Florida Governor Rick Scott approves $45.6 million courts loan
Oct 12, 2011
The following article was published in The Florida Current on October 12, 2011:
Florida Governor Rick Scott approves $45.6 million courts loan
By Gray Rohrer
With the court system facing a shortfall resulting from declining foreclosure filing fees, Gov. Rick Scott approved a $45.6 million loan to the courts Wednesday.
Supreme Court Chief Justice Charles Canady sent a letter in September to Scott and legislative budget chairs Sen. JD Alexander, R-Lake Wales, and Rep. Denise Grimsley, R-Sebring, asking for the loan.
“The Executive Office of the Governor recognizes the cash flow challenges that the courts are facing and hereby approves a loan, not to exceed $45.6 million, from available trust fund balances within the State Treasury to the State Courts Revenue Trust Fund,” reads a letter from Jerry McDaniel, Scott’s budget director, to Canady.
This is the second loan Scott has given the courts this year. Earlier he loaned the court system $54 million.
Although foreclosure filing fees slowed after the revelations of the “robo-signing” controversy in October 2010, Florida still faces a foreclosure crisis, and the fees are expected to pick back up in 2012. Still, Scott and legislative leaders are waiting for a report detailing possible alternative funding sources for the courts. Court administrators are preparing that report, which is due by Nov. 1.
The loan must be repaid by June 30, 2012.
Find this article here: http://www.thefloridacurrent.com/article.cfm?id=24954712