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United Way of Florida

Audit criticizes Rick Scott administration over charity contract

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A new audit is critical of how the administration of Gov. Rick Scott oversaw a state worker charity campaign. Florida auditors reported the Department of Management Services did not initially document costs incurred by the vendor hired to oversee the charitable campaign. The audit also found that between January 2013 and December 2015, state officials did not verify that the vendor distributed the right amounts to charities designated for help by state workers. The Scott administration shifted control of the campaign from…

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Today on Context Florida: Politics of make-believe, psychological slack, collective autism and a public safety crisis

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Today on Context Florida: In the eyes of Daniel Tilson, this week’s “Economic Growth Summit” hosted by Florida Gov. Rick Scott is all about the politics of make-believe, so anything goes. If life was fair, Scott’s summit would feature explanations and apologies to middle-class Floridians who’ve remained loyal to his hardcore conservative economic policies for years now. But life is often as tricky and unfair as…well, as hardcore conservative economic policies. Dale Brill says those of us with the financial resources…

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Senate panel restores affordable housing funds shifted by Amendment 1

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A Senate committee on Wednesday voted to restore funding for affordable housing, as a way to offset the loss of revenue because of Amendment 1. Approved overwhelmingly by voters in November, Amendment 1 provides 33 percent of documentary stamp tax revenue to water and land conservation. SB 586 seeks to redistribute the remaining $1.3 billion in documentary stamp fees for fiscal 2015-16, after $757 million is set aside for Amendment 1. The bill would have reduced the revenue going to an affordable…

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Five minutes with United Way of Florida President Ted Granger

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The United Way of Florida released a report in November indicating that about a third of Florida households are above the federal poverty line but struggled to meet basic necessities. The Assets Limited Income Constrained Employed – ALICE —  study found that 15 percent of families live on less than the poverty line of $23,000 for a family of four and another 30 percent on less than $47,000 – enough to pay for six basic needs and have a little…

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Florida’s safety net is shredded

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From Jacqueline Dowd: Florida’s safety net for people in need is shredding in the face of escalating demand and dwindling resources, says the head of the state’s United Way network. And Florida’s safety net is almong the nation’s weakest. Ted Granger, president of United Way of Florida, says social service agencies statewide are seeing more and more people who are homeless and hungry. The 211 referral hotlines are seeing increases of 50% to 150% over the last twelve months in…

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Florida’s safety net is shredded

in Statewide by

From Jacqueline Dowd: Florida’s safety net for people in need is shredding in the face of escalating demand and dwindling resources, says the head of the state’s United Way network. And Florida’s safety net is almong the nation’s weakest. Ted Granger, president of United Way of Florida, says social service agencies statewide are seeing more and more people who are homeless and hungry. The 211 referral hotlines are seeing increases of 50% to 150% over the last twelve months in…

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