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The state’s Chief Financial Officer says 160 thousand people could have their homes strengthened if state lawmakers allow the use of 5 million dollars in the My Safe Home program.

The money is in the bank, but needs legislative approval to be spent. The cash would make five thousand dollar matching grants available to hurricane proof homes. Senate Sponsor Garrett Richter of Naples says it is a win-win situation.

“My Safe Florida Home is a twofer. It’s a twofer out there, it reduces losses by hardening your homes and it promotes employment in Florida,” Richter said. “And folks, that’s a real key component. Every little thing we can do, every little thing we can do this session to promote employment in Florida. We’ve got to put Floridians back to work.”

A study shows every dollar spent making a home more hurricane proof saves the state a dollar fifty in damage claims. So far, more than 4 hundred thousand people have had their homes inspected.

Florida’s Commissioner of Agriculture Charles Bronson plans to run for governor in 2010, if current Governor Charlie Crist steps aside.

Hear it Here: Bronson for Gov?

If Bronson runs he may be up against some familiar foes. Attorney General Bill McCollum and Florida’s Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink are both considering running for governor. Still, all three State Cabinet members are waiting to see what Crist decides. Crist hasn’t ruled out running for US Senate. He told reporters he’ll wait until the end of session to make a decision about his political future.

New numbers show expanded gambling on Indian reservations may not be as lucrative as some in the state capitol have hoped. The House would limit gaming. The Senate would expand it, and the Governor wants the deal he cut last year. As Whitney Ray tells us, the differences may make it hard for lawmakers to reach a deal by the end of the session.

The House, the Senate and the Governor are showing their cards and all three have different plans to expand gambling at Seminole casinos. After a week of backing the Senate’s proposal Governor Charlie Crist changed his bet.

“We’re talking about the original compact and I think that’s what the tribe is interested in,” Crist said Friday

The House passed a scaled down version of the compact… limiting the expansion to Vegas Style slots.

“Any of these changes are going to be slow coming,” said House Gaming Chairman Bill Galvano.

The Senate’s version allows the tribe to expand gaming to Craps and Roulette… which would raise millions more than the other proposals. Senator Jim King said the Governor and the House are putting on their poker-faces.

“Some of it’s posture, and some of it is posture that has to take place,” said Senator King.

King said the three billion dollar state budget shortfall will force a comprise.

The Tribe is already operating games approved in the original compact and setting money aside for the state. 288 million dollars is in an escrow account until a deal is reached.

Governor Charlie Crist says if lawmakers don’t act soon the federal government will allow the tribe to play the games and the state will miss out on millions. Of course what ever the state decided is just the first step. The Seminole tribe will still have to sign off on the state deal.

Care for seniors in nursing homes could get worse if the state follows through on proposed spending cuts.

The Senates plan chops 81 million dollars from Medicaid Programs that help fund nursing homes. Senior advocates and nursing home workers gathered at the state Capitol to ask to ask lawmaker to leave their funding alone. Chairwoman of the Florida Health Care Association Deborah Franklin said the cuts will result in less care for patients.

“Two-thirds of our cost pay for staff and salaries. If the legislature approves Medicaid funding cuts nursing homes may be forced to lay off thousand of workers that provide quality of life service to our residents,” said Franklin.

The group is also asking lawmakers to make sure federal stimulus dollars earmarked for health care programs isn’t used on other parts of the budget.

Senate Democrats are attempting to derail plans to build a 61 mile commuter rail in Central Florida.

Sunrail would cost the state 641 million dollars. Democrats say the money would be better spent on shovel ready road projects. Senate Minority Leader Al Lawson says spending money on the Sunrail wouldn’t help lift the state out of the economic downturn.

“I think its very bad when we have one of the worse down turn in the economy since the Great Depression, and for us to be putting 641 million in the railroad that is not going to operate cost effective anyway, is going to be maybe 20 years and it don’t even break even,” said Lawson.

Opponents of Sunrail argue that building the rail and maintaining the track would create jobs.

The state’s land purchasing program Florida Forever could be scaled back by lawmakers looking for ways to fill a 3 billion dollar budget gap. A poll released today claims 67 percent of Floridians want lawmakers to leave the program alone. The poll was conducted by the Trust for Public Land and the Florida Forever Coalition. Jim Karels Director of the Division of Forestry said the land buying program will benefit Floridians for generation to come.

