Raises On The Way For Escambia Teachers, School Employees
April 12, 2013
The Escambia County School District’s 6,000 employees could soon see a little something extra in their paychecks.
The school district and the union have agreed 0n a 2-percent raise for employees, retroactive to July 1, 2012. The raises will cost the district about $3.5 million.
Before paychecks are increased, the raises must first be approved by the Escambia County School Board.
House Offers Targeted Health Plan, Rejects Federal Money
April 12, 2013
After weeks of criticizing a potential expansion of the Medicaid program, House Republican leaders Thursday released an alternative plan that would provide $2,000 health-care subsidies to targeted groups of low-income parents and people with disabilities.
The plan would reject tens of billions of dollars in federal money that would be available during the next decade to expand Medicaid eligibility under the federal Affordable Care Act. It would take what a key architect, Rep. Richard Corcoran, R-Land O’ Lakes, described as a “free market” approach to offer health services to low-income people.
“The Florida House has developed a plan that will fit the needs of Florida, not the requirements of Washington,” House Speaker Will Weatherford, R-Wesley Chapel, said in a prepared statement.
But Gov. Rick Scott quickly raised doubts about the plan because it would rely on state money and not tap into funds available through the Affordable Care Act, sometimes called Obamacare. Scott in February announced support for the Medicaid expansion and also has backed a Senate alternative that would use federal money to help low-income people buy private insurance.
“The House’s plan will cost Florida taxpayers on top of what they are already taxed under the president’s new health-care law,” Scott said in a statement. “This would be a double-hit to state taxpayers.”
The plan’s release sets the stage for the House and Senate to try to reach agreement in the coming weeks about trying to expand health coverage for low-income Floridians. Republican leaders in both chambers have rejected expanding Medicaid as intended under the Affordable Care Act, but the Senate is considering two alternatives that differ from the House plan.
Under the plan dubbed “Florida Health Choices Plus,” House Republican leaders would offer the subsidies to low-income parents and people with disabilities who are eligible for the federal Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program. The plan would only be open to people who have household incomes at or below 100 percent of the federal poverty level — a maximum household income of $19,530 for a family of three.
People who enroll in Florida Health Choices Plus would be required to pay $25 a month and meet work requirements. Materials released by the House indicate, for example, that enrollees could use the subsidies to help buy high-deductible, catastrophic insurance coverage.
Florida Health Choices Plus would start in April 2014 and, according to the House, would enroll an estimated 116,000 people a year. The vast majority of those enrollees would qualify because they are parents, not because they are eligible for Supplemental Security Income, according to House materials.
The subsidies would cost the state an estimated $237 million a year, though the amount in the upcoming 2013-14 fiscal year would be only $12 million because of the April 2014 start date. The House wants the Florida Health Choices program — a long-planned state health marketplace — to run Florida Health Choices Plus.
The plan, however, likely will face opposition from Democrats and other groups that have backed expanding Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. Such a Medicaid expansion would cover hundreds of thousands of more Floridians than the House plan and also would guarantee more-complete coverage.
House Minority Leader Perry Thurston, D-Fort Lauderdale, released a statement Thursday describing the House plan as a “bare-bones health coverage plan.” But he also said he recognizes that it is “at least a minimal attempt toward achieving a legislative compromise on the important topic of health coverage for Floridians.”
The Affordable Care Act calls for expanding Medicaid to people whose incomes are up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level. Also it says the federal government would pay all of the expansion costs for the first three years and gradually reduce its share to 90 percent in 2020. That would lead to Washington spending more than $50 billion in Florida over 10 years.
House Republican leaders have repeatedly raised questions about whether the state could rely on the federal money in the future and have said they fear Florida would get stuck picking up large part of the tab for expanding Medicaid.
The House proposal would rely on another part of the Affordable Care Act as a way for people whose incomes are between 100 percent and 138 percent of the poverty level to get coverage. That part of the law will offer subsidies to people to buy coverage through a health-insurance “exchange,” a type of online marketplace.
Under the House proposal, the $2,000 subsidies would go into accounts, known as CARE accounts that would be administered by Florida Health Choices. Enrollees could use the money to buy coverage and health services.
The Senate proposal that Scott has backed was proposed by Senate Appropriations Chairman Joe Negron, R-Stuart. It would rely on federal money to help people up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level get insurance.
