Rumors of a growing rift between the Legislature and Gov. Rick Scott are wildly exaggerated, says Senate President Mike Haridopolos.

The Merritt Island Republican dismissed as "pure hogwash" press speculation that leading GOP lawmakers are distancing themselves from Scott.

"On all the issues that matter, we're all together," Haridopolos said of Scott, House Speaker Dean Cannon and himself. "Leadership without equivocation supports [Scott]. We see eye to eye on every major policy front."

Stressing his agenda of reforming Medicaid and the state pension system, Senate President Mike Haridopolos, R-Merritt Island, showed in his legislative opening address that he has far more in common with Gov. Rick Scott's objectives than he has disagreement.

He did, however, make a point of heaping skepticism on Scott's plan to cut taxes.

Haridopolos remarked that the state faces a $3.6 billion budget deficit. But his words fell on deaf ears, because although Scott attended the opening of the session in the Senate chambers, he left before Haridopolos' speech began.