Gov. Rick Scott's job cuts would hit Department of Health hardest

Gov. Rick Scott's proposal to cut nearly 1,400 positions from the state workforce would hit the Florida Department of Health the hardest — 758 positions would be slashed at the agency, including 215 that are currently filled.

The cuts at DOH would impact programs involving local health initiatives, including county departments of health, children's health care, the determination of disability benefits and statewide public-health services, according to budget documents from the Governor's Office.

Other agencies slated by the governor for triple-digit staff reductions are the Department of Environmental Protection, which would lose 155 positions, including 41 filled slots, and the Department of Transportation, which would lose 100 positions, all of which are vacant. Figures were not immediately available on how many Tallahassee-based positions would be cut.

The governor, in his $77-billion budget for the 2016 fiscal year, has proposed cutting 1,353 full-time-equivalent positions and one-time funding of 28 positions and adding 363 positions, for a net decrease of 1,018 job slots. Nearly 380 of the positions proposed to be cut are currently filled, though the Governor's Office has said the "vast majority" will be vacant by July 1.

Scott, who has cut more state jobs than any governor in recent history, touted the reductions during his state-of-the-state address last week at the Capitol.

"We have the lowest number of state workers per capita in the country," Scott said, "and we are going to continue to look for ways to look for more productivity gains."

But the cuts are prompting harsh criticism from advocates, Democratic lawmakers and others. Dr. Ed Holifield, a Tallahassee physician and health-care activist, said the cuts at DOH are "nothing new."

"These budget cuts are systematically aimed at the most vulnerable and against environmental regulations," Holifield said.

Tiffany Cowie, a spokeswoman for the Department of Health, said services won't be impacted and county health departments won't lose any workers in filled positions.

"No department services or readiness capabilities will be interrupted by this recommendation," she said. "Florida families will continue to receive the same quality services from the Florida Department of Health. The department has utilized technology advancements over the years to increase efficiencies, reducing the need for some full-time positions."

DOH recently terminated a number of administrative employees from Early Steps, a program designed to help infants and toddlers with developmental delays. The department has not released the number of employees who were let go, but one affected employee told the News Service of Florida that 13 workers, all based in Tallahassee, received termination letters.

Cowie told the Tallahassee Democrat that a review of Early Steps staffing found only five of 22 administrative employees were needed to run the program without any loss in service. DOH is keeping seven of the administrative employees, for a reduction of 15. Cowie said she couldn't say whether the employees had already been terminated or would be as of the fiscal year starting July 1.

Scott's "Keep Florida Working" budget FAQ says he challenged state agencies to trim their payroll by 5 percent through "increased efficiencies and improved management." Administrative and operational efficiencies would save the state $267 million, the Governor's Office said.

"The majority of the positions that are proposed to be reduced are a result of streamlining processes, consolidating duties and administrative and operational efficiencies throughout state government," the FAQ states.

At DEP, the proposed cuts would affect programs involving the protection and restoration of water resources, state-park operations, waste control and management, water science and lab services, beach management and air-pollution prevention, among others.

Members of Leon County's legislative delegation and Democratic leaders in the House also are questioning the proposed cuts.

"We got rid of fat and muscle years ago," said House Democratic Leader Mark Pafford of West Palm Beach. "We're down to limbs at this point. Each one of those individual jobs — they may mean protecting water quality; they may mean one more walk-through at a nursing home; they may mean one more assistant in a public school. I get very concerned when we're just chopping away at public servants."

Florida's state workforce is already the smallest and the cheapest in the nation. Last fiscal year, the state had 108 state employees per 10,000 residents; the national average was 211, according to the Department of Management Services. The cost of the state workforce was $37 a month for each Floridian; the national average was $76.

The number of state-agency workers dropped from 105,031 in mid-2010 to 89,686 as of June 30. Leon County is home to 19,422 state employees, who make up nearly 22 percent of the state workforce.

"My question has been — and somebody needs to answer it — how much is enough?" said Sen. Bill Montford, D-Tallahassee. "Where are we going? What's the target? At what point will we say hey, we've cut enough. How many state employees do we need to service the 20 million people that we have in Florida? I would suggest that maybe we've cut enough."

Other agencies targeted for reductions include the Agency for Health Care Administration, which would lose 81 positions; DMS, which would lose 52 positions; the Department of Children and Families, which would lose 38 positions and the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, which would lose 33 positions.

Under Scott's budget, the Florida Department of Corrections, which has come under intense scrutiny for inmate deaths and other problems, would get 163 additional correctional-officer FTEs. The Guardian Ad Litem, which represents children in the dependency system, would get nearly 78 new FTEs.

Other agencies and offices would get another 83 FTEs combined, including the Department of Legal Affairs, state attorneys, state law enforcement, the Department of Economic Opportunity, the Department of Financial Services and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.