Dean Cannon Shuffles the Deck on House Budget Allocations

Speaker Dean Cannon, R-Winter Park, offered some changes to House budgetary allocations on Thursday, sending additional monies to the PreK-12, Higher Education and Justice appropriation subcommittees and taking away funds from the Appropriations Committee.

Cannon sent out a memo to House members on Thursday morning, explaining the changes from the initial assessments released on Monday.

Our appropriations subcommittees have completed their initial work by proposing spending plans within their allocations, Cannon wrote in the memo. I have repeatedly emphasized that we will need to make difficult choices in preparing the fiscal year 2011-12 state budget. Through our base budget review, budget reduction exercise, and lump sum general revenue allocations, members have been given the opportunity to engage in the process and the freedom to prioritize spending.Most of our appropriations subcommittee chairs have successfully put statewide concerns ahead of local projects and local priorities.

Cannon authorized sending an additional $54.8 million to the PreK-12 Appropriations Subcommittee, $6.5 million to the Higher Education Appropriations Subcommittee and $15 million to the Justice Appropriations Subcommittee. Cannon also cut more than $46 million which had been penciled in for the full Appropriations Committee.

These adjustments to the general revenue allocations do not diminish the Houses proposed $2.2 billion in reserves, insisted Cannon.