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Governor Charlie Crist is getting closer to a decision on what spending cuts he wants to put back in the state budget.

Lawmakers cut 2.6 billion dollars in spending The package includes a billion dollars in spending reductions for schools, hospitals and social services. Education will take the brunt of the budget ax blow, with lawmakers voting cut 500 million from education. 66 probation officers lost their jobs a day after lawmakers passed their budget plan. By vetoing the cuts Crist can restore some positions.

“It shouldn’t shock you that as a former attorney general and a former education commissioner, that public safety and education are very near and dear to me. So I’m looking most closely at the public safety arena. The probation officers you mentioned and also the education as it relates to higher pay for our public school teachers,” said Crist.

Crist is poised to veto a proposed 11 million dollar cut to a teacher merit pay program.