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Friday marked the end of week three of the 2010 Legislative Session.  Six more weeks remain for the Legislature to complete their work by April 30 and adjourn Sine Die.  FIU is advocating for the New Florida initiative for Florida's knowledge and innovation economy; $4 million in fourth year funding for the university's College of Medicine; funds to sustain the State's investment in FIU to support economic recovery.   For more details, click on FIU Priorities.

The Legislature continues to focus on the budget with the Senate releasing their allocations as well as their original budget proposals.  We are analyzing the recent budget recommendations and will provide more details next week.

Budget
The initial Senate budget calls for a six percent cut to the University's base budget with an "add-back" targeted on state priority programs for a net cut of 3.5 percent.  The House calls for a 4.6 percent budget cut and an additional non-specific cut in employee compensation and benefits.  Both budgets provide for an 8 percent across the board tuition increase and funding for the two new colleges of medicine at FIU and UCF.  The Senate budget for our College of Medicine is better because it does not include a mandatory across the board cut of approximately $1 million.  Both budgets also include a second year of federal stimulus funds for universities.

The goal is to have the final budget finished for a committee vote by the end of week three of Session.  The full appropriations committee will hear the individual committee proposals the week of March 22nd.  A budget bill will be brought to the floor of the House and Senate the week of March 29th.

Supposedly, neither House nor Senate allocations currently contemplates raising any taxes or fees, using any gaming revenue or using the anticipated ($1.1 billion) expansion of federal stimulus.

At the 500,000 foot level, the House places their emphasis on health care and criminal justice.  The Senate's emphasis is in education, transportation, and general government.  The Speaker's allocation commits $173 million more revenues to the subcommittees than the Senate President's.

House Higher Education Appropriations
For the first detailed budget proposal from the House Higher Education Appropriaitons committee, click here.  The budget starts on page 12.

In addition, for information on some of the issues being considered for the House Conforming bill, please click here.

Senate Higher Education Appropriations
The first detailed budget proposal from the Senate Higher Education Appropriations committee can be found here.  The budget starts on page 15.

The Committee also considered proposals for program efficiencies and cost savings.  Click here for an overview of these proposals.

Revenues
State economists offered revenue projections for the upcoming year.  The good news is that the state is starting to show a glimmer of hope in economic recovery.

Economists predict state revenues for 2009-10 will increase from the year before for the first time in three years; $25.3 million beyond projections is anticipated.  For FY'10-11 the estimating conference predicts an increase of $56.1 million above revised projections.

But the news also means that the overall $3 billion budget shortfall for the coming year remains relatively the same.  Economists said the slight changes were due to better than expected collections in sales taxes and a slight increase in insurance premium taxes.  A projected drop in documentary stamp taxes on real estate transactions has not declined as much as anticipated.

Watch for President Rosenberg's budget updates during Session and more frequent Twitter updates.

WASHINGTON
In Washington, we have begun to advocate for our Fiscal Year 2011 agenda by educating our Congressional delegation on the critical nature of our priorities.  These priorities look outward to engage the university in meeting regional and national needs such as national security and defense readiness; quality healthcare for underserved minorities; economically viable transit-oriented development; hurricane and windstorm research; and preservation of coastal ecosystems.  All of these have great economic development value to South Florida.

We continue monitoring movement on key legislation with potential impact to FIU and the region, namely bills focused on Student Financial Aid and a renewed jobs agenda in both houses.

We appreciate the active support of our friends who represent Florida International University in Congress and the State Legislature.

Friends of the university are encouraged to thank their legislators for supporting Florida International University.  To determine who  your  legislators are, click on the following link and enter your zip code, Legislator Contacts.

Watch this space for weekly updates and follow FIUgov on Twitter for headline news on FIU's legislative issues.

Thank you for your interest and support for Florida International University.

Steve Sauls
Vice President Governmental Relations
govtrel@fiu.edu