And as point of fact, the article points to another recommendation which seems to reinforce this tack. As Dunkelberger tells, "one of the few
winners in the budget process was the Florida Highway Patrol, where
troopers will be in line for a 5 percent pay raise on Oct. 1. Lawmakers
approved the raise after hearing the agency was steadily losing personnel
to other law enforcement agencies that can pay higher salaries."
(Dunkelberger, 1) To say nothing of the fact that this pay raise was a
reactionary step designed to prevent a dangerous deficit in personnel in an
area where such is absolutely essential, this is a demonstration of the
state's heightened commitment to an agency which has the capacity through
the intensity of its efforts to actually directly improve overall state
revenue. Such is to say that fines and fees accumulated through highway
patrol pull-overs, ticketing and court costs can be effected at will
according to patrol agency quotas and goals. Again, this is a manner of
budgetary improvement which directly taps members of the public to build
state coffers. This does nothing to add money to the actual Florida
economy. Instead, it further restricts commercial movement by members of
the public. Thus, relying to heavily upon this approach and creating a
culture of such intention amongst courts and patrol agencies is both
questionable with regard to the upkeep of civil liberties and, even more
central to the article's discussion points, will likely only further
magnify the economic stagnation that is at the root of such budget cuts.
The recommendations in Dunkelberger's article precipitate the
conclusion that though key areas of the budget have...

These recommendations do little to nothing to help improve Florida's condition.
In fact, the slashing of public positions and agencies as a means to
offsetting the call for higher taxation is a regressive step which caters
more directly to political motives than real economic rationality.
A more sensible recommendation would be to actually raise the state's
budget through a progressive tax which targets the incomes of Florida's
wealthiest corporations and citizens as a means to returning revenue to the
state. This revenue should be used to create new and more efficient courts
and probationary facilities, which will in turn create new positions. New
jobs will stimulate a cycle of revenue growth that will ultimately be
returned in dividends to the wealthy taxpayers, who stand to gain the most
from a re-ascendance into American affluence.
These recommendations stem from a recognition that Dunkelberger's
article is concerned with the broader set of budget cuts that will be
socially disruptive in many ways to Florida citizens. Indeed, the premise
above should be seen as commutable to any of the areas where resource cuts
have been devastating. Creating new public agencies creates new jobs.
Therefore, it is sensible to raise taxes in order to begin a process of
healing. The current approach and the upcoming budget suggest that at
present, Florida is politically committed to a policy to stagnation.

Works Cited

Dunkelberger, L. (Apr. 28, 2008). Grim Budget Brings Deep Cuts.
Gainesville Sun.