rssPosts by Ashley Lopez
Ashley Lopez lives in Miami, Fla. She covers reproductive rights and women's health issues for the Independent. She can be reached at ashley [at] floridaindependent [dot] com or on Twitter: @AshleyCalLopez.
Obama to court endangered youth vote
President Obama will make an appearance today on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, which will be televised from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The appearance is an effort to gin up support once more among young voters.
Scott cuts funding for rape crisis centers during Sexual Assault Awareness Month
On April 17, smack in the middle of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, Gov. Rick Scott vetoed $1.5 million for the Florida Council Against Sexual Violence. The Legislature allotted the funds to the organization in order to support 30 rape crisis centers as they face impending reductions in collections, which currently is the bulk of their budgets.
NAACP chapter shuts down West event after he calls House members ‘communists’
A local NAACP chapter has canceled an event featuring Rep. Allen West, R-Fort Lauderdale, because he said in a town hall meeting earlier this month that “up to 80 U.S. House Democrats are Communist Party members.”
Fla. senator: Scott budget veto ‘allows poor black farmworkers to die’
State Sen. Gary Siplin, D-Orlando, says he is “shocked and surprised” that Gov. Rick Scott cut funding for a community health center in Apopka that would have gone toward providing specialized care to a community of farmworkers facing serious illnesses due to pesticide use.
Scott says he gave each health care project in the budget ‘equal and fair consideration’
Of the more then $142 million that Gov. Rick Scott vetoed from the already tight $70 billion budget yesterday, more than $38 million came in cuts to health care services. The Florida Current reports that Scott stands by eliminating the projects because they “weren’t a good use of taxpayers’ money and did not serve a statewide need.”
Scott approves funding for breast and cervical cancer detection program
Yesterday, Gov. Rick Scott signed the state’s $70 billion while vetoing $142.7 million line-items. While some health care items were eliminated, one budget line that funds a breast and cervical cancer detection program survived the round of cuts.
Scott signs budget, vetoes $142 million
Gov. Rick Scott signed the state’s $70 billion budget at a ceremony held in Cunningham Creek Elementary School in St. Johns County at noon today. The governor vetoed $142.7 million in line-items, including money for specialized health programs.
Bill reorganizing state health department presented to Scott
A bill that critics say will weaken Florida’s health department was presented to Gov. Rick Scott today.
Report: Florida leads nation in campaign contributions to state party committees
A new report from the National Institute on Money in State Politics finds that Florida is No. 1 in the country for the amount of money that state party committees receive in campaign donations. More than $100 million in campaign contributions flooded the coffers of the Democratic and Republican Party committees during the 2009-2010 election cycle.
Tax Watch announces budget line-item veto recommendations
Florida Tax Watch, a nonprofit critical of government spending, today released its list of recommendations of programs and spending it believes Gov. Rick Scott should veto in the state’s $70 billion budget.
