Pajcic proposes tougher penalties for juvenile offenders and so-called superfelons, the small percentage of criminals who revolve in and out of the criminal justice system and commit a majority of the crimes. Pajcic personally opposes capital punishment, but has pledged to sign death warrants. Martinez supports the death penalty. Pajcic’s top priority in preparing a new state budget will be more money for criminal justice — more prisons, judges and prosecutors.
Martinez favors legislation doubling sentences for career criminals and halving their “gain time.” He wants to study whether the Florida Department of Law Enforcement could play an expanded role in coordinating multi- jurisdictional investigations. And he wants to create special prosecution and investigation teams to go after specific hardcore criminals.
ENVIRONMENT
Pajcic would merge the regulatory functions of several state agencies, including the Department of Environmental Regulation, the Department of Natural Resources, the Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission, the Department of Community Affairs and the regional planning councils into what he calls a “leaner, tougher” agency. Pajcic also would impose tougher environmental regulations on agribusiness, subjecting it to the same regulatory process as large developments face. Pajcic is a strong adovcate of state land-buying programs, such as Save Our Rivers and Save Our Coasts and has pledged to continue the Save Our Everglades program started by Gov. Bob Graham.
Martinez says he supports state land purchases, but says the state has paid too much for the land it has bought; he would ensure the state pays the lowest possible price. He also says the state can in some cases stictly regulate land use rather than buying the land. He wants the state to take the lead in helping local governments build better sewage treatment systems, perhaps on a regional baisis, and will encourage the construction of garbage- to-energy incinerator plants. He also wants to increase the amount of money local governments get to implement the state comprehensive plan.
SOCIAL SERVICES
Pajcic favors increased spending for social services. Florida ranks last in the nation in per capita spending for some social services, a situation Pajcic has said is unacceptable. Pajcic also proposes “more businesslike management” of the Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services, the mammoth state agency that administers state and federal social welfare programs.
Martinez favors improved management of HRS. He also wants to create a statewide insurance fund to pay for medical treatment for indigent patients. He favors tax credits or other incentives to encourage private businesses to sponsor day care centers. He opposes more money for Aid to Families with Dependent Children. He wants to find ways to get people off welfare rolls and onto job rolls. And he wants to create a public-private partnership to find summer jobs for youth.
BUDGET AND TAXES
Pajcic supports the elimination of most of the $1.3 billion in sales tax exemptions that will expire this year unless they are specifically re-enacted by the Legislature. Pajcic would use the new money in the areas of education, social services and criminal justice. Pajcic is strongly opposed to the proposed change in the $25,000 homestead exemption, which would increase property taxes for people with homes assessed below $45,000. Pajcic has strongly advocated letting growth pay for growth, which means increases in impact fees, user fees and tolls.
Martinez says he can save $800 million by running state government more efficiently. Some of the savings could be redistributed to improve services, he says. He opposes new taxes except an extra penny in sales tax for local governments if local voters approve. He supports changing the homestead exemption to ensure that everyone pays some property taxes. He wants to force the Legislature to meet in public to prevent private deals over the budget. He favors eliminating most of the sales tax exemptions, but says they must be studied first to make sure the state doesn’t lose by the changes.
TRANSPORTATION
Pajcic, former chairman of the House Transportation Committee, says a major transportation bill he passed in 1985 is a good start to making the Department of Transportation more manageable. The bill reduced state costs in purchasing rights of way, increased the authority of DOT’s district engineers, gave local governments the authority to levy 2 cents more in gasoline taxes and made possible the formation of metropolitan transit authorities. With voter approval, those authorities could levy more gasoline taxes and property taxes for road improvements. A Metro Transit Authority proposal in Orange, Seminole and Osceola counties was soundly defeated by voters earlier this year. Pajcic now says using property taxes to pay for roads was a bad idea — transportation costs should be borne by gasoline taxes and tolls. Pajcic favors bringing in a DOT secretary with a strong business background who would run the department “like the biggest engineering firm in the state.”
Martinez proposes creating a state transportaton planning board that would set transportation policy and operate much like the Board of Regents for the state university system. He says DOT needs strong management and opposes additional funding “until it learns how to spend its money.”
