<p>It is not too early to email or phone your Florida legislators now, and telling them to leave Bright Futures alone. The Florida legislature meets two months earlier in 2012; the next legislative session is in January and February because of the redistricting going on in Florida next year. The legislators are already loose in Tallahassee doing committee work now getting ready for the next session which is sneaking up fast.</p>
<p>Don't let the legislators pull a fast one; contact your legislators today and tell them to keep Bright Futures! They don't really receive too much mail from constituents now, it's a quiet time right now for them, so write them and they definitely will read your pleas--hopefully they'll so the right thing and keep Bright Futures fully funded for deserving students.</p>
<p>Even with money so tight for the state that elimination of Bright Futures Scholarships is being proposed by some legislators, other legislators are now pushing at the same time for a 12th brand new independent public university being opened in Florida. So instead of dividing the state university money pot 11 ways with the existing 11 Florida state universities, it could be watered down to having to be split 12 ways. I hope the state isn’t expecting more money from me–I don’t have it! There already are universities, state colleges, and state community colleges seemingly on every other street corner in Florida. Do we really need another university in the state university system? There is plenty of access to college in Florida now for students without adding another expensive university that we can’t afford. Write your legislators to not allow a another university at this time when state money is so tight, and remind your legislators in same letter to keep Bright Futures and too continue supporting and funding existing universities–especially FSU!</p>
<p>Yeah, I am not in the least bit surprised that FBFS might go the way of the dinosaurs. The cuts were the first sign, then the second was the idea that it should be need-based, not academic-based.</p>
<p>Bright Futures, as little as it is, was almost the sole deciding factor that kept me from traveling out of state. So much for 100% of my tuition being covered. So much for that spiel throughout 4 years of high school.</p>
<p>This is totally out of place, but I’ll take the advantage since we’re talking about money in this thread. I think I lost at least 10 lbs since I first got here. UF offered me a full ride, and here I am at FSU waiting for my next meal to come cause I can’t cook to save my life. Can’t afford a meal plan, so I’m cooking “extremely delicious” food if you know what I mean. </p>
<p>I’m living off-campus, and my roommate is a freshman also. Any bright genius has a clue of what to do in this situation? Now that I think of it, that culinary class I dropped back in high school for an extra I.B class could have helped a bunch! Any help would be great! Thanks.</p>
<p>I’ve got an FSU student friend who works part-time at a nice Tallahassee restaurant. He earns extra pocket money, he gets free meals when working, AND they taught him how to cook.</p>
<p>ThirdWorld-- My daughter is IB and cooks gourmet – seriously, vertical
presentations the real deal. It sounds like I cook better than you, and
I’m just a slump professor. Time to take care of yourself.</p>
<p>You mention money-- I know an old guy who shops in the pet section at
Walmart because the cat food is less expensive than tuna from the people
section. Is there a message here, eh?</p>
<p>I didn’t think I could cook all that well either, but I got one of the George Foreman grills for $20 at a Walmart. It’s easy enough to use. If you don’t want to mess with spices, it’s literally as easy (after setting up the grill) as put item on the grill, wait for it to cook, take it off the grill. </p>
<p>Also, look into Steamfresh/Bird’s Eye Steamers/Green Giant Steamers (and similar items). They cook in about 5 minutes in the microwave. Some are decent enough size to be a meal themselves, although they do come in smaller sizes. </p>
<p>Something I don’t regret buying is a cheap rice cooker. It takes about 25-30 minutes to cook so it’s not the quickest option, but it’s really simple- add rice, add water, turn on, let it cook. Plus rice is relatively cheap. </p>
<p>Cooking really isn’t all that difficult. You just have to try it and you’ll eventually get the hang of it.</p>
<p>Higher education in general will be a big issue in the next legislative session, especially with some legislators and the governor pushing for the possible elimination of tenure. Things are sure to be a lot more lively in Tallahassee come January. </p>
<p>I voted for Rick Scott and am absolutely ashamed to admit it.</p>
<p>Can’t wait to vote against him in 3 years. Unfortunately, it will be too late.</p>
