After a packed eight-hour session,the Florida House passed its initial $66.5 billion budget 78-to-39 Thursday on a party-lines vote.
With the Senate passing a $69.8 billion initial budget earlier in the day and Gov. Rick Scott initially proposing a $65.9 billion budget,the two chambers will start conferencing next week as they try to reach an agreement.
House Speaker Dean Cannon, R-Winter Park, set the stage of the lengthy House session by offering his members a road map on the days proceedings.
This isprocedurally complicated today, said Cannon, who pleaded with House members to listen and focus during the Thursday session, but had to wield the gavel a few times to urge them to cease private conversations.
The representatives engaged in structured and limited debate per an earlier agreement. Rep. Denise Grimsley, R-Sebring, served as the floor manager for the Republicans while Rep. Jim Waldman, D-Coconut Creek, managed the Democrats on the floor.
Grimsley, in her capacity as chairwoman of the Appropriations Committee, had the various appropriation subcommittee chairs bring out their budgetary proposals and conforming measures -- many of which passed on party line votes.
This budget will undoubtedly help Floridas economy, said Grimsley, who maintained that the House budget would overcome the states more than $4 billion shortfall without raising taxes.
Her comments were mirrored by Republicans on the floor as they praised the proposed budget and defended it.
We have crafted a budget that has not raised taxes, said Rep. Janet Adkins, R-Fernandina Beach, who said the House could be proud of backing the proposed budget.
Its not easy to prioritize, said Rep. Ben Albritton, R-Bartow, who said that the proposed budget reflected the desire of voters to limit the size and scope of the state government. Its not easy to live within our means.
Our budget reflects the state of the economy, said Rep. Marti Coley, R-Marianna. We, like so many families, had to prioritize.
Democrats stood against the proposed budget, maintaining that it would not help the states economy recover and cut too much from education andhealth care, hurt state workers and relied on new taxes and fees.
House Democratic Leader Ron Saunders of Key West kicked off the debate on the general appropriations act by repeating his assertion that the budget included a state income tax, noting that the proposal relied on pension contributions from state employees which he maintained was a tax.
Our budget in 2008-2009 was $900 million less than our projected budget for 2011-12, said Rep. Dwight Bullard, D-Cutler Bay. We are also spending $1 billion less on per-student funding this year than we did in 2008 and 2009. This proposal is not student-centered -- nor does it meet our constitutional obligation to provide a high-quality public education for the next generation of Floridians.
Hes comparing apples and oranges, shot back Coley, who insisted Bullard had to look at the general revenue.
We had less in general revenue, said Coley, looking at the budget Bullard brought up and comparing it to the proposed one. We did make reductions. They were necessary.
Rep. Darren Soto, D-Orlando, pointed to a report that while Florida ranked fourth in population, it was 11th in terms of housing Fortune 500 companies -- and he insisted that this was due to the states lack of spending on education and infrastructure.
Floridas inadequate share of Fortune 500 companies proves that our state needs to make the investments that will attract top corporations to our state, said Soto. These findings contradict the jobs mantra touted by Governor Rick Scott and the Republican Legislature in the 2011 budget, that less regulation and lower taxes are the key to our prosperity.
Soto pointed to JetBlue refusing to move its headquarters to Orlando -- which prompted Rep. Clay Ingram, R-Pensacola, to fire back that Vision Airlines relocated to the Sunshine State due to the states pro-business environment.
Saying were the lowest taxed state is nothing to be proud of, said Rep. Michelle Rehwinkel Vasilinda, D-Tallahassee. I dont see an investment in our state. What I do see is a lowering of standards. What I do see is a rhetoric of not living within our means.
This is a time to invest, added Rehwinkel Vasilinda who gave the state an F grade due to its large number of foreclosures and high unemployment rate. This budget will hurt so many people that it will come back and bite this Legislature.
Rep. John Wood, R-Haines City, said he found the budget process frustrating and pointed the blame at spiraling Medicaid costs.
This program has captured our budget, said Wood as he focused on Medicaid. This program has required us to send money away from education, public safety, transportation.
We need a government in Washington that gives us the flexibility in Medicaid so we can properly fund our future, which is education, transportation and economic development, added Wood.
The debate continued, with both sides using their allotted time, and Republicans defending the proposed budget while Democrats attacked it -- with both sides often specifically focusing on certain aspects of it.
Todays been a tough day, said Incoming House Speaker Will Weatherford, R-Wesley Chapel. The scope of this downturn our state has faced has been dramatic.
Weatherford maintained that Florida had a choice between pushing for free-market solutions or following other states, such as California and Illinois, in backing fiscally irresponsible solutions.
Last election was the clearest sign this state has seen that the citizens of Florida expect us to live within our means, said Weatherford. For years we have been balancing this budget on the backs of small-businesses and taxpayers.
Rep. Rick Kriseman, D-St. Petersburg, closed Democratic arguments by congratulating Republicans for their victories in November -- and then pointed out that Republicans have controlled Tallahassee for more than a decade. He blamed the Republican policies of the last 12 years for the current budget crunch. Its Republicans who have been in charge of this chamber for 16 years, he added.
