The lobbyist for the City of Brooksville, Shawn Foster of Sunrise Consulting Group stated at their Council Meeting, “I’ve been doing this for 18 years and this was the most interesting session I think we’ve ever had.” Very few bills were actually passed due to a dispute between the House and Senate over medicaid expansion. The session was dismissed without passing a budget and the deadline to pass the budget is June 30th.
The Senate came out with a 76.2 billion dollar budget, and the house had a 4 billion dollar gap. The extra 4 billion dollars in the Senate’s budget includes the money put in for medicaid expansion and the low income pool. The House has adamantly said that they will not even consider passing medicaid expansion.
Low income pool is a medicaid waiver program and reimburses hospitals for care given to those who can’t pay the bill. The funding for the reimbursement comes from the federal government and must be periodically reauthorized by them.
In essence the funding for the Low Income Pool is being threatened by the federal government since the House does not want to pass medicaid expansion. They are adverse to passing medicaid expansion since funding for it is not guaranteed beyond two years and it will cost $5 billion over the next ten years. The funding uncertainty for the low income pool issue illustrates their point on medicaid expansion in which accepting dollars from the federal government results in the loss of autonomy.
Governor Rick Scott has since filed a lawsuit against the Department of Health and Human Services for withholding funds for the LIP program. Texas Governor Greg Abbott and Kansas Governor Sam Brownback have announced that they will be joining the suit since they have not yet expanded medicaid in their states and are facing the elimination of federal funding for programs similar to LIP.
Legislators will return to Tallahassee for a special session June 1st. It looks like they will pass a continuation budget in which they will continue funding at current levels.
One bill that did pass which could help Pasco and Hernando County has to do with sink holes. It would allow them to use the PACE program under the premise of a sinkhole.
Two projects have been submitted on behalf of the City of Brooksville:
1. Restoring embankments that have been damaged from erosion on the brook north and south of Liberty Street. The total project is $206,000, and the city is asking for $150,000 in funding.
2. Removing 5000 cubic yards of silt from the bottom of Horse Lake Creek which is a major stormwater drainage resource for Brooksville. Additionally they will reinforce an 8″ sewer pipe with concrete to prevent future damage. This is a $500,000 project in which the city is asking for 100% funding.
According to Mr. Foster, the chairman of the committee said he could approve the Horselake project if the city could put in $100,000. These projects will be brought up in June.
Mr. Foster also stated that Representative Ingoglia and Senator Simpson have helped out tremendously.