Balance Federal Budget, Urge State Legislative Leaders

State Senate President Jeff Atwater and House Speaker Larry Cretul announced Monday they want Florida to join other states in demanding the federal government balance its budget.

If the federal government, now grappling with a $12 trillion debt, doesnt act more fiscally responsible, the consequences are clear.

Florida will be drowning in its debt, Atwater said, in a joint press conference with Cretul.

Atwater, R-North Palm Beach, and Cretul, R-Ocala, are proposing a resolution calling for a federal constitutional amendment that will require a balanced budget and lessen federal control of state spending.

For such an amendment to be passed, it must be ratified by three-fourths of the 50 states and be heard at a federal Amendments Convention, which must be called for by two-thirds of the states. So far, 19 states have called for a convention.

We would like Florida to be number 20, Atwater said.

A balanced budget amendment will hold the federal government as accountable for balancing its budget as Florida is. The demand is only fair, says Atwater.

Confronted with questions about using federal stimulus money to balance the state budget, Atwater said that money originally comes from local taxes anyway. And, Florida has contributed more money than it has spent.