<p>The Florida Lottery was founded on the understanding that it would fund the Bright Futures program. Without BF, they need to eliminate the lottery. The reason the state can’t afford Bright Futures is because there are too many hands in the lotto cookie jar.</p>
<p>My kid will get Bright Futures. So obviously, it is a good thing for me.</p>
<p>However, since the prior posts are political in nature, let me give the contrary point of view to those expressed so far:</p>
<p>With the United States Government borrowing 40% of every dollar it spends, and with the State of Florida probably being equally irresponsible, should the taxes of some guy working at 7-11 really be used to pay for the college education of an upper middle class kid?</p>
<p>Let’s not be like those who say, “yes, we need to make cuts, but not cuts in MY government program”</p>
<p>FloridaDad55-- The point of Bright Futures was to reward academic
achievement (merit) and keep kids in the SUS. The program has been
a success-- yep a government program and it actually works.</p>
<p>Again, we can afford tax breaks for fat cats but meritorious students take
the financial shaft. “We can’t afford Bright Futures.” LOL</p>
<p>Lots of college students have jobs at places like 7-11, and many parents with children enrolled in Florida universities too; of course taxes from all taxpayers should help support Florida’s public education institutions. I’m a college soph and a taxpayer with a part-time job now, I have worked at a job every week since I was 15 yrs old. Public schools need public support! </p>
<p>Maybe well heeled parents should pay more for their kids’ education than poorer families at Florida public colleges? Someone has to pay the freight for college education, how the costs are assessed fairly is always like handling a hornet nest</p>
<p>Florida state universities and colleges are funded by the state… it is impossible to separate politics from Florida’s public higher education schools.</p>
<p>as I understand it, Bright Futures was designed to keep the brightest Florida students in state in the hopes they would stay in Florida to improve the education level of the citizens of Florida which supposedly attracts business and increases the tax base. It was not supposed to be need based, but merit based. It has worked. Many students have chosen to stay in state (mine included) because of it. I believe this has contributed to the increased academic reputations of Florida schools because the qualifications needed to get into our universities has risen every year.</p>
<p>So if these factors are no longer important to the state, then the state will suffer the consequences if it is eliminated. With the cuts they have made to the reward so far, it’s already on it’s way to becoming a non-factor. Coupled with the budget cuts to the universities, we may see the best and the brightest choose to go elsewhere.</p>
<p>Bright Futures is funded by the lottery, not tax dollars. </p>
<p>And it’s not an accurate argument to say it indirectly costs tax dollars in that the lotto money can be used to fund other things. The only reason the lotto was approved in the first place was because of Bright Futures. No Bright Futures should equal no lottery. Now let’s see how the state budget is fairing.</p>
<p>I’ve seen fat cats whose masters were poor and who used their food stamps to buy real canned tuna fish for the cats because the masters didn’t have enough money to buy food stamp disallowed cheaper canned cat food out of their own pocket…so the cats got fat on the good stuff bought with food stamps. Meanwhile, some grannies are eating canned cat food; it’s a mixed up world!</p>
<p>P2N- You’ve been listening to right wing talk radio too much.
The fat cats to which I refer are corporate America. They are
tripping around on the monies they have at this time. These
corporations today enjoy some of the lowest tax rates in
decades. So, your Governor (Scott) and his buddies cut their
taxes even more, and then say, “We can’t afford Brightfutures”
for the meritorious in Florida. God, what a values nightmare!</p>
<p>FSU should hope Brightfutures continues because it is a financial
advantage for them as they compete for the “best” kids with UF. The financial
playing field is leveled by Brightfutures.
That is obvious, but if Brightfutures dies, UCF, USF, etc, the
schools in metropolitan areas will be at a competitive advantage
over FSU. In short, the middle class top 3% kid will come to UCF
rather than FSU because they can’t afford FSU. </p>
<p>According to below news story, the state just signed up Florida’s largest retailer, Wal-Mart, as a new lottery ticket sales outlet. Sales for state lottery should take an upward spike with Wal-Mart selling tickets to Florida’s fat cats. For the fiscal year just ended June 30, lottery sales in Florida were about $4 billion; schools and programs like Bright Futures got about $1 billion of the money, the $3 billion difference went for payouts, overhead and expenses , AND other stuff!</p>