The House proposal, in some ways, is similar to another proposal released by Senate Health Policy Chairman Aaron Bean, R-Fernandina Beach. Both would reject federal money and target uninsured people with incomes at or below 100 percent of the federal poverty level.
House Republicans and Bean also agree they do not want to create an “entitlement” program and would rely on the Florida Health Choices program as a key vehicle. They even propose similar program names, with Bean calling his the “Health Choice Plus Program.”
But Bean’s proposal would offer smaller amounts of money to more people than the House would.
By The News Service of Florida
Senate Looking At Taxing Online Sales In Florida
April 12, 2013
Internet retailers would have to collect sales tax when Florida residents make online purchases and remit the money to the state under a bill that cleared a Senate committee Thursday.
The measure would offset the increased revenue brought in by the measure by lowering other taxes, including offering a sales tax holiday for shoppers at brick and mortar stores. The “revenue neutral” offset provision helps Republican backers of the idea avoid any notion that the proposal is a tax increase, although they also claim that the bill simply modernizes the tax laws to require collection of money that should have been flowing into state coffers all along.
In addition to offsetting new revenue through what would surely be a popular break from the sales tax, the bill (SB 316) also would lower the communications services tax rate. That tax is charged on things like telephone service, and cable and satellite TV. Bill sponsor Sen. Nancy Detert said Florida residents would notice their home Internet service would be cheaper, offsetting the additional cost of items purchased through that Internet connection.
Online retailers like Amazon don’t collect sales taxes on Florida purchases, even though Florida lawmakers say that technically, the purchases should be subject to the state’s 6 percent sales and use tax.
“It’s something that we should have been collecting and haven’t,” said Detert, R-Venice.
The bill is strongly supported by physical retailers who rely on non-Internet sales, who have claimed for years they’re at a disadvantage because buyers would rather purchase items online to save sales tax.
“This bill helps to support the bricks and mortar stores in our state,” said Detert. “We’re helping small business and we’re helping with a tax refund to consumers.”
The bill passed 10-1 in the Senate Finance and Tax Subcommittee, with the lone no vote coming from the panel’s chairwoman Sen. Dorothy Hukill, R-Port Orange.
While voting for it, Sen. Jeff Clemens, D-Lake Worth, questioned why lawmakers were insistent on offsetting the new revenue with other tax cuts.
“This is money we’re already due, so it shouldn’t have to have an offset,” Clemens said.
But legislation that could be interpreted as raising taxes has never played well in the GOP-dominated Legislature and Gov. Rick Scott has begun a re-election campaign and is expected to be cool to anything opponents might portray as a tax increase.
“We’re doing a tax shift,” insisted Detert.
By The News Service of Florida
Rudd Accepts Air Force Academy Appointment
April 12, 2013
Robert Rudd, a senior at Pine Forest High School and Cadet Commander of the school’s NJROTC battalion, has officially accepted his appointment to the United States Air Force Academy for the incoming class of 2017.
Rudd was joined by his family, NJROTC instructors and cadets, PFHS administration and staff. Rudd is also the Cadet Commander of the Collin B. Haines Civil Air Patrol squadron out of NAS Whiting Field and several members also attended the ceremony
He will report to the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado, June 25th to begin his training. Following graduation from the Academy, he will be commissioned as a second lieutenant.
Senator Marco Rubio nominated Rudd for this highly competitive appointment. Of the 12,000 plus applications received, approximately 1,200 offers of appointment were extended. The value of an Air Force Academy education is calculated to be approximately equal to a $414,000 scholarship.
Rudd also had offers from Auburn University, University of Kentucky, University of South Florida, Army ROTC and Air Force ROTC.
The ARGOS Take First In Destin Tournament
April 12, 2013
The 11-year old travel ball team “The ARGOS” took home first place in the recent USSSA tournament held in Destin. The team went undefeated in the two-day tournament. Team members are (top row, L-R) Trevor Norton, Cameron Bailey, TJ McCants, Chase Barcus, Sam Shackle, (bottom row) Cole Mullins, John Pinette, Jacob Bryant, Christian Munoz and Nathan Brewton. Coaches are Mike Norton, Levy Bryant and Matt Faust. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Okahashi, Cousin To Wed
April 12, 2013
Al and Jessica and Stephen Porter of Pensacola announce the engagement of their daughter, Kiani Okahashi, to Cody Cousin, son of Jennifer and Keith Winters of Atmore.
