By Lynn Hatter
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wfsu/local-wfsu-954209.mp3
Tallahassee, FL – Senate Budget chairman J.D. Alexander is continuing to criticize Governor Rick Scott for the sale of the state's planes. Alexander has sent a second letter to the governor asking him to clarify his legal authority for the sale. As Lynn Hatter reports, Alexander brought the issue up again Wednesday during a budget committee meeting.
Alexander insists the sale of the planes was illegal because the governor didn't have the authority to spend the money from the sale of plane one, to pay off plane two.
"Under state statute, all funds received by an officer of the state must immediately be placed in the treasury. You do not have, the executive branch or anyone else doesn't have the unilateral authority to direct those funds somewhere else without coming to the treasury. So, that's the issue."
The governor has maintained the sale was legal.
"As you all know, one of my campaign promises was to sell the state planes. Taxpayers in this state are not willing to pay for public officials flying on state planes. So we did that successfully. And we went through the right process, worked with our general counsel and sold the planes. So it's another campaign promise I fulfilled."
Alexander has said he supports the sale of the planes, but not the manner in which it was done in.