Latest news with #Driskell
Miami Herald
5 days ago
- Business
- Miami Herald
Florida lawmakers said this would be the year of affordability. What happened?
Florida's legislative leaders said this would be the year of affordability. They had plans to tackle the high costs of housing, property insurance and taxes. The House speaker wanted $5 billion in sales-tax relief. The governor proposed a plan to eliminate property taxes. The Senate president called for hundreds of millions of dollars in investment to spark a 'rural renaissance' in Florida. But in the end, their $115 billion budget mostly gave tax breaks to businesses. The sales-tax proposal never came to fruition. The Senate bill outlining a study on property-tax relief went nowhere. The Senate president's rural renaissance legislation was cut in negotiations. 'I'm not seeing any transformative policies that are going to improve the lives of Floridians,' House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell told reporters in the Capitol while the budget was being debated. 'In fact, by my estimation,' said Driskell, a Tampa Democrat, 'we're actually reducing affordable housing funding.' Driskell said 'Republican Party infighting' had dominated Florida politics this year, delaying progress. The legislative session was meant to be 60 days long. It ended, finally, after 11 pm on Monday — the 105th day of negotiating. The Republican civil war, as some have put it, began in January over immigration enforcement and continues to this day over Hope Florida, a program and charity spearheaded by the first lady intended to get low-income people off government aid. House Speaker Daniel Perez defended the budget to reporters, and how long it took to craft. 'It's easy to jump to the conclusion that simply because there's civil discourse, or there's difference of opinion, that all of a sudden, you're enemies,' said Perez, a Miami Republican. When asked why he cut the Senate president's rural renaissance project, he said: 'The House also cut the [proposal to reduce the] sales tax, and that was a priority of mine at the beginning.' Perez said the Legislature's decision to make disaster-relief sales-tax cuts year round and extend the back-to-school holiday over a full month were both a 'win' for consumers. And they will go into effect annually without a legislative vote, which is different from years past. 'We have officially planted our flag and said, 'This is important, and it's important enough to make it permanent,'' Perez said. 'I believe we batted 1,000.' 'Did we change our position along the way? Of course, for the better.' Lawmakers also eliminated the business-rent tax, which leaders from both parties said they hope would help small businesses. And they increased wages for state workers. Senate President Ben Albritton said he held up on one of his key initiatives: $50 million in the budget to address food insecurity, double last year's investment. 'It's not a handout, but a hand-up, especially for hungry children in Florida,' said Albritton. THE 'BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL' Hungry children in Florida could get hungrier if the 'big, beautiful bill' passes in Congress. Experts believe the legislation championed by Republican President Donald Trump would include deep financial cuts to government-sponsored food and healthcare programs. The cuts to food assistance are expected to affect nearly 3 million Floridians, the Miami Herald reported at the end of May. The cuts to Medicaid could be as much as $2 billion a year in Florida, the non-partisan health research group KFF reported this month. A Medicaid official told legislators on June 4 that the state Agency for Health Care Administration was 'preparing' for the cuts, but the agency has yet to release more details. Sen. Jay Trumbull, a Panama City Republican who oversees his chamber's health budget panel, said during floor discussions that there was nothing in the budget to deal with potential federal changes to the programs, because they didn't yet know what those changes would be. But it's clear Republicans are anticipating a softer economy going forward. One signal is that they set aside $200 million in additional money for Medicaid, anticipating more people will qualify for the government-funded health insurance, even with its strict financial requirements. They are also preparing to spend less, pay down more debt and increase reserves. 'We want to have a more robust rainy-day fund,' said Albritton, the Republican Senate president from Wauchula. 'How do we prepare Florida for a list of uncertainties?' Herald/Times reporter Lawrence Mower contributed to this report.
