WELL EARLIER THIS WEEK, AT THE START OF THE 2019 LEGISTLATIVE SESSSION,
FLORIDA GOVERNOR RON DESANTIS GAVE HIS
FIRST STATE OF THE STATE ADDRESS SINCE BEING SWORN IN IN JANUARY.
THE GOVERNOR TOUTED THE ACCOMPLISHEMENTS OF HIS ADMINISTRATION THUS FAR INCLUDING
SUSPENDING BROWARD SHERIFF SCOTT ISRAEL
AND REQUESTING THE RESIGNATION OF EVERY MEMBER OF THE FLORIDA WATER
MANAGEMENT DISTRICT.
GOVERNOR DESANTIS ALSO URGED LAWMAKERS TO
WORK TOGETHER AS HE PUSHES FOR MORE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTIONS,
LOWER TAXES, BIG CHANGES IN EDUCATION AND MAKING
SCHOOLS SAFER.
WE ARE REPOSITIONING OUR WATER POLICY BY, TO MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR
CITIZENS BY AMONG OTHER THINGS EXPEDITING KEY
PROJECTS LIKE THE EAA RESOVOIR AND RAISING THE
TAMIAMI TRAIL.
ESTABLISHING A BLUE/GREEN ALGAE TASK FORCE TO DEVELOP POLICIES TO FIGHT ALGAE BLOOMS,
FIGHT RED TIDE AND
IMPROVE WATER QUALITY.
AND APPOINTING A CHIEF SCIENCE OFFICER TO BETTER HARNESS SCIENTIFIC DATA
AND RESEARCH IN SERVICE OF
FLORIDA’S MOST PRESSING ENVIRONMENTAL NEEDS.
I’VE ALSO REQUESTED $2.5 BILLION OVER THE NEXT 4 YEARS FOR WATER
RESOURCES PROJECTS AND FOR EVERGLADES RESTORATION.
WE WILL ALWAYS REMAIN A LOW TAX STATE AND WE WILL NEVER HAVE AN INCOME TAX
HERE IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA.
I PROPOSE MORE THAN $330 MILLION IN TAX RELIEF FOR FLORIDA FAMILIES, INCLUDING
PROPERTY TAX RELIEF.
I THINK WE HAVE TO KEEP THIS ECONOMIC
MOMENTUM GOING.
FOR YEARS I’VE HEARD FROM PARENTS AND
TEACHERS ABOUT THE PROBLEMS WITH THE SYSTEMLS OF STANDARDS, TESTING
AND CURRICULUM MODELED AFTER COMMON CORE.
PARENTS HAVE BEEN FRUSTRATED NOT BEING ABLE TO HELP THEIR KIDS
WITH BASIC MATH PROBLEMS.
I HAVE INSTRUCTED COMMISIONER CORCHORAN TO
SPEND THE REST OF THE YEAR ENGAGED IN CONSULTATION
WITH PARENTS, TEACHERS, SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS, AND EMPLOYERS
SO REPLACE COMMON CORE WITH HIGH QUALITY CURRICULUM,
STREAMLINE TESTING AND A NEW EMPHASIS ON AMERICAN
CIVICS.
I WANT FLORIDIANS TO BE ABLE TO PURCHASE PRESCRIPTION DRUGS FROM
CANADA AT LOWER PRICES.
THERE IS AN AVENUE UNDER EXISTING FEDERAL LAW TO DO THIS.
THE PRESIDENT AND I HAVE DISCUSSED THIS, HE IS SUPPORTIVE
OF THIS EFFORT AND HE’S ASKED ME TO PLOW AHEAD WHICH WILL
REQUIRE NAVIGATING AN INSTITUTIONALY HOSTILE BUREAUCRACY AS WE ALL
KNOW.
BUT I THINK ITS WORTH THE EFFORT
THIS COULD SAVE MONEY FOR INDIVIDUALS , REDUCE COST
FOR BUSINESSES AND RELIEVE PRESSURE ON OUR STATE BUDGET.
LAST YEAR AT THIS TIME THE STATE WAS REELING FROM THE
MASSACRE AT MARJORY STONEMAN DOUGLAS HIGH SCHOOL.
NOW OUT OF THAT TRAGEDY GREW THE MSD COMMISSION WHICH EARLIER THIS YEAR
OUTLINED A SERIES OF RECOMMENDATIONS TO IMPROVE SECURITY
AT FLORIDA SCHOOLS.
I SUPPORT THE RECOMMENDATIONS AND I ASK THAT YOU ENACT THEM
INTO LAW.
JOINING ME KNOW TO SHARE MORE ON THE BIG ISSUES FACING
LAWMAKERS THIS SESSION IS SEAN FORMAN , CHAIR OF DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY AND POLITICAL
SCIENCE AT BARRY UNIVERISTY AND KATHERINE DEPALO UNIVERSITY INSTRUCTOR
AT THE DEPARTMENT OF POLITICS AND INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AT FLORIDA
INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY.
