Turkeys in Florida: Special “Earmarks” Coming Home to Roost

Other states refer to “special funding” as earmarks or pork, here in Florida that money is referred to as “Turkeys.” We have a lot of turkeys in Florida regardless of scope or topic, these special spending items have one thing in common: strong ties to top state lawmakers. 

Florida Taxwatch released its 2013 Florida Turkey Watch Report. The report states:

This year, Florida TaxWatch has identi”ed 107 member projects and other items historically referred to as “Turkeys.” These appropriations total $106.8 million and are recommended to the Governor for consideration in his line-item veto process. Despite a budget surplus for the first time in several years, the Legislature showed some restraint when adding local member projects and other projects historically referred to as Turkeys.

This year’s Turkey Watch Report is smaller than last year’s, when 159 items worth $171 million were in the budget, in spite of the multi-billion dollar shortfall in that year.

The annual Florida TaxWatch Turkey Watch spotlights legislative projects placed in the budget without proper opportunity for public review and debate, which circumvent lawfully established procedures, or which non-competitively benefit a very limited special interest or local area of the state.

While the majority of people living in Florida are struggling with ever increasing cost the average family has had to tighten their belts and cut back, while those special few in Tallahassee are still drunk with spending.

When enough people in Florida get sick of the abuse of their tax dollars going to fund things that they themselves don’t believe in then perhaps there will be a shift in government. It will not happen without YOU. Why is it that people always talk about government as if it is some “thing” out there… some gigantic thing that has total power and we just shrink and cower to the whims and fancies of cronyism.

The definition of Atrophy:

A wasting or decrease in size of a body organ, tissue, or part owing to disease, injury, or lack of use: muscular atrophy of a person affected with paralysis. n. A wasting away, deterioration, or diminution: intellectual atrophy. v. To cause to wither or deteriorate; affect with atrophy.

The proliferation of foul spending and the increase in turkeys is directly related to “We The People”. The regular guy has lost control of his vocal cords by way of atrophy. All people who are not a part of government need to stand up and speak!!! Everyone needs to say NO to governmental spending. What if the cut back by the government affects you negatively? My answer – take the pain now; make a change for the future. Either way you are going to feel pain… I for one would rather be in control of the suffering that I go through instead of waiting for the government to inflict it upon me.

Turkey’s are appropriations to specific recipients or local government that bypass the established selection processes or competitive bidding. These projects are placed in the budget without the opportunity for public review or debate. This process circumvents the lawfully established procedures. Which provides funding to very limited special interests or a local area of the state… It’s all in who you know as to who benefits from the pecking order of a turkey.

The 2013 Report identified 107 member projects with these appropriations totaling $106.8M this was a cut from the 2012 Report by 52 projects and less spending by $74.2M. Hope you are feeling really good about the cutbacks on spending your hard earned tax dollars on these turkeys!

Sources:

miamiherald.typepad.com/nakedpolitics/2011/04/pork-turkeys-earm…jacksonville.com/opinion/blog/403455/matt-dixon/2013-05-…
wtsp.com/news/local/article/193875/8/TaxWatch-ze…
miamiherald.typepad.com/nakedpolitics/2011/04/pork-turkeys-earm…
floridataxwatch.org/resources/pdf/2013TurkeyWatchFINAL.pdf
articles.orlandosentinel.com/2012-04-13/news/fl-fiscal-group-highlig…
abc-7.com/story/14733869/2011/05/26/scott-vetoes-…
tampabay.com/blogs/the-buzz-florida-politics/content…
politifact.com/florida/statements/2010/nov/16/steven-s…
abcactionnews.com/dpp/news/local_news/investigations/fami…
sunshinestatenews.com/story/taxwatch-turkeys-close
jaxdailyrecord.com/showstory.php?Story_id=533673
sptimes.com/News/060801/Pasco/Group_targets_budget_…
earmarks.omb.gov

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