Yahoo
14-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Saving for a storm while it's already raining: Florida readies budget fund to offset federal cuts
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WFLA) — With growing signs of a financial squeeze from Washington, including potential cuts to Medicaid, SNAP, and FEMA, Florida lawmakers are preparing not just for state budget cuts but also for uncertainty in D.C. The state relies on federal dollars for nearly one-third of its budget and any disruptions from D.C. could have a ripple effect here on the state level. So, the question is, are lawmakers doing enough to protect Floridians from the unexpected?'I do not believe in raising taxes. We agree in the opposite. Cutting taxes, cutting spending, wasteful spending,' said House Speaker Danny Perez (R-Miami). 'What we're doing is, we are putting the state in a position that, god forbid, we are in a recession, we are in the 2000s all over again, we have a budget stabilization fund that would be able to backstop and protect Floridians from having to be in an uncomfortable position.' Senate and House leadership say they are leaning on the budget stabilization fund, the state's rainy day reserve, in case of a recession, rising costs, or federal pull-back. 'We're doing things to make Florida's balance sheet more durable and difficult times, and we're setting more money aside to have as rainy-day reserves if things get difficult, that's a win that's a win,' said Senate President Ben Albritton (R-Wauchula). But not everyone at the statehouse agrees that leadership's strategy is hitting the right mark.'You don't get to talk about saving money for a rainy day when it's still raining, when it's already raining on the people of Florida,' said State Rep. Fentrice Driskell (D-Tampa). House Minority Leader Driskell said we shouldn't be cutting funding, we should be expanding the budget. 'It seems to me there's a lot of hot air about this Budget Stabilization Fund. There's a lot of hot air about saving money for a rainy day. But guess what? You only get to do that after you've met all of your other obligations,' said Driskell. 'The question is, do I believe this budget prepares Florida for what could be coming out of the DOGE cuts or just the changes that come out of Washington, D.C? And I would say yes,' said Senate President Albritton. It's now day 102 of the 60-day session, and Budget Chairs have been working all week, racing to finalize the final spending plan, which is now expected for a Monday vote. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
14-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
‘We will kill you': Democrats, Republicans at odds over protest warning language
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — More than a dozen protests are planned in Tampa Bay over the weekend following a series of protests in Southern California. It's just a small fraction of the larger 'No Kings Day' demonstrations expressing their concerns about Trump Administration policies, specifically the way the president handles immigration enforcement. Florida has also become a state that is known for helping the Trump Administration manage ICE raids and deportations. Republican leaders, political and law enforcement, have issued stern warnings to protestors. Some of those warnings involved giving examples that could end in arrest or other deadly consequences. Apopka daughter asks for fair chance after parents detained, father deported Democrats are also giving advice to protestors, like Florida House Minority Leader Rep. Fentrice Driskell, of Hillsborough County. 'Keep your protests peaceful, do not be afraid to exercise your constitutional right, but just mind yourself, be aware of your surroundings,' Driskell said. Following protests in California and ahead of demonstrations across the state, some Republican officials took a more forceful approach after they said ICE agents and other law enforcement were threatened during protests in California. Gov. Ron DeSantis appeared on The Rubin Report conservative podcast this week. 'We also have a policy that if you're driving on one of those streets and a mob comes and surrounds your vehicle and threatens you, you have the right to flee for your safety. If you drive off and you hit one of these people, that's their fault for impinging on you,' DeSantis said. Brevard Sheriff Wayne Ivey issued a warning on Thursday about Florida being an 'anti-riot state' after lawmakers passed the Combating Public Disorder Act in 2021. 'If you throw a brick, a firebomb, or point a gun at one of our deputies, we will be notifying your families where to collect your remains at because we will kill you graveyard dead,' Ivey said. Driskell responded by saying this type of language is not about safety. 'All of the tough rhetoric is designed to scare people and keep them at home. It's meant to prevent people from exercising their constitutional rights and to distract from Republicans owned failed policies on immigration,' Driskell Attorney General James Uthmeier spoke at the same news conference as Ivey. The state's top law enforcement official said voters elected republicans to enforce laws and curb the number of migrants who are undocumented. 'The voters last November made loud and clear that we want to ensure law and order, we want to enforce against illegal immigration,' Uthmeier said. So far, social justice groups like the ACLU are not aware anyone has been charged under Florida's anti-riot law, which increased penalties for violent protestors and expanded the definition of a riot. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Controversial gun bill moves through Florida legislature following deadly FSU shooting
