Florida's Governor, the hospital grifter Rick Scott said just yesterday: "In spite of this bleak budget picture, I am committed to increasing Florida's investment in the education of our young people." Yea, on this news the clouds parted, the lions lay down with lambs, you linked arms with your neighbor, belting out a haughty rendition of "We Shall Overcome," lit a candle, cursed the darkness, skipped through a field of fresh daisies, strummed an acoustic guitar around the campfire and hollered 'Kumbayah' in a land that's fair and bright, where the handouts grow on bushes, and you sleep out every night, the boxcars all are empty, and the sun shines every day...
Ah, but Big Rock Candy Mountain this is not, friends and neighbors. We are but groveling peons in Rick Scott's Florida, where you can serve the turkey and giblets with one hand, and offer a bird of another sort with the other. "...nobody wants their taxes to go up!"
And so it goes education. He might offer his resounding commitment to our youth on one day, but when it comes time for the rubber to hit the road, well, the great thing about numbers is, they don't lie. Unlike some people we could name.
The governor released his proposed budget today -- the one which will no doubt reflect his newfound commitment to the long-suffering children of the Sunshine State. As Grifter McGee might say, let's get to work!
Actually, it's pretty easy.
There are thirty-state agencies for which the Governor has offered up budgetary and staffing recommendations. Quick pop quiz: name the A.) number of those departments or agencies which the governor recommended staffing up more; B.) name those departments/agencies, and C.) guess the number by which the staff will increase under the caring gaze of the Grifter.
Alright, you lose. The answer to A and C is one. One department, one staff increase.
The department lucky enough to increase staffing in these dramatically austere times here in Florida?
Says here, "Executive Office of the Governor."
Riiiiiick!!! [sad trombone]
On to round two.
One of those deparments is the Florida Department of Education (losing more than 122 positions on the Governor's recommendation). Well, maybe they're losing positions, but surely Governor Scott is increasing their budget! I mean, this is what he said.
"...I am committed to increasing Florida's investment in the education of our young people."
There it is! In black and white, plain as day. No mistaking his intent, right?
So just how much is the guv recommending we increase the Department of Education?
Ah. I see here he is recommending a decrease of $343,602,509. Well, isn't that a fine and dandy kick in the nards?
That is early learning programs, pre-kindergarten, student financial aid, workforce education, and much more. Hell, why not reduce workforce education by nearly 9.5 million dollars? Let's get to work! Let's just do it real, real stupid.
Hey, I get it: state budgets are hard, and when you're looking at a budget gap, as we are here in Florida, it's even tougher. And when you're a schmuck who won't even consider raising taxes in the state which ranks as the fifth lowest tax burden in the nation, then you've got to take money from somewhere else to fill the holes.
Where should he take money from? I don't know. I'm not a budget expert, and I'm not the hospital grifter governor. But if it were me, I might start with that extra 2.5 million dollars he's asking for for his own office.
The grift continues...
Comments