Haridopolos Warns Against Added Spending as Budget Debate Begins in Senate

Senate President Mike Haridopolos, R-Merritt Island, kicked off the budget debate in the Senate Wednesday by demanding that amendments offered by other senators, that include pet spending projects, also ask for tax increases in order to pay for them.

"If your amendment today asks us to spend more money that we do not have ... I expect that you will also offer an amendment to raise taxes so that we can all vote on that," Haridopolos said. "Ijust want everyone to recognize this is go time. If you choose to spend money we do not have, you must offer up that tax increase so that we can vote on it," he added.

Haridopolos has consistently stated there will be no new taxes or tax increases in the budget, instead relying on spending cuts to fill the state's $3.8 billion budget hole. He acknowledged that cuts to education, health care and state worker pensions will be tough.

"These will be significant reductions and a lot of programs that senators, representatives, the governor and people in the gallery care about," Haridopolos said. "For the last couple of years we've been sustained in part by what has been called stimulus spending. That is gone now," he added.