More Special Sessions for Florida Legislature

THE IMMIGRATION DETENTION CENTER IN THE EVERGLADES DUBBED ALLIGATOR ALCATRAZ IS REPORTEDLY PREPARING TO CLOSE NEXT MONTH. RAISING QUESTIONS ABOUT PAYMENTS BEING MADE TO VENDORS AT THE FACILITY. THE FINANCIAL CONCERNS ARE RAISED AS STATE LAWMAKERS AND OR THE SECOND WEEK OF A SPECIAL SESSION TO WORK AT A STATE BUDGET. AND ANOTHER SPECIAL SESSION IS EXPECTED TO BE CALLED IN THE COMING WEEKS TO TALK ABOUT A REDUCTION IN PROPERTY TAXES. >> JOINING ME NOW FOR THE LATEST IS WGCU HOST AND REPORTER >> JOHN DAVIS. JOHN, WHAT IS THE LATEST ON ALLIGATOR ALCATRAZ >> ALSO, I THINK WE'VE ALL SEEN THEIR REPORTING THAT THE NEW YORK TIMES BROKE THAT THE ALLIGATOR ALCATRAZ IS LOOKING LIKE IT'S GOING TO BE WINDING DOWN OPERATIONS TO CLOSE IN JUNE. SO THAT'S INITIALLY GOING TO TRANSPORTING DETAINEES OUT. THEN THEY'LL BE SEVERAL WEEKS AFTERWARDS OF ACTUALLY BREAKING DOWN THE THE ACTUAL FACILITY. THAT'S THERE. IT'S INTERESTING BECAUSE THIS ISN'T HAPPENING DUE TO THE MANY LEGAL CHALLENGES AGAINST IT. IT'S NOT OVER ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES. IT'S NOT OVER ALLEGATIONS OF DETAINEES BEING ABUSED OR THEIR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS BEING VIOLATED WHEN IT COMES TO ACCESS TO ATTORNEYS. THIS REALLY COMES DOWN TO MONEY. THIS FACILITY IS HEMORRHAGING TAX DOLLARS. IT COSTS MORE THAN A MILLION DOLLARS A DAY TO OPERATE. THE STATE STILL HASN'T BEEN REIMBURSED. SOME 608 MILLION DOLLARS THAT THEY'VE REQUESTED FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO DO THIS. AND US IT COULD BE A PROBLEM EVEN AS WE GET INTO HURRICANES SEASON BECAUSE AGAIN, AS THE NEW YORK TIMES HAS REPORTED, VENDORS WHO WERE WORKING ON THIS SITE THAT ARE PRIVATE CONTRACTORS OF THE STATE HAVE PRIVATELY REPORTED THAT THEY'RE NOT GETTING THEIR INVOICES PAID BECAUSE THE STATE HASN'T GONE REIMBURSED FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. NOW, THESE ARE THE SAME VENDORS TO THE STATE CONTRACTS WITH TO RESPOND TO EMERGENCIES LIKE DEBRIS PICKUP AFTER A HURRICANE. SO THAT SHOULD CONCERN EVERYBODY BECAUSE THAT MIGHT IMPACT OUR ABILITY TO ENTER THE ATLANTIC STORM SEASON. READY TO GO. >> NOW FLORIDA LAWMAKERS ARE IN THE SECOND WEEK OF THEIR SPECIAL SESSION TRYING TO HAMMER OUT A BUDGET BEFORE JULY ONE. OUR LAW MAKERS AND MAKING ANY PROGRESS ON THIS BUDGET. GOOD NEWS. PROGRESS IS BEING MADE >> AND, YOU KNOW, LAWMAKERS AND THEIR COMMITTEES HAD UNTIL LIKE NOON LAST FRIDAY TO HAMMER OUT WHATEVER THEY COULD IN TERMS OF DISPARITIES. AND, YOU KNOW, BUDGETING FOR DIFFERENT THINGS. BUT THAT NOW HAS GONE INTO THE HANDS OF HOUSE BUDGET CHAIRMAN LAWRENCE MCLAURIN, SENATE APPROPRIATIONS CHAIRMAN ED HOOPER. THEY'RE GOING TO BE WORKING OUT THOSE REMAINING FUNDING GAPS. THIS IS GOING TO BE MUCH MORE OF A CLOSED DOOR PROCESS YOU KNOW, NEGOTIATIONS HAVE BEEN MADE, BUT THERE ARE STILL THINGS WHERE SAY AS OF LATE LAST WEEK, THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE WERE STILL MORE THAN 175 MILLION DOLLARS APART WHEN IT CAME TO FUNDING FOR THE EVERGLADES AGRICULTURAL AREA RESERVOIR. ALSO FUNDING FOR OYSTER RESTORATION UP IN THE APALACHICOLA BAY AREA. SO