Negotiators from the House and Senate slashed almost $60 million in economic development spending Saturday as the Legislature drew closer to an elusive final deal on a state budget for the year that begins July 1.

Meeting over the weekend to hammer out the final details of a budget expected to weigh in at well more than $76 billion but south of $80 billion, House Appropriations Chairman Richard Corcoran and Senate Appropriations Chairman Tom Lee reached agreement on state spending for transportation and economic development.

Like the flora speckling the Capitol grounds, tensions between GOP House and Senate leaders appear to be wilting as lawmakers prepare to finalize a budget before the special session ends next week.

Appropriations subcommittee chairs congratulated one another on jobs well done before passing unresolved "bump issues" to the budget chiefs, who cordially took up the mantle midweek with no apparent memory of who would be left without a dance partner.

Some environmental groups have more money than they do brains. Meet the Everglades Trust.

They don't learn.

First, as the legislative session began in March, this "501(c)(4) corporation of non-elected board appointees" -- "committed to keeping Florida's water flowing clean and safe" -- launched a fact-twisted, six-figure TV, radio and online campaign to buy U.S. Sugar Corp. land.

It did nothing for them but make new enemies.

The Florida Legislature is moving full-speed ahead to complete the state budget by the end of next week, and it looks as if Floridians can expect a wave of tax cuts for the next two years.

House leaders backed off a request for tens of millions of dollars in bonding for education and environmental projects Thursday, removing one of the stumbling blocks to a final deal on a state spending plan for the budget year that begins July 1.

But several obstacles --- including how to divvy up $1 billion in health-care funding --- remained as lawmakers race the clock to approve an agreement by June 30 and avoid a government shutdown. Legislators are trying to finish their work by the scheduled June 20 conclusion of a special legislative session.

A new poll shows Florida voters are divided on Medicaid expansion. The Legislature was divided on the issue in recent weeks with the House opposing it and the Senate supporting it. The House effectively ensured Medicaid expansion would not be part of the state budget at the end of last week. 

So Gov. Rick Scott signed HB 633, the abortion-waiting-period bill. What else is new? Another year, another opportunity for Florida to shame a woman.

You have to ask yourself, what's next? You know there's going to be a something-next. This bill that mandates a woman terminating her pregnancy make back-to-back visits to the medical clinic within 24 hours is all part of a coordinated, national strategy to end access to safe, legal abortion. I'm sure of it.

While slicing and dicing other areas of the budget, lawmakers plan to boost the state's spending on prisons by $43 million to address needs such as replacing vehicles and fixing leaky roofs and to wipe out a years-long deficit.

Florida politicos should expect the 2015 special session to end slightly early. Senate President Andy Gardiner, R-Orlando, said Wednesday he anticipates wrapping up budget negotiations by Tuesday, June 16. That means state lawmakers will vote on the final budget next Friday, June 19, a day before the scheduled end of session. 

Legislators have been chugging ahead with budget negotiations since the beginning of the month, working into the weekend for meetings deciding allocations in various areas of the state budget. 

With supporters saying a free-market approach would spur more competition and more choices for patients, a House panel Tuesday approved a proposal that would eliminate key regulations on building hospitals.