Senate President Mike Haridopolos, R-Merritt Island, and his Democratic counterpart -- Nan Rich of Weston -- offered insight on the 2012 legislative session on Wednesday as they touched on the budget, redistricting and expanded gambling.
After announcing he is endorsing U.S. Rep. Connie Mack for the Republican nomination to take on Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson in 2012, during the APs annual legislative planning session in the Capitol, Haridopolos reviewed the 2011 session, calling it remarkable and insisting we kept our promises on holding down taxes.
We all left here in May thinking we would have a stable budget, said Haridopolos, adding it had no new taxes, no new fees. He said he would fight for a fiscally responsible budget in 2012, though he added there would be tough decisions since there would be a $2 billion shortfall.
This is the most open and transparent budget process that weve ever had, Haridopolos insisted.
Noting that he had tackled the issue back in 2002, Haridopolos called redistrictinga very emotional process and a contentious issue. He praised the leadership of incoming Senate President Don Gaetz, R-Fort Walton Beach, who is leading redistricting in the chamber.
Haridopolos said the Senate would follow the two constitutional amendments on redistricting that Florida voters backed in 2010.
The voters spoke, he said. Were going to do our best to manage it. Despite that, he added he expected the issue to end up in the courts.
The Senate president said there would be a vote on a bill brought up by Sen. Ellyn Bogdanoff, R-Fort Lauderdale, and Rep. Erik Fresen, R-Miami, which would expand casino operations in the state.
I will ask for a vote on the issue, sid Haridopolos, who said he and his leadership team would not engage in pressuring senators on the matter.
We have gambling in this state," he said. "It exists.
Id like to see a gambling commission put in place, he added. If were going to do it, lets do it right.
Rich also spoke on the same issues at the AP event.
Redistricting is No. 1 on the list, said Rich, adding that there was much work to be done. She said that she expects new redistricting plans to emerge from the Senate faster than the House. She did agree with Haridopolos that the Legislature would not have the final say. This will end up in the courts.
Rich slammed the budget process earlier in the year as the Legislature grappled with a $3.5 billion shortfall. We filled the shortfall by making painful cuts, she said, before pointing to the expected $2 billion shortfall in 2012. Were coming against this again.
The Democrat called for closing loopholes" for revenue and hoped to preserve the budget.
We need to create jobs before we cut budgets again," she said.
The Democrat ripped into Republicans for rejecting federal funds and bashed their right-wing social agenda. Rich, whose caucus controls 12 of the states 40 Senate seats, attacked Republican efforts focusing on prayer in school, protecting Second Amendment rights and restricting abortion. We have a pattern here.
Asked about the casino bill, Rich said the bills fate was up in the air.
Theres a lot going on here, she said. The bill could be weighed down ... and not end up passing.
Rich said her caucus was concerned that existing pari-mutuels would be treated equitably under any legislation.
We have a long way to go on this, she said. My caucus is very concerned about achieving parity for the existing pari-mutuels.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or at (850) 727-0859.
