Individual items in the $70 billion budget that can be shown to provide a good return on taxpayers money have an improved chance of avoiding Gov. Rick Scotts veto pen.
With projects ranging from $235 million for work on the Interstate-4/ Selmon Expressway, to $31 million for the Port of Miami tunnel to $98 million for public school work force education performance-based incentives in Glades County, Scott hasnt tipped his hand on individual line items.
He said Tuesday that he is reviewing the fiscal impacts of items while he is being lobbied hard on specific projects as he and his staff review the 2012-2013 general appropriations act.
My filter is that my responsibilitys to the taxpayers of the state, Scott told reporters.
If it is a good return on the taxpayers money, Im interested in it. If its not, Im not. Because, every cause, you could justify almost every expenditure. But what should be a state expenditure; what ... does the public expect us to be focused upon, is how I look at it. And its not easy.
Scott noted that as he is reviewing his second state budget, his time in Tallahassee has made the decision-making process more difficult.
One thing that is different is this year, I know more people, which is a positive. Im getting a lot more phone calls this year, too.
A year ago, Scott cut $615 million from the state budget, including $181 million that had been identified as spending turkeys by Florida TaxWatch.
TaxWatch has yet to target projects in the 2012-2013 budget.
The largest single line items go to the state universities through general activities allocations, followed by road and transportation projects.
- Florida Atlantic University, $89.2 million.
- Florida Gulf Coast University, $36.5 million.
- Florida International University, $119.3 million.
- Florida State University, $156.9 million.
- New College of Florida, $12.8 million.
- University of Central Florida, $141.4 million.
- University of Florida, $205.6 million.
- University of North Florida, $56.5 million.
- University of South Florida: $118 million.
- University of West Florida, $35.2 million.
- The proposed Florida Polytechnic University has three [line items] that combine for more than $22 million.
Other programs range from $50 million for a wastewater treatment plan in the Florida Keys to a $5 million rowing center in Sarasota County and $1.2 million for a Major League Soccer combine and spring training facility in Orange County.
The budget also would provide $500,000 each for a Bay of Pigs Museum in Miami-Dade County, the New Elliott Museum in Stuart, and the Frank Lloyd Wright House construction at Florida Southern College in Lakeland.
For a complete list of budget items, visit here.
Reach Jim Turner at jturner@sunshinestatenews.com or at (772) 215-9889.
