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No Budget Cheer

June 11th, 2008 by Mike Vasilinda

Governor Charlie Crist has signed the state’s 66 billion dollar budget without fanfare, and as Mike Vasilinda tells us the budget is as notable for what is doesn’t do as for what it does.

For the first time in recent memory, the state budget was signed behind closed doors.

“There’s a reason it was done behind closed doors: there was nothing here to cheer.”

Education faces a billion dollar cut. Some teachers will lose their jobs, raises will be few and far between. The Teachers’ Union says parents are going to be surprised when their kids show up in August.

“There’s going to be programs that are going to be gone,” Mark Pudlow with the Teachers’ Union said. “You’re going to find school resource officers not there. There’s just going to be less available for children.”

Trustees at Florida State will figure out how to make due with 32 million less when they meet Friday. Tuition is going up by 6 percent. Lucy Dyer and daughter Kelly were touring campus for orientation.

“From what I’ve seen from orientation, I think that they’re going to do their best to make sure programs are still in place,” Dyer said. “I know classrooms may be larger than they’d probably like.”

Eric Goldsmith worries the cuts will keep him in school longer.

“It affects me the most because the budget in general will make it harder for me to get into classes here, the professors will be going down,” Goldsmith said. “There won’t be as many classes available.”

Court fees will go up to avoid layoffs. Some public defenders are saying they will have to refuse cases to meet their constitutional responsibility to do a good job.

On Tuesday, the governor praised lawmakers for a difficult task.

View Budget Veto Letter Here

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