FROM GUNS TO MARIJUANA TO SUSPENDED SHERIFF SCOTT
ISRAEL, A LOT OF CONTROVERSIAL TOPICS.
WHAT I FOUND INTERESTING IS THE GOVERNOR IN HIS STATE OF
THE STATE ADDRESS STARTED WITH THE ENVIRONMENT AND WATER
QUALITY, SURPRISING TO YOU?
IT'S NOT SURPRISING IF WE SEE THAT'S ONE OF THE BIG ISSUES
FOR FLORIDA WE SEE YEARLY.
DURING THE CAMPAIGN HE SPOKE ABOUT WATER.
I BELIEVE ALL OF THE CANDIDATES DID.
WE WANTED TO KEEP THE COASTLINES CLEAN AND TOURISTS
COMING TO FLORIDA.
DESANTIS DIDN'T TAKE MONEY FROM THE BIG SUGAR INDUSTRY DURING THE CAMPAIGN
AND THAT WAS AN ASSET FOR HIM THAT GIVES HIM A LARGER VOICE HERE.
BUT A LOF OF THAT DIDN'T SOUND LIKE YOUR TYPICAL CONSERVATIVE
REPUBLICAN.
THERE ARE PROGRESSIVE IDEAS TO USE GOVERNMENT TO ACCOMPLISH
GOALS AND THAT MIGHT RUN INTO CONFLICT WITH REPUBLICANS IN
THE LEGISLATURE.
WE HEARD HIM TALK ABOUT APPOINTING A CHIEF SCIENCE
OFFICER TO START A TASK FORCE TO LOOK AT THE
ALGAE BLOOMS, RED TIDE.
WOULD YOU SAY THAT ON THIS TOPIC FOLKS THAT
AREN'T REPUBLICAN WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE DONE AND SUPPORT
HIM ON THESE ISSUES.
I BELIEVE SO.
DEMOCRATS HAVE A LOT TO LIKE IN THE POLICY OF GOVERNOR
DESANTIS.
I THINK A LOF OF THIS IS A GENERATIONAL ISSUE.
AS A GEN XER HE'S VERY MUCH PRO-ENVIRONMENT.
HE’S GOING TO USE ALL OF HIS RESOURCES TOWARD THAT.
IN FLORIDA THIS IS AN EXTREMELY IMPORTANT ISSUE TO ALL VOTERS.
HE'S TALKING ABOUT INCREASING SPENDING ON THIS ISSUE BY $1
BILLION.
DO YOU THINK WE’LL SEE SOMETHING BOLD OUT OF THE
LEGISLATURE ON THIS WHOLE ISSUE OF WATER QUALITY.
THE GOVERNOR ASKED FOR MORE SPENDING IN SEVERAL AREAS.
HE SAID THAT WAS THE LONGEST SPEECH HE WOULD EVER GIVE.
PROBABLY THE LARGEST BUDGET INCREASE HE’LL EVER PROPOSE.
THIS YEAR IT'S 3 BILLION MORE THAN A PREVIOUS BUDGET.
MORE MONEY FOR WATER QUALITY AND EDUCATION, MORE MONEY FOR HEALTH
CARE.
THE ISSUE IS HOW WILL THE MONEY BE USED AND TWO TO THREE
BILLION DOLLARS FOR HURRICANE MICHAEL RELIEF EFFORTS IN THE
PANHANDLE THAT WILL BE FOLDED IN THERE.
WHEN GOVERNOR CHRIST ASKED FOR MORE MONEY FOR WATER HE DIDN'T
GET IT FROM THE LEGISLATURE.
PEOPLE REALIZED WE NEEDED TO FORCE ACCOUNTABILITY AND WE
GOT AN AMENDMENT TO SAY THE SPENDING SHOULD BE THERE.
THE GOVERNOR IS MAKING A BIG ASK.
HE PROBABLY WON'T GET ALL OF IT BUT HE’S TRYING TO PUSH US IN THAT
DIRECTION.
DO YOU THINK HE WILL GET A LOT OF SUPPORT.
FAIR TO SAY ON THE WEST COAST WE SAW THE IMAGES WHETHER IN
PERSON OR NOT THE FISH ON THE BEACHES AND IT WAS PAINFUL TO
A LOT OF BUSINESSES OUT THERE.
ABSOLUTELY, THE SOUTHWEST FLORIDA COAST WHICH IS HEAVILY
REPUBLICAN.
THIS IS SOMETHING HE HAD TO ADDRESS.
THIS IS HIS CORE CONSTITUENCY.
IT WASN'T SOMETHING HE COULD IGNORE.
YOU MENTIONED IT, THE BUDGET.
