Crist's Turkey Hunt

Heres an interesting detail I wasnt able to include in Fridays story on Gov. Charlie Crists budget decisions:

Crist vetoed from the spending plan, which will cost the state more than $70 billion, at least 16 of 41 budget turkeys Florida TaxWatch listed in its annual report of local projects submitted late in the budget negotiation process or with little chance for public review.

This is the highest amount of turkey vetoes Crist has ordered in the past several years, said Dominic Calabro, president and CEO of the pro-business government watchdog. But its still not as high as the group would have liked.

In 2007, he vetoed 301 of TaxWatchs 505 turkey recommendations for the next the 2007/2008 budget for a savings of $141 million. The next year, he vetoed one of 132 turkeys from the 2008/2009 budget for a savings of $840,000. Last year, he vetoed none of the 10 turkeys, which cost the state $15 million, from the 2009/2010 budget.

Calabro lamented the fact that Crist announced his veto decision at around 3 p.m. Friday, leaving little time for public discussion.

Chief TaxWatch turkeys Crist vetoed include a $1 million Performing Arts Center in Lauderhill and $1 million in road improvements to Turkey Creek Road and Hillsborough County Industrial Park.

Some of the biggest turkeys he left in his budget were a bid for a $8.5 million pharmacy school in Crestview run by Florida A&M University and a $10 million Small County Resurface Assistance Program.

Asked how much Crists new political stance and alliances figured in to his decisions, Calabro said simply:

Its an election year.