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Budget Talks

February 19th, 2016 by flanews

Lawmakers have three weeks left to pass the one bill they constitutionally must pass…the state budget. As Matt Galka tells us, there’s still time, but lawmakers aren’t looking for a repeat of last session’s mess.

We’re past the midpoint of 2016’s legislative session. At this same time last year…things were starting to unravel.  The House and Senate were divided over healthcare…and session ended without a budget being passed.

A year later, the two chambers have already passed their respective budgets but there about one billion dollars apart. House Democratic Leader Mark Pafford isn’t worried…yet.

“I think if you look back, we are probably on a normal schedule. They could ramp it up and shut it down pretty quickly and get a budget to the Governor before the end of session. I think it’s still possible,” he said.

There are no budget conferences this weekend but Florida’s House Spekaer expects them to happen early next week.

One of the hold ups: a tax  cut package. The House is backing the Governor’s one billion dollar – mostly corporate – tax cut package. The Senate says everyone has to give a little.

“We have to come to an agreement in that number first and foremost in order to understand what the tax cut package will look like before we can start building a budget,” said Speaker Crisafulli.

Pafford says one billion dollars is out the window

“It’s a long shot, it was nonsense when the governor put it out there, it’s nonsense now. It’d be interesting if the Governor spent some time in Tallahassee anytime soon and actually showed up to work, you know? But apparently that’s one job he doesn’t want to show up for,” he said.

One thought: the legislature could give the Governor a budget early and possibly override any vetoes he may make. They’d have to come to an agreement in about two works to potentially make that happen.

Lawmakers are also wrestling with another issue – incentive money for businesses possibly relocating to Florida. It’s another top priority of Governor Rick Scott’s, but lawmakers aren’t ready to commit.

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