As Jackson struggles with severe financial problems, Chief Executive Eneida Roldan has hoped that two sources of money -- each about $50 million -- will go a long way to rescuing Miami-Dade's public health system.

In fact, the $50 million from Tallahassee has vanished because of complicated regulations, and getting another $50 million out of Washington is the idea of a union consultant who has vague ideas but no specifics about how or when it might happen.

The funds are crucial because Jackson Health System executives are counting on the money to help reduce a $229 million deficit they're facing this fiscal year.

Concerns about more government funding -- expressed by the Miami-Dade delegation in Tallahassee on Thursday -- come on the eve of a crucial meeting Friday in which Roldan is expected to reveal to the governing board a detailed plan on how to drastically reduce the budget.

The need for cuts has become even more urgent because Public Health Trust members learned Thursday the system lost $23.4 million in January, far worse than the December loss of $14.5 million. Days of cash on hand -- the money needed to pay immediate bills -- was 21.08 days, down from 22.7 in December. Executives worry the system may be out of money by May.

OUTLINE OF CUTS

Last month, Roldan gave a rough outline of how cutting 900 jobs could reduce the shortfall by $70 million to $120 million. To make up the rest of the deficit, she is looking for outside help.

Several times Wednesday, Jackson executives told the Miami-Dade County Commission about the money waiting in Tallahassee and Washington. ``We're pursuing state and federal support of $100 million,'' Roldan said.

Several commissioners expressed skepticism.

``I don't see the money,'' Jose ``Pepe'' Diaz said of the possibility of more state funds. ``I don't know how much I'd hold my breath on that.''

And he said, ``Forget about the federal side'' because there are too many ifs involved.

Here are the challenges of Jackson getting outside funds:

• State: In Tallahassee, Roldan was seeking additional funds from the Lower Income Pool, which supports facilities that serve unusually large numbers of poor and uninsured. The LIP Council, an advisory committee that recommends how the money should be spent, recommended that Jackson get an additional $50 million from an extra contingency bucket, if the Legislature approved.

However, earlier this week, Anthony Carvalho, president of the Safety Net Hospital Alliance of Florida, said that $50 million is no longer available because of a complex change in state and federal financial calculations.

Roldan said she knew of this development, but still hopes the Legislature will find some money for Jackson somewhere.

That could be a challenge because Florida lawmakers are already struggling with a projected multibillion-dollar budget deficit.

Because getting state money is crucial, several county commissioners on Wednesday announced they wouldn't vote for the mayor's plan for a new Jackson governing board because the Miami-Dade legislative delegation expressed concerns.

With so much money on the line, Commissioner Carlos A. Gimenez said he was voting against the mayor's recommendation partly because he didn't want to offend the delegation: ``If we are going with our hands asking for $50 million or whatever, it behooves us to keep them in this game.''