Session is off to a quick start and the Capitol is a buzz with people. A student from Broward College came to Tallahassee to shadow me for two days this week and I’m happy he got such a great picture of democracy in action. The House is mostly focused on how to use $12 billion in recovery money allocated to Florida over the next three years from President Obama’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, and if we should accept it. Although some members in leadership have expressed serious reservations about accepting the recovery funding, I believe this money is essential to help reduce the cuts to Florida’s budget after years of reductions and a rapidly declining economy. New general revenue estimates will be released next Friday, and at that point we will know more about the size of the budget deficit for the next fiscal year.

The following items regarding our community may be of interest to you as well.
Recovery Money Available to Palm Beach County Businesses--The Palm Beach County Economic Development Office has received more than $13 million in federal loan money to offer local businesses in an effort to create jobs and boost the local economy. The money will be available in the form of a low-interest, five-year loan to profitable businesses that have been in operation for two years. Contact Claudia Lopez at clopez@pbcgov.com for more information.

Palm Beach County Offering Discount to Spay or Neuter Your Pets--I am sponsoring HB 1337 that would require shelters to spay or neuter cats and dogs before giving them up for adoption in an effort to reduce an overpopulation of stray cats and dogs, but there are also important measures you as a pet owner can take to help alleviate the problem. Palm Beach County Animal Care and Control is offering $100 vouchers to help pet owners cover the cost of spaying or neutering their cat or dog. The vouchers are available to low income residents, residents receiving unemployment benefits, and seniors over the age of 70. For more information, and to see if you may be eligible, please click on the “$100 Spay/ Neuter Vouchers” link at http://www.pbcgov.com/publicsafety/animalcare.

Health Tip: House Resolution 9013, which I sponsored, passed the Florida House this week recognizing March 8 – 14 as patient safety awareness week in the state of Florida. The resolution also acknowledges the good work of the Florida Patient Safety Corporation in improving the quality and safety of health care in Florida. Visit http://www.floridapatientsafetycorp.com and click on the “Patient Checklists” for resources to help you choose doctors and pharmacists, and plan for hospital visits. Feel free to explore the rest of the website for great information on how to ensure you are receiving the safest and best quality health care possible.

Please do not hesitate to contact me or my staff if you have any questions or concerns. Our district office number is (561) 470-6593.
Kelly Skidmore State Representative, District 90
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SeniorNet has lost its space at the JCC in Boynton Beach due to the coming closing of the JCC in West Palm Beach. This created a snowball effect that resulted in the need for additional space by the JCC at the Boynton Beach location, hence SeniorNet is being evicted.

SeniorNet began in 1995 with three students in a basement classroom. In 2003, ‘04 and ‘05 they taught 1,000 students each year. In 2008 attendance went down to 500.

SeniorNet, which has educated literally thousands of seniors in computer usage south Palm Beach, is in need of a new rent free home.

Contact SeniorNet at 561-306-4947 or Ed Ostrowski, President at 561-306-4947. See what they are about at their website: www.SeniornetBoyntonBeach.org.

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