“I feel that our grandchildren and their grandchildren are going to come back, they’re going to look at this program and they are going to say in an urban state in 20 and 30 and 50 years from now, ‘the Florida Legislature, the citizens of Florida they were really farsighted they looked out and they said this is the way we preserve a beautiful state,” said Karels.

Since 2006, the state has purchased more than half a million acres through the Florida Forever program.

If Citizens is your insurance company your rates are about to go up. A House Committee today approved raising Citizens rates as well as reducing the states Catastrophe fund. As Whitney Ray tells us, the plan could drive everyone’s insurance premiums up slightly.

Insurance and business representatives pleaded with lawmakers Friday to reduce the state’s hurricane risk.

“We’re looking at the potential bankruptcy of the state of Florida,” said Barney Bishop, the President of the Association Industries of Florida.

The state has taken on too much risk through Citizens Property Insurance. Lawmakers approved legislation allowing a Citizens rate freeze to expire and capping yearly increases at 10 percent. The plan is to slowly force policyholder out.

“We have to just take it incrementally, slowly and just positive steps,” said Alan Hays.

Florida is in the business of providing backup insurance for private companies. The legislation would scale back the coverage, which could drive up rates.

The legislation would allow insurance companies to raise rates 10 percent a year without seeking state approval.

The Office of Insurance Regulation will go along with what ever lawmakers decide. OIR Spokesman Ed Domansky says he just hopes prices remain affordable.

“Whether a ten percent or a five percent is appropriate the key is what could consumers feel comfortable about paying,” said Domansky.

If no changes are made and a major storm hits all Floridians will be paying more. The legislation would also offers more incentives for people to strengthen their homes against hurricanes.

The House voted on a scaled back version of the Seminole Gaming Compact Friday.

Their plan would limit the tribe’s expansion to Vegas style slots only. The Seminoles already offer slots and Blackjack. The Senate’s version would allow the tribe to expand beyond those games. Despite the drastic differences House Committee Chairman Bill Galvano said he thinks the two chambers can reach an agreement.

“I’ve been in this process seven years now and I’ve seen us further apart on issues and able to come together. If we didn’t there was that opportunity we wouldn’t have had this meeting this morning,” said Galvano.

Representative Alan Hays was the only member of the 20 person committee to vote against the deal.

“I would like to see something in this bill that will have the Indians agreeing with us that they will help offset the negative impact on the state from the cannibalizations on our existing industries,” said Hays.

Hays says allowing the Seminoles to expand gambling, without offering other casino owners the changes, could put those casinos out of business.

Less than an hour after the House approved its version of the gaming deal, Governor Charlie Crist renewed his call for the original compact.

Crist has been boasting the Senate’s version all week but he changed his tune today. Crist was joined by the Seminole Tribe to tell lawmakers he wants them to approve his original plan. The state Supreme Court overturned the governor’s compact in July because it lacked legislative approval.

“Because of the court ruling we are appealing to the members of the House and the Senate to approve the opportunity to have a compact with the tribe and to me the obvious point is that we will have more money for education if that is done and if it is not done we will not,” said Crist.

Education Leaders were also on hand for the announcement. They want to make sure money from the Seminole deal will be used to fund education.

Governor Charlie Crist is asking the Environmental Protection Agency to test thousands of homes in Florida built with Chinese Drywall. The drywall contains high levels of sulfur and has reportedly caused breathing problems for dozens of Floridians. Crist sent a letter to the EPA after Florida Congressman Robert Wexler asked the governor to declare a state of emergency.

“I’m not considering the state of emergency yet. I’m sending a letter today to the Environmental Protection Agency to conduct testing to give us a more determinative result to what the situation is first,” said Crist.

Chinese Drywall is most commonly found in homes built between 2004 and 2007. Homes built with the toxic material often have a rotten egg smell to them.

State lawmakers are taking the first steps to reduce the cost of Bright Futures Scholarships to the state. Legislation requiring universities to refund some bright future money if a student drops a class too late is causing concern. The bill could generate millions for the state, but as Whitney Ray tells us, it could lead to a not so bright future for some students.

Florida could cut the cost of the bright futures scholarship program by as much as 50 million dollars a year. The plan is to get money back from bright futures students who drop classes too late.

“If they are already going to school on the Florida taxpayers dollars they should be taking it seriously not just taking it and dropping it so they are just wasting when it could have go to some else who needed,” said Ryan Lojacono.

