Gov. Rick Scott, calling the taxpayers of Florida the winners, signed a budget Tuesday that increases education spending by $1 billion from last year and trims extra spending on lawmakers' favored projects.
With the signing Scott slashed $142.7 in spending for programs such as the Science and Discovery Center of Northwest Florida, the Frank Lloyd Wright House at Florida Southern College and the Bay of Pigs Museum in Miami.
The hallmark of the $70 billion budget for Scott was education, and the governor used the A-rated Cunningham Creek Elementary School in St. Johns County at noon Tuesday as the backdrop for signing the 2012-2013 budget.
Over the last year, I have traveled the state to hear from Floridians what issues they care about most. Thats why this budget should be known as an education budget, Scott stated in a release issued after the budget was signed.
The two issues that Floridians care most about are jobs and education, and the two go hand-in-hand since a good education is critical to getting a good job.
The budget includes money for the University of South Florida-Polytechnic campus in Lakeland -- a decision is due by the end of the week on a separate bill that speeds the campus into an independent university -- and sets aside $1 billion for reserves.
Scott had called for legislators to significantly increase the pre-K-12 funding when he proposed a budget in December, when he proposed a $66.4 billion budget.
Education is the key to Floridas long-term prosperity, so we had to find a way to pass the critical increase in education funding in the budget, Scott stated in Tuesdays release. The increase in education funding, paired with my 2012 Job Creation and Economic Growth Agenda and auto insurance fraud reform, are all steps on the road to making Florida the greatest state in the nation to live, work and play.
Republican legislators were quick to praise Scotts support for the majority of the fiscal plan.
House Speaker Dean Cannon, R-Winter Park, said Scott thoughtfully reviewed the legislative budget.
The state budget signed into law today confronts an over-$1-billion shortfall without raising taxes, provides for more than $2 billion in reserves to preserve our bond rating and increases education funding by more than $1 billion, Cannon stated in a release.
By holding the line on taxes in the face of a significant shortfall and taking the steps needed to preserve our bond rating, we are reaffirming our shared commitment to fostering a stable and reliable business climate ripe for private-sector job creation. The $1 billion increase in education funding takes this commitment one step further by ensuring that Florida remains home to a workforce equipped with the education and skills needed to compete and lead in a global economy."
Senate President Mike Haridopolos, R-Merritt Island, stated the budget delivered on the governors request for a $1 billion increase in education funding and making Florida a place where private-sector businesses can compete and create jobs.
Governor Scott and I both realize that the dollars in this budget belong to the states taxpayers, and we have a duty to ensure that every penny is spent in a fiscally responsible manner, Haridopolos stated. And by investing in education and jobs without raising taxes, the budget signed today benefits all of Floridians.
House Appropriations Chair Rep. Denise Grimsley, R-Sebring, said the "fiscally conservative" budget holds the line on taxes.
This budget funds Floridas most important priorities while also recognizing the need to allow businesses to do what they do best when government gets out of the way: create jobs and opportunities for Floridians to find work, Grimsley stated in a release.
The Florida Democratic Party wasted little time in criticizing the budget as an assault on the middle class.
What the governor touts as an investment in education fails to restore the massive cuts made by Scott and the GOP-led Legislature last session, Florida Democratic Party Chairman Rod Smith stated in a release issued while the signing ceremony was still underway.
This budget is nothing more than the same shortsighted priorities of Florida Republicans that has put the special interests ahead of investing in education -- while schools are left crumbling around our children. That is no way to lead."
The $1 billion increase translates into a $150 per student increase, to $6,375 per student, up about 2.4 percent from the current year.
Of the increase for education: $405 million goes to per-student funding; $47 million into enhanced reading programs; and $663 million covers the costs of new students.
But that new money didn't satisfy the Florida Education Association.
Rick Scott and legislative leaders will bombard you with happy talk about their commitment to public education, the union stated in a release. But they havent even begun to clean up the mess they made last year.
The union would prefer funding to return to the 2008 level, when spending was $7,143 per student.
Scott said the dip in education spending last year was the result of the end of the federal stimulus money for education.
Weve got 30,000 more students, we have more money for reading, more money for F schools, were going to give them another hour of class a day, for our 100 lowest performing schools, Scott said while speaking on WOKV 690 AM in Jacksonville Tuesday morning.
Were also covering the fact that local property taxes have gone down and were covering that which usually ... comes through local property taxes.
Scott said prior to the ceremonial signing that many of the backers of the 440 individual projects in the budget did a better job showing the economic return on the investments.
If you look at how we do economic development, if we put up $1 million we expected to get a multiple of that back, Scott said. I expect the same with tax dollars.
Similar bill signing ceremonies will be held Wednesday at Tangelo Park Elementary School in Orlando and Rampello Downtown Partnership K-8 Magnet School in Tampa.
Among the items that avoided the veto pen this year was public television, which is slated for about $3.9 million spread among 13 stations around the state.
They came back to me and they showed me that there is a return for spending that money, Scott said.
Last year, Scott cut $4.8 million designated for Florida's public broadcasting stations.
Budget watchdog Florida TaxWatch has called for Scott to cut 143 projects worth $150.6 million from the budget, ranging from the Brevard Community College Public Safety Institute to a land purchase next to the governors mansion and a Bay of Pigs Museum in Miami.
TaxWatch, which has been suggesting budget cuts to legislative earmarks since 1983, was particularly opposed to 24 water projects -- such as St. Johns River restoration and city sewer work in Umatilla -- because it says they were approved without proper legislative review.
Also remaining in the budget will be the increased funding for Visit Florida, which next year will be heavily marketing the state as part of the upcoming 500th anniversary of European settlement.
Weve got to continue to market our state, Scott said.
With attention to Viva Florida, Visit Floridas budget is growing from $35 million to $54 million.
The $140 million for upgrades at Floridas seaports, to ensure the facilities are prepared for increasing global trade both from South America and the Far East that is expected with the widening of the Panama Canal, will also remain, Scott said.
Jim Turner can be reached at jturner@sunshinestatenews.com or (850) 727-0859.
