By James Call
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wfsu/local-wfsu-966867.mp3
Tallahassee, FL – Budget leaders have resolved spending issues dividing the Florida House and Senate. James Call reports the deal sets the stage for an on time finish to the 2011 Legislative Session.
The state spending plan for the year beginning July first will be close to $68 billion dollars with more than 3.5- billion dollars in cuts to the education, prison and health care budgets. The breakthrough came in overnight negotiations and after a Tuesday morning meeting explaining the deal, Senate Budget chief JD Alexander apologized for being fuzzy on specific details; He said he was operating on two hours of sleep.
"We started discussions essentially right after our meltdown and you know, starting redoubling our efforts to find consensus and we did. It just takes a long time to go through all this work product and get it right. Just got on the phone and talked across the hall and got on the issues and got them resolved."
Alexander explained that negotiations over seven issues within the Health and
Human Services budget were either resolved or coming together enough to reduce the
likelihood of an overtime session. He went straight from conference committee
negotiations to the Senate floor to brief the full Senate.
"And so, at the end of the day we fully funded to the level we had last year MEDS AD and Medically Needy. I know that is a great concern to many of you and I hope you feel like that is good progress."
The deal includes close to a 700-million dollars cut in Medicaid payments to hospitals and nursing homes, about a billion dollars in reductions for public schools, and a plan to privatize prisons that reduces costs by another billion. Legislative leaders pledged to close a multi-billion dollar budget gap with spending cuts. Democrats protested the decision but lacked the votes to change the policy, Senate Democratic Leader Nan Rich.
"It's going to be very critical cuts. I understand everyone had to tighten their belts but if you come up with a balance between closing tax loopholes and cuts it would have been a little less painful for everybody concerned because again it's always the neediest and most vulnerable that end up getting the most cuts, you know if it is children, the disabled that end up in their realm than the realm of the corporate special interest."
House Democratic Leader pro-tem Joe Gibbons also questions the Republican majority decision to cut spending. Surveying the policy changes implemented by budget cuts under the guise of a budget crisis. He said if he were to review the
Legislature's performance he would rate it below average.
I'm going to give us a D. I'm going to give us a D because if you look at what we did to the quality of life in Florida, you know unemployment compensation, those who have less, and you know, the governor promised to cut taxes for corporations? And while we're cutting services and cutting education a lot of the basis that are part of the fabric of Florida and the quality of life that attracts people to Florida you know, you have to pay for that. And you can't pay for it just by taking the revenue that you have and making it disappear because you want to shrink government."
The state budget proposal for the year beginning July First includes 308 million dollars in tax cuts. Instead of Governor Rick Scott's request for a 458 million corporate tax cut, lawmakers are offering $30 million. Scott praised the deal. He said it's a first towards what he hopes will be repeal of the corporate income tax.
Tuesday was the deadline to reach a deal for the budget. Lawmakers will have 72-hours to review the proposal before a vote on Friday, the scheduled end of the 2011 Legislative Session.