But not all students agree. Students fear passing the legislation could create a slippery slope that would drastically changes bright futures. State Senator Frederica Wilson says the legislature should leave bright futures alone.

“What we can do now to benefit children who are in the program is try to maintain them while the state looks at other means of raising revenue,” said Wilson.

Governor Charlie Crist spoke with the bill sponsor and says the legislation would help students graduate on time.

“He assured me that he thought it was very good legislation and it would end up helping higher education and students and their opportunity to get their degree more rapidly,” said Crist.

If changes to the scholarship program don’t stop with the latest proposal the future of some students may not be so bright.

The bill would also require Bright Futures students to complete 24 credit hours a year. Students who don’t meet the credit requirements would have their scholarships taken away for a year.

The waiting continues for the governor and lawmakers wanting to find out if Washington will send an extra 2.7 billion dollars for education.

Florida has to apply for the money but the application may not be ready for another two weeks. Governor Charlie Crist met with agencies heads from several state departments this afternoon to discuss the best way to spend the 13 billion stimulus dollars. Governor Charlie Crist said lawmakers should prepare a budget that banks on the state receiving the extra money.

“I think they can plan to be optimistic and incorporate those funds for education. Every indicator we have gotten so far seems to be in line with the fact that we’ll probably get it. I’m just anxious for that to actually happen,” said Crist.

Of the 13 million dollars the state is expecting two billion will go to county health clinics. The money is expected to create 300.

Governor Charlie Crist is asking a taskforce charged with helping autistic children to keep working.

Crist was joined by Hall of Fame Quarterback Dan Marino at the state capitol to sign an executive order extending the Taskforce on Autism Spectrum Disorder until 2011. Marino’s son was diagnosed with autism 18 years ago. Marino said he felt overwhelmed at the time.

“We didn’t really know where to turn and to think of today you know 18 years later, the awareness, the millions of people around the world today are representing autism and all the good things about helping children with developmental disabilities is pretty special,” said Marino.

Last year Marino joined Governor Crist is supporting legislation requiring insurance companies increase coverage for autistic kids.

Realtors and homebuilders say stimulus dollars for home buyers aren’t moving fast enough. They’re asking the state to offer cash advances for people who qualify for a home buyers’ tax credit. As Whitney Ray tells us, the state would loan money to buyers, then the buyers would send their tax credit to the state.

People who buy a home before December 1st are eligible for an 8-thousand dollar tax credit. The credit is part of a federal plan to save the housing market. But Florida Home Builders say it’s not moving homes fast enough.

“The dilemma with it is that it can’t be used for down payment because the individual doesn’t claim it until their next tax return is filed,” said Doug Buck, the director of government affairs for the Florida Home Builders Association.

Florida homebuilders and realtors are calling on the state to front the money to home buyers. The buyers would use the cash for a down payment, then forward their tax credits to the state, but giving cash advances to people who can’t afford a down payment could lead to more foreclosures.

The Florida Association of Realtors say since banks are reluctant to lend money, advancing the cash is the best way to help families buy.

“This would only be available to people who have already qualified for that tax credit and they’re going to be getting the money in a couple of months so we’re just offering them a short term loan basically,” said John Sebree with the Florida Association of Realtors.

Governor Charlie Crist is considering the plan.

“Hopefully we’ll have some good news to share with the Homebuilders,” said Crist.

If the state creates a money pool for cash advances, experts say as many as 12,000 more homes could sell this year. The latest numbers from the Florida Homebuilders Association show sales have risen 20 percent from a year ago. Realtors attribute the spike to falling home prices. The median price of a home in Florida is now 140,000 dollars.

Florida ranks among the lowest in the country for high school graduation, family support programs and access to health care for children.

Child advocates are launching a statewide campaign called ‘Worst to First’ to promote change. They’re asking lawmakers to find funding for education and children’s health care programs. President of the Lawton Chiles foundation Bud Chiles said state leaders have failed children.

“We reject those who with empty words would try to continue to lull us into complacency, to divide us with crumbs from the political table and we reject those who care so much about their political popularity that they would preserve it at the expense of our kids,” said Chiles.

The group set up a website to track where the state ranks in child service programs and education. The site will be used as a networking tool for child advocacy groups to share information. The address is www.worsttofirst.org.