The Florida House of Representatives spent Wednesday in a mammoth full session, preparing for debate and a vote on its initial budget on Thursday.
While the Senate passed its first budget without any opposition and adjourned for the Easter holiday, the House plowed through amendments, reports from appropriation committee chairs, conforming bills and second readings of appropriation bills.
The House and the Senate will attempt to reconcile their budgets in April. The House budget currently stands at $67.2 billion, while the Senate voted on a $69.5 billion budget earlier in the day. Gov. Charlie Crist proposed a $69.2 billion budget earlier in the year.
Unlike the two other proposed budgets, the House budget is not relying on the state receiving extra revenue. Crist and the Senate are counting on more than $400 million in revenue from a proposed gambling compact with the Seminole tribe and $900 million from Congress for Medicaid funding.
In one of the few tense moments of the session, incoming House Minority Leader Ron Saunders, D-Key West, offered a preview of the debate on Thursday when he said that passing the budget would lead to more Floridians losing jobs.
Saunders questioned Rep. Rich Glorioso, R-Plant City, on whether the transportation appropriations would lead to job losses. Saunders said that the measure would cost Florida 28,000 jobs.
We will have to lose 8,000 jobs a year in the transportation arena, Glorioso said. But, this will allow us to keep jobs in the education, health-care and criminal-justice arenas.
Saunders then offered an amendment, which he eventually withdrew, to label the bill the Job Killer Act of 2010.
Since weve heard so much about transparency this session, I wanted to put truth in labeling, said Saunders.
Majority Leader Rep. Adam Hanser, R-Delary Beach, substituted an amendment to Saunders proposal, changing the name to the Protecting Healthcare and Education Funding Act of 2010.
You have to make tough decisions when you prioritize spending and we made tough decisions, just like every family and business around the state, Hasner said.
But, Saunders said, Theres no protection in this bill for education and health-care funding."
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or (850) 727-0859.
