By: Health Insurance
Submitted: 2010-02-03 15:32:57 | Word Count: 497
Admitting he may be too optimistic, Gov. Charlie Crist said Wednesday he does not expect to call for layoffs or pay cuts in the state budget recommendations he sends to legislators But House Speaker Larry Cretul, R-Ocala, and Senate President Jeff Atwater, R-North Palm Beach, were far more skeptical about how state employees will fare.
Crist said he will roll out on Friday "a common sense budget" that cuts taxes and focuses on economic growth, education and environmental goals. He said that for the first time in his administration, state budget director Jerry McDaniel forecasts more tax money to work with than in the previous year — about $2 billion.
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"You know I'm an optimist, some might think too much of an optimist — I don't," said Crist.Asked if his budget will require layoffs of state employees, pay cuts or an end of paid-up health insurance for employees who get that perk, the governor said no.
"I don't think so, I don't," said Crist. He said furloughs and pay cuts can be avoided "by smart-funding our entire budget. I think that after Friday you'll see that Jerry McDaniel has done a tremendous job of making sure that we have a balanced budget that does live within our means and does not require layoffs."
Some legislative leaders have said state budget constraints might force lawmakers to make all employees pay monthly health-insurance premiums. About 27,000 state employees, including elected officers and many mid-level managers, have state-paid insurance.
"I don't anticipate that either," Crist said of insurance-benefits changes. "We're going to keep the current health insurance ... the way it is."
Senate Minority Leader Al Lawson, D-Tallahassee, said making all employees pay would be unfair to nearly 17,000 workers reclassified in 2002 — losing job security in return for other benefits. Lawson also said employees haven't had a general raise in four years.
Cretul, however, said projections of a revenue shortfall range from $1.1 billion to $3.2 billion. Florida's unemployment rate was nearly 12 percent last month and the legislative leaders said state workers can't avoid being affected.
"All of America has to continue to look at what to do to keep the doors open," Cretul said. As for layoffs or pay cuts, he said, "You know what? We've got to look at it, we've got to look at it."
Atwater said Crist's hope to avoid layoffs or pay cuts will be a challenge. "That's going to be a high bar for us to clear ... a very difficult commitment to make."
