February 2014 Archives

Our Opinion: No More Sweeps

February 1, 2014 | Tallahassee Democrat

Imagine this: In working out your family budget, you pledge one August to set aside $10 a week expressly to help buy new school clothes for the kids each year.
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Editorial: Stop trust fund raids

February 5, 2014 | Pensacola News Journal

Imagine this: In working out your family budget, you pledge one August to set aside $10 a week expressly to help buy new school clothes for the kids each year.
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Guest column: State should fund affordable housing fund

February 6, 2014 | Florida Times-Union

The State Housing Incentives Partnership program (SHIP) is Florida’s nationally acclaimed model for using a dedicated revenue source to effectively and efficiently meet community housing needs.
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Paul Flemming: Dishonest budgeting in sweeps season

February 7, 2014 | Tallahassee Democrat

This is what it’s come to. Merely pointing it out hasn’t worked. Pleading and cajoling failed. Shaming and excoriating has proved fruitless. I am reduced to reverse psychology.
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Jaimie Ross: SHIP will prosper if we protect its funding

February 8, 2014 | Tallahassee Democrat

The State Housing Incentives Partnership program (SHIP) is Florida’s nationally acclaimed model for using a dedicated revenue source to effectively and efficiently meet community housing needs.
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EDITORIAL: Protect affordable housing program

February 8, 2014 | Tampa Tribune

You would think the governor and state lawmakers would be falling all over themselves to protect a state program that creates jobs, boosts local economies and provides housing for Floridians who would otherwise be left out of the American dream of home ownership.
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Guest column: Jamie Ross: IN CELEBRATION OF SHIP: PERFORMANCE, TRANSPARENCY, AND ACCOUNTABILITY

February 9, 2014 | Naples Daily News

The State Housing Incentives Partnership program (SHIP) is Florida’s nationally acclaimed model for using a dedicated revenue source to effectively and efficiently meet community housing needs
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Legislature should stop taking from proven housing program

February 10, 2014| Tampa Tribune

The State Housing Incentives Partnership program (SHIP) is Florida’s nationally acclaimed model for using a dedicated revenue source to effectively and efficiently meet community housing needs.

It has a proven track record for performance, transparency and accountability. Unfortunately, it also has a record of being swept into general revenue when the state faces a budget deficit.

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Housing affordability gap is growing

February 20, 2014 | Sarasota Herald-Tribune

The American dream of home ownership has become drastically less affordable for many working families in Southwest Florida, new figures show.
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Housing Not So Affordable

February 25, 2014 | Capitol News Service

In 1992 state lawmakers raised the doc stamp tax on real estate transactions from 60 to 70 cents on every 100 dollars. The cash was to be used for affordable housing. But when the great recession hit, lawmakers started using the money for everything but housing. Advocates say it’s now time for the state to fulfill its promise.
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Realtors, homebuilders call on lawmakers not to raid affordable housing trust fund

February 25, 2014 | Florida Current

Groups representing homeless advocates, realtors, homebuilders, federal housing program administrators and other organizations banded together Tuesday to push legislators not to sweep the affordable housing trust fund this year.
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