THE LARGEST EVER.
I KNOW DESANTIS TALKED ABOUT MAJOR TAX BREAK FOR FLORIDA
FAMILIES.
WERE SURPRISED BY THE SIZE OF THE BUDGET?
I WAS, IN PART BECAUSE RON DESANTIS CLAIMS TO BE A
SMALL GOVERNMENT CONSERVATIVE.
WE WOULDN'T EXPECT SOME OF THESE THINGS IN THERE.
ALSO COMING IN AS GOVERNOR THIS IS HIS CHANCE TO PUT A
STAMP ON THE STATE AND LEAD WITH SOME BIG PROJECTS IMPORTANT
TO HIM.
IT'S NOT AN ELECTION YEAR, 2019.
2020 WILL BE AROUND THE CORNER.
DESANITS IS TRYING TRYING TO FIND WAYS TO
RAISE POPULARITY AND MAKE REPUBLICANS LOOK BETTER IN
ANTICIPATION OF TRUMP REELECTION NEXT YEAR.
HE ASKED FOR A LOT OF MONEY BUT THE ISSUE IS HOW EXACTLY
WILL IT BE SPENT?
$91.3 BILLION.
WERE YOU SURPRISED BY THAT FIGURE?
I WAS.
AGAIN AS A CONSERVATIVE REPUBLICAN, RON DESANTIS
YOU WOULDN'T EXPECT HIM TO ASK FOR THAT MUCH MONEY, HE’S AT 64% APPROVAL
RIGHT NOW THIS IS HIS FIRST TERM IN OFFICE,
THIS IS WHEN YOU GO BOLD AS HE SAYS AND YOU REALLY PUSH FOR THESE
PROJECTS.
HE MIGHT NOT HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY AGAIN.
THE OTHER AREA FOR MORE SPENDING IS EDUCATION, AND EVERYBODY AGREES
THAT’S SOMETHING WE WANT.
THE ISSUE IS HOW THE SPENDING IS DONE.
THE GOVERNOR AND OTHER REPUBLICANS WANT TO USE
MORE STATE MONEY TO EXPAND CHARTER SCHOOLS, TO EXPAND OPTIONS
AND COMPETITION AND INCREASE THE VOUCHER PROGRAM.
A LOT OF THESE PROGRAMS WILL RUN INTO
OPPOSITION FROM DEMOCRATS IN THE LEGISLATURE AND FROM
TEACHERS UNION GROUPS.
HOW WE’RE SPENDING THIS MONEY IS HOW WE’RE GOING TO SEE THESE FIGHTS BREAK OUT
IN TALLAHASSEE OVER THESE NEXT FEW MONTHS.
DO YOU SEE HIM GETTING SUPPORT IN CHANGING THE
VOUCHER PROGRAM?
THERE IS WIDESPREAD SUPPORT AMONG REPUBLICANS FOR THE
TAX CREDIT SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM.
WHICH CURRENTLY HAS 100,000 STUDENTS STATEWIDE,
A NUMBER OF WHOM ARE MINORITY STUDENTS.
SO 14,000 ARE ON A WAITING LIST AND THAT'S WHAT THE GOVERNOR
WOULD LIKE TO FULLY FUND.
THE QUESTION NOW IS WERE WILL THE MONEY COME FROM?
WE ALREADY SEE SOME OF THAT RIFT WITHIN THE LEGISLATURE AND LEADERSHIP AS
TO HOW AND WHERE THE MONEY WILL COME FROM.
WE WILL ALSO HEAR DEBATE ABOUT EXPANDING THE GUARDIAN
PROGRAM AND ALLOWING TEACHERS OR TALKING ABOUT ALLOWING
TEACHERS TO HAVE GUNS.
IS THAT GOING TO GET SUPPORT?
LAST YEAR THEY DID PASS A BILL IN TALLAHASSEE IN THE
WAKE OF THE SHOOTING IN PARKLAND THAT INCREASED THE
AGE TO BUY CERTAIN GUNS AND ALSO INTRODUCED THE PROGRAM OF
GUARDIANSHIP.
EACH PUBLIC SCHOOL IN FLORIDA WOULD HAVE AN ARMED
PERSONNEL.
THEY DIDN'T PROVIDE THE FUNDING FOR LOCAL AREAS.
THEY HAD TO GET INNOVATIVE IN MIAMI DADE COUNTY WHAT THE
PUBLIC SCHOOLS DID MADE AGREEMENT WITH CITIES TO LEASE
OUT OFFICERS TO SOME SCHOOLS.
THEY DIDN'T FULLY FUND WHAT THEY DID LAST YEAR.
WHICH IS OFTEN A PROBLEM.
THAT’S RIGHT.
THE GOVERNOR WOULD LIKE TO HOLD THE LINE ON PROPERTY
TAXES AND INCREASE SPENDING ON EDUCATION.