Democrats have proposed generating revenue by closing corporate loopholes, repealing outdated tax exemptions, collecting the revenue streams that other states have the courage to collect, and requiring big businesses to do what Floridians have asked our policemen, firefighters and teachers to do -- pay a fair share, continued Kriseman. Its time that Republicans address the revenue problem they created and stop hurting Floridians who arent members of the Florida Chamber of Commerce.
After thanking staff and fellow members, Grimsley closed the debate.
No area of the budget was immune, she insisted. Weve made the tough choices but preserved that which are the necessary and correct areas of government. She pointed to public safety, education and transportation issues, insisting these programs remained intact.
Grimsley focused on health-care spending. We focused on preserving direct services instead of research, she maintained.
Its important to recognize that being a leader means making tough choices, she said, maintaining the budget proposal serves the people.
Cannon praised Grimsley for her efforts and thanked her, members and the staff for their efforts.
Besides the budget vote, the House passed a measure sponsored by Rep. Gary Aubuchon, R-Cape Coral, and Rep. Dorothy Hukill, R-Port Orange, and backed by Gov. Rick Scott, that would roll six established trust funds with more than $425 million into the State Economic Enhancement and Development Fund (SEED) which would be in the governors Office of Tourism, Trade and Economic Development. The measure passed 81-38 on a party-line vote.
This SEED fund combines six trust funds, said Aubuchon, who maintained it would help the economy.
This is a bill that we in the backrows have had a lot of difficulty with due to the discretion given to the governor, countered Waldman. Waldman maintained that the Legislature should retain control over the funds.
All it does is allow future legislators to have a greater pot of money, replied Aubuchon. There is nothing in this bill that gives the governor greater flexibility.
This legislation will provide the Legislature and the executive branch with a level of flexibility that is essential to attracting new businesses and encouraging economic development, said Cannon. And I am confident that by better positioning Florida to take advantage of economic development and infrastructure projects through the SEED Trust Fund, Florida will become dramatically more competitive in the global marketplace.
The SEED Trust Fund makes it possible for lawmakers and the governor to make strategic investments that utilize taxpayer dollars in the most effective way possible, specifically by taking into account what sector of the economy Florida would benefit most from investing in as it relates to the economic realities of the time, be it affordable housing programs, transportation or other infrastructure projects, said Aubuchon.
The SEED Trust Fund would provide the necessary means to promote Floridas economic growth and development through the various functions it would serve, said Hukill. This dedicated, single funding source will serve to increase the capability of state government to respond to economic development opportunities that will ultimately strengthen our economy by encouraging private-sector growth and expansion.
The House also passed a bill sponsored by Hukill deregulating 20 industries. Hukill maintained that the measure would help more than 103,000 Floridians in those businesses. The bill passed 77-38, close to party lines.
Unnecessary government regulations hurt businesses and cost consumers money, said Hukill. This bill will retire a host of many unnecessary regulations.
Most of us agree in removing the regulations we will see an increase in job growth and job creation, said Rep. Chris Dorworth, R-Heathrow. Dorworth attacked efforts led by Saunders who looked to remove industries from the bill during the amendment process. Its a great first step to getting the economy where we need to be.
Democrats, who had attempted to amend the bill on Wednesday, spoke out against the measure as a threat to consumers and to public health and safety.
Why is the majority turning a blind eye to public safety and public health? demanded Rep. Irv Slosberg, D-Boca Raton. Its like everyone was hoping this bill would turn into a sound piece of legislation, but it hasnt.
Vague promises arent a good enough reason to put public health and safety at risk, added Slosberg, focusing on safety concerns with interior designers, hair weavers and auto mechanics.
Hukill rejected the idea that her bill would impact public safety, noting that the House had examined the measure in committee for months.
Another deregulation bill by Hukill concerning loosening the standards of licensing also passed the House.
I thank Representative Hukill for her dedication to this important legislation, said Cannon in a statement after the vote. While it is not the proper role of government to create jobs, it is important that government removes barriers that cripple a businesss ability to grow and prosper. Too often, government regulation stifles job creation and slows the ability of the private sector to grow and expand. By removing unnecessary and oftentimes duplicative regulations and burdens on the private sector, we are signaling to the nation and prospective business owners that Florida is open for business.
I applaud my colleagues in the Florida House for passing this legislation that will serve to promote private-sector growth in our economy and foster a more business-friendly environment while ensuring important consumer protections remain intact, said Hukill. By reducing the burden of regulation and licensure on certain businesses and professions, the private sector will see cost savings amounting to more than $11 million. For many Florida businesses, these extra dollars will be used to grow and expand existing businesses, and in other cases it will inspire entrepreneurs to open up shop in our state.
The House also voted to back Gov. Rick Scotts plan to abolish the Office of Drug Control and move the suicide prevention hotline to the Department of Children and Families.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or at (850) 727-0859.
