A look at the financial impact COVID-19 has had on the State of Florida's budget

A look at the financial impact COVID-19 has had on the State of Florida's budget

After a week of asking, State Capitol Reporter Forrest Saunders has the initial numbers.

SAUNDERS HAS THE INITIALNUMBERS AND WHAT COVID-19 ISCOSTING SO FAR.PKGTHE MOST RECENT STATE NUMBERS,JUST LAST WEEK, SHOW GOV.

RONDESANTIS HAS AUTHORIZED ABOUT300-MILLION GENERAL REVENUEDOLLARS FOR COVID-19 EXPENSES.NAT MONEYTHE BREAKDOWN━10-MILLION FOR THE NATIONALGUARD TO HELP WITH TESTING50-MILLION FOR THE STATE BRIDGELOAN PROGRAM WHICH WAS QUICKLYUSED UP.65-MILLION FOR MASKSAND 163 MILLION FOR TESTS,MEDICAL EQUIPMENT, AND MORE.NAT DRIVE UP TESTING SITETHE ESTIMATE DOESN’T INCLUDE AREPORTED 100 MILLION USED TO FIXTHE DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMICOPPORTUNITY AFTER ITSUNEMPLOYMENT WEBSITE AND SMALLSTAFFING FAILED TO HANDLE ATIDAL WAVE OF UNEMPLOYMENTCLAIMS.(LEE VAN PELT, TALLAHASSEE)"PEOPLE ARE JUST SO FRUSTRATEDTHEY’RE GIVING UP BUT YOU CAN’TGIVE UP BECAUSE YOU JUST CAN’T."(LEE 4/17 53:57)A BILLION MORE IN COVID-RELATEDEXPENSES ARE COMING OUT OF STATEAND FEDERAL TRUST FUNDS.THE BULK, ABOUT 600 MILLION,FROM THE US GOVERNMENT TO EASETHE STATE’S $900-MILLIONMEDICAID COST.THE REMAINING EXPENSES━ A MIXCOVERING ELDER ASSISTANCE, FOODBANK AID, AND OTHERS.FOOD BANK NATTHE COSTS ARE STILL GROWING BYTHE DAT AND EVENTUALLY THESTATE’S EMERGENCY MANAGEMENTDEPARTMENT HOPES TO RECOUP ABOUT700 MILLION FROM FEMA ASDISASTER DOLLARS.(SEN.

GARY FARMER, (D)FUTURE MINORITY LEADER)"GOVERNOR, DO THE RIGHT THINGAND CALL YOUR LEGISLATURE BACKTO WORK."(FARMER 5:43)DEMOCRATS HAVE GROWN UNEASY OVERTHE EXPENSE━ FOR WEEKS NOWPUSHING FOR A SPECIALLEGISLATIVE SESSION TO ADDRESSTHEM AND EXPECTED REVENUE LOSSESFOR THIS AND NEXT YEAR’S BUDGET."WE’RE NOW SEEING REPORTS ANDFORECASTS THAT OUR REVENUESHORTFALL MAY NOW BE AS MUCH AS10 BILLION DOLLARS.

THAT’S OVERTEN PERCENT OF OUR BUDGET."(FARMER 33:59)THE GOP MAJORITY IS AGAINST THEIDEA OF RETURNING FOR NOW.BILL GALVANO’S STAFF SAYING THESENATE PRESIDENT BELIEVESFLORIDA IS STILL ON A SOLIDFINANCIAL FOOTING, BUT WILLREEVALUATE WHEN NEW GENERALREVENUE ESTIMATES ARE AVAILABLENEXT WEEK.ANCHOR TAGSO, HERE ARE THE BIG TAKEAWAYSON FLORIDA’S BUDGET.THE STATE HAS SPENT ABOUT 300MILLION OF ITS GENERAL REVENUEDOLLARS.THE BULK FOR TESTING AND MEDICALEQUIPMENT.IT WILL TRY TO RECOUP LOSSESTHROUGH FEMA DISASTER DOLLARSDEMOCRATS BELIEVE A SPECIALSESSION IS NEEDED TO ADDRESSEXPENSESREPUBLICANS THINK THE STATE ISIN GOOD SHAPE FOR NOWSO, HERE ARE THE BIG TAKEAWAYSON FLORIDA’S BUDGET.IT WILL TRY TO RECOUP LOSSESTHROUGH FEMA DISASTER DOLLARSDEMOCRATS BELIEVE A SPECIALSESSION IS NEEDED TO ADD