earned tax dollars.

One of the most important arguments for stopping turkeys is to protect the many urgently needed state services that the funds spent on turkeys would otherwise purchase. The $288.3 million, now appropriated for budget turkeys, could be used for:

A merit increase of $500 for the state's top 25% teachers ($18.6 million) Hire 10,000 new teachers ($263 million) $120 in additional funding for each K-12 student Double the number of children being fed in subsidized daycare ($71 million) Fully serve the 170-thousand Healthy Start clients ($25.5 million) Add 50,000 elderly persons to community care for the elderly ($133 million) Provide a general tax reduction of $46 per household