Kiani is a 2012 graduate of Northview High School and currently teaches with Heather Leonard’s Danceworks.
Cody is a 2010 graduate of Northview High School. He joined the Army after graduation and was recently discharged.
The wedding will take place at 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 13 at the Museum of Commerce at 115 East Zarragossa Street in downtown Pensacola.
Neighbors: Explosion Heard Before Alabama Home Burns
April 11, 2013
An explosion led to a fire that destroyed a home in northwestern Escambia County, Ala., Thursday afternoon.
The explosion and fire were reported during the 2 o’clock hour near the end of Jacks Springs Road near McCullough, Ala. One neighbor said, “I heard a big explosion and then my grandson called and said it just exploded. I am not sure on what happened. Just heard a very loud boom”.
The owner of the home, John Brewton, received minor burn injuries on his arms as he attempted to rescue two family pets. His wife was not at home at the time.
An investigation is underway at this time by the Alabama Fire Marshal’s Office to determine the cause of the fire and explosion.
Pictured: A home burns Thursday afternoon in McCullough, Ala. Reader submitted photo by Tyler Combs for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Almost 1600 Customers Lose Power In Cantonment
April 11, 2013
A large number of Gulf Power business and residential customers lost power in Cantonment Thursday morning due to a fallen tree.
The tree fell onto the line at 809 Highway 95A just after 8 a.m., causing 1,593 Gulf Power customers to lose power, according to Jeff Rogers, spokesman for Gulf Power. Repair crews were almost immediately dispatched to the area to make repairs.
The outage included Jim Allen Elementary School, and the power outage caused traffic problems due to non-function traffic signals at several intersections on Highway 29.
Two Injured In Hwy 95A Wreck That Trapped Driver
April 11, 2013
Two people were seriously injured in Wednesday night accident that left a man trapped in his vehicle for an extended period of time.
The accident happened about 9:10 p.m. on Highway 95A near Quintette Road. The Florida Highway Patrol said 52-year old Rex Hassell of Evergreen, AL, was northbound on Highway 95A in a 2005 Ford F150 when he attempted to pass another vehicle in a curve. James Tipton, 32, of Cantonment, swerved to onto the shoulder in an attempt to avoid a collision, but Hassell also swerved, causing the front of his pickup to collide with the side of Tipton’s truck on the shoulder.
Tipton was trapped for over 20 minutes as firefighters used the Jaws of Life to free him. He was transported by ambulance to Sacred Heart Hospital in critical condition. His passenger, 8-year old Jamie Tipton of Cantonment, was taken to Sacred Heart with minor injuries.
Charges against pending in the crash, according to FHP.
The Cantonment, Molino and Ensley stations of Escambia Fire Rescue, Escambia County EMS and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office also responded to the crash.
Pictured: Two people were injured in this crash on Highway 95A near Quintette Road Wednesday night. Pictured inset: Firefighters use the Jaws of Life to free one driver from his vehicle. Pictured below: The accident scene. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Bill Would Allow Escambia To Use School Construction Funds For New Buses
April 11, 2013
Escambia County and other school districts would be allowed to shift sales tax money voters have approved for school construction towards the purchase of new school buses, under a bill moving in the House.
The Finance and Tax Subcommittee backed a proposal on Wednesday that would allow school districts to use the School Capital Outlay Surtax, also known as the “school half-cent sales tax,” to purchase new buses. Currently, Escambia, Santa Rosa and 13 other districts use the voter approved sales tax that is expected to generate $351 million this school year.
Rep. Alan Williams, D-Tallahassee, said the intent of his proposal is to have the new school buses run on alternative fuels, such as compressed natural gas rather than the more expensive diesel. But the bill doesn’t specify the fuel requirement for the new buses.
There are 18,574 school buses in use by Florida’s public schools, of which nearly one-third are 11 years or older. An average 65-passenger bus cost $93,400 a year ago, according to a state staff analysis.
While the House effort must still go before the Appropriations Committee, the Senate companion bill) has yet to reach its first of three scheduled committee stops.
Escambia County currently has two major half-cent sales tax construction projects in the works — a new $16.5 million Ernest Ward Middle School in Walnut Hill and a newly rebuilt A.K. Suter Elementary in Pensacola for $21.5 million .