IT'S KIND OF THESE INDIVIDUAL FUNDING PROJECTS THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE WORKING OUT. BUT IT LOOKS LIKE THE LEGISLATURE REMAINS ON TRACK TO PROBABLY VOTE ON THE BUDGET AFTER THEY TAKE A BREAK FOR THE MEMORIAL DAY HOLIDAY. BECAUSE REMEMBER, THERE IS THAT 72 HOUR COOLING OFF PERIOD BEFORE THEY CAN TAKE THAT VOTE. YEAH. SO IT'S SCHEDULED TO END MAY 29TH AND I THINK THEY ARE GOING TO HIT THAT MARK. THAT IS EXCELLENT NEWS. >> AND GOVERNOR DESANTIS IS STILL PUSHING FOR PROPERTY TAX REFORM. WHAT IS THE STATUS OF THAT? >> AS RECENTLY AS MONDAY AT A ROUNDTABLE IN BREVARD COUNTY AND DESANTIS REITERATED HIS INTENT TO CALL YET ANOTHER SPECIAL SESSION TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE OF REDUCING OR ELIMINATING HOMESTEAD PROPERTY TAXES IN FLORIDA. TO BE CLEAR, THAT'S TALKING ABOUT PRIMARY RESIDENCE IS NOT SECOND VACATION HOMES OR INCOME PROPERTIES LIKE AIRBNBS OR WHATNOT. BUT I THINK THE BIGGEST ISSUE WITH THIS IS GOING TO BE THE ONGOING, VERY PUBLIC DISPUTE BETWEEN GOVERNOR DESANTIS AND HOUSE SPEAKER DANIEL PEREZ. YOU'LL REMEMBER DURING THE REGULAR SESSION, THE HOUSE DID NOT TAKE UP SOME PRIORITY LEGISLATION OF THE GOVERNOR WHEN IT CAME TO EXPANDING EXEMPTIONS FOR CHILD VACCINE MANDATES AND DESANTIS HAS PROPOSED A I BILL OF RIGHTS. THEN THAT CAME UP AGAIN IN A SPECIAL SESSION AND THE HOUSE DIDN'T EVEN FILE A BILL TO ADDRESS IT. SO IT WAS ALREADY DEAD IN THE WATER. THERE. THAT BEING SAID. IF WE REALLY ARE KIND OF RUNNING OUT OF TIME, THERE IS GOING TO BE A DATE SOMETIME IN LATE AUGUST OF THAT IS THE DEADLINE FOR CERTIFYING ANYTHING THAT'S GOING TO GO ON THE BALLOT. AND REMEMBER, WHATEVER THEY PROPOSE IS EVENTUALLY GOING TO BE DECIDED BY VOTERS IN NOVEMBER. IF THEY HOLD A SESSION AND IF THEY ACTUALLY PASSED ANYTHING. >> THAT WOULD ADDRESS PROPERTY TAXES IF THEY ARE ABLE TO AGREE ULTIMATELY ON THIS PROPERTY TAX REDUCTION PROPOSAL AND IT MAKES IT TO THE NOVEMBER BALLOT. WHAT THEN? >> THAT'S THE IMPORTANT THING TO REMEMBER IS THAT YOU NEED AT LEAST 60% VOTER APPROVAL FOR THIS TO PASS. REGARDLESS OF WHATEVER THEY PUT OUT, IF THEY PUT OUT ANYTHING. SO I THINK IT'S ON THE BALLOT. I WOULD EXPECT WE'RE GOING TO SEE STRONG OPPOSITION FROM A UNIFIED FRONT OF LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIALS BECAUSE YOU'RE IN THE SPIRIT OF ALL POLITICS IS LOCAL. FOR LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIALS. THIS PROPERTY TAX REVENUE IS A PRIMARY SOURCE OF FUNDING FOR ESSENTIAL SERVICES LIKE FIRE, EMS, LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT ROADS. AND I HEARD OF BARRY UNIVERSITY POLITICAL SCIENTIST RECENTLY BRING UP THAT OUTAGE OF, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE NO REPUBLICAN POTHOLES OR DEMOCRATIC POTHOLES ON THE LOCAL LEVEL. THIS ISN'T PARTISAN. IT MIGHT BE A PARTISAN FIGHT IN TALLAHASSEE. BUT WHEN IT COMES TO FUNDING ESSENTIAL SERVICES ON THE LOCAL LEVEL, IT'S REALLY NOT. SO I'M JUST LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING WHAT HAPPENS THERE. AND THAT'S A BIG HURDLE. 60% IS A BIG HURDLE TO OVERCOME. >> ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU SO MUCH, JOHN, FOR THE LATEST.