Key Senate and House committees were flooded with federal cash and higher than expected tax collections Wednesday and moved forward with budget proposals about $3.3 billion apart.
The House Appropriations Committee approved the proposed budget of $105.3 billion and associated bills. It also included a plan for creating a fund of $2 billion to address inflation-related expenses.
Separately the Senate Appropriations Committee approved 104 amendments. This $108.6 billion package (SPB 22500) includes a $1.46 billion increase to the main funding formula for public school and money for state worker increases that would bring minimum wages to $15 an hr.
Although the Senate package does not include what the House calls an inflation response fund (Senate Appropriations Chairwoman Kelli Sterngel, R-Lakeland), she said it was worthy of discussion.
Stargel observed that financial inflationary issues could be caused by a variety of actions.
Stargel stated that, despite the push to increase the salaries of state workers, our budget focuses mainly on the lowest-earning Florida residents.
Jay Trumbull, R.Panama City House Appropriations Chairman, described House’s budget as bold, resilient, and highlighted issues such pay increases for state employees and creation of the inflation fund.
The House committee’s most debated issue was the move to shift $200million away from 12 school district that resisted Gov. Ron DeSantis and other leaders from the states worked together to stop student mask requirements during COVID-19. The $200 million would be distributed among 55 school districts without mask mandates.
The Putting Parents First Adjustment, also known as the Alachua, Brevard and Broward school districts would see less money going to them in Alachua or Broward or Broward counties.
Randy Fine (R-Brevard County), House Pre-K-12 Appropriations chairman, said that while the targeted school district would still receive more money next fiscal year than the current fiscal year, the increases would be reduced. Fine also pointed out that the budget did not contain any provision that would reduce funding for any educational service or resource that directly impacts students’ education.
Fine, lawmakers have the power to control the purse.
Fine stated that this is all we have as legislators in any area, education or not, to hold people responsible for following the policy decisions we have made. It is not punitive, I think. It is holding people accountable and it is saying that all school districts must follow the laws we have passed.
Democrats opposed the move. Rep. Fentrice Driskell of Tampa, D-Tampa, said she was concerned about picking winners or losers. She stated that local school officials did their best to protect students during the pandemic.
Driskell stated, “I think it is disingenuous, and unfortunate, for us to punish these school districts, because that’s ultimately what it amounts too.”
Stargel stated that she did not know the details and that the Senate has not proposed to shift money from 12 districts.
When we get into conference [budget negotiations]Stargel said that if you take a holistic view of everything, there may be a discussion.
The Senate and full House have now received the budget proposals for the fiscal year that begins July 1. They will then be available to negotiators for them to negotiate a final version.
Both of these proposals are significantly higher than the approximately $100 billion budget for the current fiscal year. This is because the state continues to receive a boost from federal stimulus money, and tax collections have exceeded expectations.
Wednesday’s protest at a Senate bill (SB2508), which is tied to the budget, was led by environmentalists, tourists and charter boat operators. They stated that the bill would partly eliminate or threaten funding for a huge reservoir that was designed to improve the condition and flow of water through South Florida’s Everglades.
The Everglades Agricultural Area reservoir, valued at $1.9 billion, was approved to reduce the release of contaminated water from Lake Okeechobee into St. Lucie-Caloosahatchee estuaries. These estuaries have struggled in recent times with toxic algae.
If you pass this bill, it will eliminate funding for the project that all these fishing guide, chambers of commerce and the tourism industry across our state need. [are]Eric Eikenberg CEO of The Everglades Foundation said, “Rely on.”
Senators said that people were misunderstood by social media and misread the bill before it was approved.
Senator Ben Albritton, Wauchula Republican, chairs the Agriculture, Environment and General Government Appropriations Subcommittee. He said that the budget proposal included $64 million in annual funding to the reservoir, and that the related bill sought more accountability from South Florida Water Management District.
Albritton stated, “I believe you’ve been misled.” I believe it is good government to ask for more accountability of an agency that receives 70% from the state of Florida. That’s good government. We have the ability and the right to do this.
Jim Turner and Jim Saunders report on the News Service of Florida
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