There’s trouble in paradise -- or in budget world -- for the Florida Legislature.
On Sunday, the Florida House pushed what it called a “continuation budget” to carry on the current spending levels with no cuts to the Florida Senate. The “continuation budget” would provide no new initiatives or hometown projects for state lawmakers. On Monday, Negron sent a memo saying he wasn’t interested in taking up the House’s offer.
The House and Senate disagree on how to handle higher education -- the Senate wants to pump more money into state colleges and universities, but the Florida House wants to slash spending for higher ed.
Despite the difference in proposals, it appeared the Florida House and Senate were set to come to some sort of agreement on the budget -- but now, Senate President Joe Negron says it’s a no-go.
In the memo, Negron said he had never heard of the concept of a “continuation budget” and trashed it as a “Washington creation” where Congress can’t agree on passing a budget and simply carries forward the current budget for years at a time -- with additional spending.
“I have no interest in adopting this ineffectual practice,” Negron said in a statement. “Our constituents deserve and expect more.”
Up until now, both Negron and House Speaker Richard Corcoran, R-Land O’Lakes, seemed to be on the path towards a budget with something for both chambers. Sunday’s negotiations and Monday’s comments from Negron indicate the chambers have reached a gridlock with two weeks left in the legislative session.
If the Senate and House don’t reach an agreement on the budget by the end of the legislative session, state lawmakers will need to return to Tallahassee for a special session.
Speaker Corcoran seemed less than enthused with the Senate’s two budget makers, Negron and Sen. Jack Latvala, R-Clearwater as the negotiations came to a standstill. The Land O'Lakes Republican trashed the two senators, saying there was "no limit to their liberalism," comparing the two to Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and U.S. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi.
"We're dealing with a very, very liberal Jack and Joe,” Corcoran told the Tampa Bay Times. “It's Bernie Sanders and it's Nancy Pelosi and there's not a conservative bone in their bodies."
The House criticized the Senate for throwing in a series of new proposals like money for farmworkers and said the "continuation budget" was partially agreeable because it would hold the line on funding for state agencies Enterprise Florida and Visit Florida, which the House has repeatedly threatened to cut this year.
The chambers’ current budget proposals are $4 billion apart.
All hope didn’t seem to be lost however. Negron said the Senate was still “willing and able” to respond to a budget and policy counteroffer from the House.
“Before the appearance of the ‘continuation budget’ from the House, many budget and policy issues had been amicably resolved,” Negron said. Appropriations Chair Latvala and I will continue to work toward the goal of achieving joint allocations with the House so we can begin the Budget Conference in a timely manner and pass a budget before the close of Session.”
By late Monday afternoon, Corcoran said the House wasn't giving up on its "standard operating budget" -- a new twist on the budget which would set aside $2 billion in reserves while providing for "natural growth" on issues like Medicaid and K-12 enrollment.
"we remain optimistic that we will reach budget consensus with the Senate," Corcoran wrote. "However, by considering this standard operating budget as a contingency, we would prevent an unnecessary government shutdown, protect the state’s future, and still enable us to fund new priorities in the future."
The new state budget must be passed by July 1. The legislative session ends May 5.
Reach reporter Allison Nielsen by email at allison@sunshinestatenews.com or follow her on Twitter: @AllisonNielsen.
