What happens when the governor cuts an appropriation out of the budget? One Jacksonville area Senator wants to send the money to the state’s rainy day fund.
This June, Governor Rick Scott vetoed over $460 million in the Legislature’s budget. And that means in the 2016 session, those funds will be added back into the state’s general revenue fund. But Sen. Travis Hutson (R-St. Augustine) says Florida should send that money to its savings rather than its checking account.
“My thought is instead of just handing money over to that fund each year based on the Legislature or pulling money out of it, why don’t we just use some of these veto dollars that are considered maybe pet projects or turkeys to build that fund up,” Hutson says.
The move requires amending the state Constitution, so if lawmakers approve the measure it heads to the voters next.