The Brief Several state lawmakers said now is the time to rethink a controversial gun bill that's moving through the legislature. It comes as students, staff and families continue grieving the victims of Florida State University's on-campus shooting. Supporters of the new bill said last month lowering the age limit to 18 is a matter of consistency and giving people the right to defend themselves. TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - As Florida State University students, staff and families grieve following a deadly on-campus shooting, several state lawmakers said now is the time to rethink a controversial gun bill that's moving through the legislature. The Florida House Democratic Caucus leaders held a virtual news conference on Monday, devoting a major portion of their remarks to the shooting at FSU. RELATED: Florida State resuming classes on Monday, days after tragic shooting on campus "There isn't a community in Florida that hasn't been impacted by gun violence," said Rep. Fentrice Driskell of Hillsborough County. The backstory The comments come after a gunman opened fire on FSU's campus, killing two people and wounding six others. Days before the shooting, a bill passed through the Florida House of Representatives that would lower the minimum age to purchase rifles and other long guns from 21 to 18 years old. Follow FOX 13 on YouTube Big picture view The bill would undo a bipartisan law passed after the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in 2018 that raised the minimum age to 21. Democratic leaders believe the law has helped reduce the number of shootings. "What we don't want to do is add fuel to the fire. What we don't want to do is try to exacerbate situations like what we just saw at Florida State," Driskell said. The other side Supporters of the new bill, however, said last month lowering the age limit to 18 is a matter of consistency and giving people the right to defend themselves. "We are either an adult at 18 or we're not. It's legitimately that simple. That's the basis of this argument," said Rep. Danny Alvarez, R-Hillsborough County. MORE: Lakeland student describes suspected FSU shooter "If you are treated as an adult to defend our country and to vote in our country, we must not infringe upon your constitutional rights," added Rep. Judson Sapp, R-Putnam County. What's next A related bill in the Florida Senate was proposed and would need to pass. At the moment, however, it has not been discussed in committees. The Source The information in this story was gathered by FOX 13's Aaron Mesmer. It also contains previous FOX 13 News reports on the shooting at Florida State University. WATCH FOX 13 NEWS: STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 13 TAMPA: Download the FOX Local app for your smart TV Download FOX Local mobile app:Apple |Android Download the FOX 13 News app for breaking news alerts, latest headlines Download the SkyTower Radar app Sign up for FOX 13's daily newsletter
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Writers bring us ‘something particularly humane,' says KY's next poet laureate
Kathleen Driskell chairs Spalding University's Naslund-Mann Graduate School of Writing in Louisville. (Spalding University photo) Kathleen Driskell of Oldham County will be Kentucky's new poet laureate, succeeding novelist and essayist Silas House. In naming Driskell Thursday, Gov. Andy Beshear said she has 'made a real impact on the commonwealth's rich literary community through her poetry and passion for teaching.' Driskell, the author of multiple books of poetry, has been honored with the Appalachian Review's Denny C. Plattner Award in Creative Nonfiction. She has received grants from the Kentucky Arts Council and the Kentucky Foundation for Women among other honors. Her published books include 'Goat-Footed Gods,' 'Blue Etiquette: Poems,' 'Next Door to the Dead' and 'Seed Across Snow.' She also serves as the chair of Spalding University's Naslund-Mann Graduate School of Writing in Louisville. Driskell will serve as the poet laureate from 2025-2026. A conversation with Silas House, Kentucky's new poet laureate 'All genres of art are important, but there's something particularly humane about the work writers bring us,' Driskell said in the Capitol rotunda Thursday. 'Language and creativity at the end are largely qualities that make us human. And so it's not surprising that for so many of us, when we find our writing lives, we find our authentic lives,' she said. 'We deepen our own ability to practice compassion, and we make lasting connections with our loved ones, our communities, and we carry our history forward.' House, who was appointed in 2023 and was the state's first openly gay poet laureate, held writing workshops throughout the state and created an oral history project, among other initiatives during his tenure. 'It has been such an honor to serve as poet laureate for the Commonwealth of Kentucky for the past two years,' House said. 'In that time, this work has made my love for the state only deepen. I've had the opportunity to meet so many who are doing their best to be great neighbors and to make our world a better place.' House, who was a rural mail carrier in his native Eastern Kentucky, is author of many articles and novels, including 'Clay's Quilt,' 'A Parchment of Leaves,' 'Eli the Good' and 'Lark Ascending.' 'My number one goal has always been to make more people aware how rich our literature is here in Kentucky, and to make writing instruction more accessible,' House said. Driskell will be inducted into House's current role on April 24 in the rotunda. Both she and House will hold readings during that event. 'We are fortunate to have her as a guiding voice,' Beshear said of Driskell, thanking her for 'encouraging future writers and supporting Kentuckians in pursuing their dreams right here in their new Kentucky home.' SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
