Mike Haridopolos Sends Letter to Alex Sink Attacking Her Budget Plans

Looks like the Republican leadership in the Legislature has made peace with GOP gubernatorial candidate Rick Scott. On Monday, incoming Senate President Mike Haridopolos of Merritt Island, who had supported Attorney General Bill McCollum over Scott in the divisive Republican primary, sent a pointed letter to state CFO Alex Sink, the Democratic gubernatorial candidate.

As incoming Senate president, I'm concerned about Florida's economic outlook and the looming budget shortfall the Legislature will be required to address in the coming months," wrote Haridopolos. To that end, I have already taken the necessary steps to reduce our own staff's salary expenses in the Florida Senate by more than $1 million.As you know, I remain committed to leading by example to right-size government and create jobs in our state.

Noting that he had read Sinks economic proposals, Haridopolos added that he had problems with them.

I am greatly alarmed by a disturbing pattern of unsustainable spending proposals that you have put forward, he continued in the letter. Florida's Constitution requires the passage of a balanced budget, yet your campaign website shows plans for massive spending increases without any thought as to where to find the necessary money to pay for this expansion of government.

Haridopolos took aim at a number of her proposals, saying they would add $12.5 billion to the already $2.5-$3 billion shortfall expected in 2011.

Florida's current budget estimates reveal a shortfall of approximately $2.5 billion to $3 billion, he wrote. Instead of spending less to stem the tide, it appears that you would propose a staggering $12.5 billion in additional spending on everything from higher pay for state workers to high-speed rail and other areas of government spending.The consequences of these proposed increases in spending would yield nothing short of a crippling $14 billion to $15 billion budget shortfall.

We must be honest with the citizens of our state, and we need to follow the example of Florida's families who are tightening their belts and reducing their budgets when finding it harder and harder to make ends meet, continued Haridopolos. At a time when Florida families and businesses are doing more with less, they should be able to expect the same from their government.