THAT WILL PUT A BURDEN ON LOCAL TAXPAYERS TO MAKEUP THAT
FUNDING ON SCHOOLS.
THERE IS MOMENTUM TO PASS AN EXPANDED GUARDIANSHIP BILL TO
ALLOW TEACHERS THAT HAVE CONCEALED WEAPONS PERMITS TO
ENTER THIS PROGRAM AND HOLD GUNS BUT IT WILL BE VERY
CONTROVERSIAL.
THE COMMISSION THAT LOOKED INTO THE MSD SHOOTING SAID
THERE WAS A NEED TO HAVE TEACHERS ARMED.
DO YOU SEE IT HAPPENING?
I DO.
I THINKS IT’S A PRIORITY FOR GOVERNOR DESANTIS AND
HOUSE SPEAKER ALVA.
HE SPOKE ABOUT HOW THESE PROGRAMS WOULD BE EXTENSIVE
TRAINING FOR TEACHERS.
IT WOULDN'T BE THROWING A GUN AT SOMEONE AND GO.
THE NUMBER OF TEACHERS THAT MIGHT QUALIFY WILL BE LESS
THAN WE THINK THERE WILL BE.
ANOTHER THING IS COMPENSATION FOR THE VICTIMS
OF THE M.S.D.
STUDENTS.
IT IS.
THEY HAD A FUND AND COMMISSION TO DETERMINE THE
USE OF THE FUNDING.
WHETHER MORE FUNDING FOR FAMILIES IS THE PRIORITY RIGHT
NOW AS OPPOSED TO GREATER SCHOOL SECURITY AND
ACCOUNTABILITY FOR WHAT HAPPENED IN THAT INCIDENT
NEEDS TO BE ASSORTED OUT.
WE ALL KNOW SCOTT HAS ISRAEL HAS BEEN SUSPENDED FROM
HIS POSITION.
THAT CAN BE OVER TURNED BY THE SENATE AND IS THAT LIKELY?
THE SENATE WILL TAKE-UP THE APPEAL THAT ISRAEL IS
SEEKING.
HE’S SEEKING A RETURN TO HIS FORMER JOB.
I DON'T SEE THE SENATE, IT'S CONTROLLED BY REPUBLICANS,
DOING THAT.
A LOT OF THEM ARE KEEPING AN OPEN MIND, AS THEY HAVE SAID PUBLICLY.
NOW HE'S ALSO FORCING A LAWSUIT IN THE COURTS TO GET
HIS JOB BACK.
IT'S NOT OVER WHEN THE SENATE SPEAKS.
TAKING ANOTHER RIGHT TURN ON YOU.
HEALTHCARE, I WAS SURPRISED TO HEAR THIS, HE MENTIONED DRUGS
COMING FROM CANADA AND LOWERING PRESCRIPTION COSTS.
WAS THAT SURPRISING TO YOU?
IT WAS SURPRISING.
DESANTIS DOESN'T SOUND LIKE A TYPICAL REPUBLICAN.
HE’S GETTING HIGH POPULARTIY RIGHT NOW FOR THINGS HE DID
BEFORE HE GOT INTO OFFICE.
I'M SURE THINGS WILL CHANGEOVER THE NEXT FEW WEEKS
AS WE GET INTO THESE PARTISAN FIGHTS.
BUT THAT’S SOMETHING THEY THEY TOOK THE CUE FROM THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ON.
TRUMP SPOKE ABOUT THE SAME THING TO REDUCE THE COST OF
PRESCRIPTION DRUGS.
IF YOU WERE TO SAY WHAT TWO TOPICS WE WOULD HEAR MOST
DURING THIS SESSION, WHAT YOU WOULD SAY?
THE ENVIRONMENT AND EDUCATION.
HEALTHCARE IS THIRD.
THOSE THREE TOPICS IS WHAT THE LEGISLATION WILL TALK ABOUT.
HEALTHCARE IS HALF OF THE ENTIRE BUDGET WHICH IS
AMAZING.
WE HAVE NEVER EXPANDED MEDICAID COVERAGE IN THE
STATE.
47% OF THE STATE BUDGET GOES TO HEALTH PROGRAMS.
THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE WOULD LIKE TO RAISE COMPETITION TO
DRIVE DOWN COST AND MAKE THE MONEY GO FARTHER.
WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE YOU BACK AND LET US KNOW WHAT
HAPPENED.
WE'LL DIG IN MORE.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY.
WE HOPE TO HAVE YOU BACK SOON.
THANK YOU.
WHAT IS YOUR TAKE ON THE ISSUES LEGISLATURES
WILL TACKLE THIS SESSION?
WE WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM YOU.
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AND COMMUNITY EVENTS HAPPENING ACROSS SOUTH FLORIDA.