[sunrico90]

What to know how they use your money Testing student athletes for steroids, printing the state's driver safety handbook and hundreds of local projects are among 507 questionable expenditures valued at $267 million on Florida TaxWatch's annual "turkey" list announced Tuesday.

$840,000 for a Latin American festival in Miami
$500,000 for a shooting range in Indian River County
$1.3 million for street beautification in Fort Lauderdale
$300,000 for the Professional Golf Association based in Palm Beach Gardens.

TaxWatch recommended Crist not veto about $16 million worth of social and health service turkeys but instead review them to make sure providers are qualified and their services consistent with state goals. Calabro said these projects may be worthy but there's no way to tell because the state lacks accountability requirements.

What Else Could A Turkey Buy?
One of the best arguments for stopping turkeys is the many urgently needed state services that the funds spent on budget turkeys would otherwise purchase. To show the magnitude of $275 million, here are some other options for use of the money:
.
• Flu vaccines. $37 million could have bought a stockpile of flue vaccines.
• State Employees. In a year when employees did not receive a pay raise, but instead got a
$1000 bonus, $194 million could have doubled that bonus.
• Property Taxes. $275 million could have provided school property tax relief, cutting the
$545 million property tax increase passed by the Legislature by half.
• Hire Teachers. $110 million could hire 2,000 additional teachers (at an average salary and
benefits of $55,000).
• Student Funding. $250 million could increase per student funding for K-12 by more than
$100.
• Healthy Kids. $182 million could draw down federal match dollars to provide an estimated
500,000 uninsured Florida children with health insurance through KidCare.
• Healthy Start. $35 million would enable Florida’s Healthy Start Coalitions to draw down
$24.6 million to serve 100% of low-income mothers and infants.