The 2012 Legislative Session: Who are South Florida''s winners, losers?

TALLAHASSEE ?

? Florida lawmakers have ended their 60-day legislative session after slashing budgets for universities, boosting spending on public schools and approving reforms they hope will reduce auto insurance rates.

For South Florida, there were lots of both wins and losses.

"The universities and the college students are probably the losers here," said Senate Democratic Leader Nan Rich, D-Sunrise. "They've lost the most."

Indeed, higher education statewide was hit with a $300-million funding cut, which will force Florida's public universities to dip into reserves and likely raise tuition rates by 15 percent. By itself, Florida Atlantic University was subjected to a $24.8 million cut in funding.

But universities weren't the only ones to see their budgets slashed, with hospitals and nursing homes across Florida also being administered a combined $350 million reduction in state money. And court clerks in Broward, Palm Beach and the state's other counties are facing a 7 percent drop in funding, which will result in more than 900 layoffs.

Here are some of South Florida's biggest winners and losers as a result of the recent decisions taken in Tallahassee:

WINNERS

Public Schools

Florida's public schools saw an overall funding increase of $843.9 million, boosting average per-student spending from $6,224 to $6,375 ? a 2.4 percent increase.

For Broward schools, that means $63 million more than the current year. Palm Beach County schools will get an additional $37.6 million.

But the increase isn't enough to offset the $1.35 billion that lawmakers cut last year. That reduced per-student funding by $585 in the 2011-2012 school year.

Andy Ford, president of the Florida Education Association, said that statewide, the infusion of new money simply isn't enough. "In fact, we can expect more students in classrooms, more layoffs and more cuts to programs with this budget," he said.

Riviera Beach

Most Broward and Palm Beach state legislators are Democrats, meaning they usually get passed over by the Republican super-majority when "community projects" are put in the budget. But Riviera Beach got one of the area's few earmarks: $500,000 for economic development projects.

Drivers/ Insurers

Lawmakers on the session's final night signed off on a watered-down revamp of personal injury protection insurance, a top priority for Gov. Rick Scott and Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater. It requires accident victims to seek medical treatment within 14 days ? preferably at a hospital emergency room ? while banning payments to massage therapists and acupuncturists and creating an organization to fight PIP fraud.

It also requires insurers to reduce their PIP coverage rates 10 percent by next October, or provide justification to the Office of Insurance Regulation for why not.

With South Florida drivers paying some of the highest PIP rates in the state, drivers could save some money.

"The whole goal of PIP reform is No. 1 to eliminate fraud, but no. 2 equally to reduce rates," said Sen. Joe Negron, R-Stuart, the Senate architect of the plan.

Pari-mutuel facilities

Source: http://www.sun-sentinel.com/fl-legislature-what-did-it-mean-for-south-florida-20120310,0,4659886.story?track=rss

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