Charlie Crist Medicaid Veto

Governor Charlie Crist cites his reasons for vetoing the Medicaid bill.

However, this legislation also includes some alarming provisions: the elimation of consumer protections and provider accountablity for behavioral health services; the requirement that certain brand name drugs are used instead of even more cost-effective generic drugs; provider rate increases above and beyond the $218 million already given to providers in the 2007 session; and the delayed implementation of Medicaid reform.

Even more disturbing is the fact that many of these provider-driven provisions were not discussed in an open forum but were, instead, added to the billat the last minute without a proper hearing. Our representative democracy demands that legislation with impacts on the lives of Florida's most vulnerable citizens be debated in a deliberative and transparent forum.

Republicans keep pushing government to spend tax dollars on the most expensive drugs. Let's do away with this nonsense that the GOP is the fiscally consevative party.

List of Charlie Crist Vetoes

Governor Charlie Crist has vetoed $459 million in spending out of the budget. My personal favorite veto is the $1.5 million for the Tom Adams National Training Center for Rowing. To answer the question; yes, we are talking about boat rowing. The worst veto is $18 million for community and state college funds for Bright Futures Savings. The money is used to help pay tutition for many financially needy students. Crist made other education cuts in pilots programs for low performing schools. When people ask why Florida's education system sucks - they need no more than look at the budgets.

Cuts in the Tampa area.

1. $1 million - Tampa Bay Regional Transportation Authority
2. $200,000 - University of Tampa Forenic Program
3. $150,000 - School of Instructional Enhancement - Easter Seals Multiple Disablities Education - Tampa
4. $150,000 - Pinellas County Blueway Trail
5. $10,000 - Purple Heart Monument

Mark Lane notes that $2 million was vetoed on the Riverwalk project. I can't find it in the vetoes. Anyone have any idea of the name of the project?

Another choice veto is $12 million to make restorations on the a farmer's market.

The Miami Herald has posted all the line-item vetoes in Excel format.