House, Senate Budget Talks to Wait

The House and Senate budget talks, originally scheduled for this week, will have to wait until after Easter, as preparations to begin conference meetings broke down.

"We are not ready to go to conference," said Senate Budget Committee Chairman J.D. Alexander, R-Lake Wales.

The differences between the two budgets mainly revolve around the Senate's $69.8 billion budget, which brings in the water management districts, consolidates the Turnpike Enterprise and includes the clerks of court budget, which are left out of the House's $66.5 billion budget.

Because the Senate is not meeting next week due to the Passover and Easter holidays, the budget talks can't start until April 25.