House Appropriations Committee Readies for Budget Vote

As the state continues to face a $3.75 billion shortfall, the House Appropriations Committee kicked off a marathon session on Wednesday as they grappled with the budget and passed the General Appropriations Act on a party lines vote to send it to the House floor.

Rep. Denise Grimsley, R-Sebring, carved out 10 hours for the committee to meet as they readied their proposed $66.5 billion budget.

That may seem like a lot of time but we have a lot of bills to take up today, said Grimsley at the start of the session.

With the House proposed budget making cuts to education and health-care programs, Democrats on the committee took shots at the plan. Republicans stressed that, with the state still hurting from the rough economy, they had to prioritize spending.

Our state is facing a significant budget shortfall, said Grimsley.

Democrats -- led by Rep. Marty Kiar, D-Parkland, and House Democratic Leader Ron Saunders of Key West -- asked questions to subcommittee chairs for more than an hour before the amendment process began. Kiar attempted to offer an amendment opposing privatizing probation and prisons in Broward and Miami-Dade counties.

When you have less money you cannot continue business-as-usual, insisted Rep. Rich Glorioso, R-Plant City, the chairman of the Justice Appropriations Subcommittee.

Its not good to privatize something when the health and safety of the public is at stake, shot back Kiar.

While offering words of praise for Grimsley and the subcommittee chairs, Democrats lined up against the budget proposal, arguing that it hurts education, hospitals and will not help the states unemployment problem.

This bill hurts job creation, insisted Saunders. I have a hard time in supporting a budget that not only does not create jobs but kills jobs.

Republicans defended the proposed budget but noted that there were problems with it which they hoped would be ironed out in the committee process.

This is the fifth budget that I voted on that I have not agreed with 100 percent, but thats just life, said Rep. Ed Hooper, R-Clearwater, who added that he thought their chief responsibility was to pass a balanced budget. Thats our job, thats our only job.

Our caucus made the decision to balance the budget that is in front of us without raising taxes, said House Majority Leader Carlos Lopez-Cantera of Miami. "These were difficult decisions.

This is a balanced budget without raising taxes which our citizens wanted and expected of us, added Lopez-Cantera.

The committee adjourned a few moments after noon for lunch -- but will still face more than seven hours of meetings in the afternoon and early evening.