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A showdown over school funding, property taxes, and economic development are just a few of the items keeping lawmakers from agreeing on a new state budget. The legislature has until a week from tomorrow to agree on an 80 billion dollar plus plan or face costly overtime. Today, negotiations collapse after House Speaker Richard Corcoran offered a continuing resolution to spend at least years level. It was quickly rejected by Senate Appropriations Chair Jack Latvala.

“Why do we want to model Florida after Washington D.C.? they haven’t had anything anything but a continuation budget in Washington DC in eight or ten years. And we want to copy that? Does the Speaker want to copy Washington D.C.  I don’t think the vast number of people I represent have much confidence in Washington D.C.” says Latvala.

A special session of the legislature will cost upwards of 40 thousand dollars a day. But Latvala says there is still a good change the budget will get worked out on time.