Senate Passes Budget, Picking Up Two Dem Votes

The Senate Budget Committee moved along its version of the budget, all of $69.8 billion in spending. The Senate budget proposal is $3.3 billion more than the House version, mainly because it includes the clerks of court and incorporates the water management districts in its budget, which the House swept.

The vote came down 16-4, with two Democrats -- Bill Montford of Tallahassee and Gary Siplin of Orlando -- joining the Republicans on the committee in moving the budget along.

Minority Leader Sen. Nan Rich, D-Weston, complained that the cuts to education, state workers and health care were unfair, since legislators did not consider tax "loopholes" or other sources of revenue to make up for the cuts.

"Ibelieve there are many sources of revenue that we have not taken a look at," Rich said.

But Sen. Don Gaetz, R-Niceville, noted that any savings that were not found in the state budget must be found in the pockets of Florida taxpayers.

"If that were to occur (tax increases) that money would not be found in a pillow under the bed, that money would have to be extracted from our taxpayers," Gaetz said.