State: Florida lawmakers snub free money

TALLAHASSEE -- Such a deal: millions of federal dollars with no strings attached to pay for breast cancer awareness, feeding the poor and cleaning up oil spills in Florida.

Yet despite the state's budget crunch, Florida lawmakers said no.

Members of the Florida House thought state agencies did not have a sound plan to spend the money.

But senators who serve with House members on a budget review panel harshly criticized the decision as irresponsible because no state money was required.

"The House members are sitting there playing games," said Sen. Les Miller, D-Tampa, who mentioned his daughter's struggle with breast cancer. "These are federal dollars that we're talking about, to save the lives of women."

House Speaker Johnnie Byrd supported the move.

"We believe that state spending ought to be scrutinized to make sure that taxpayers are getting the most for their dollar," Byrd said through his spokeswoman, Nicole deLara.

Some decisions might be reconsidered next month.

The dispute played out at a meeting of the Legislative Budget Commission, an obscure panel that approves mid-year spending changes by state agencies, including the use of federal money that wasn't available when the budget year began July 1. Seven House members and seven senators serve on the commission.

A majority of members of each chamber must approve spending changes.

Republican senators shook their heads in dismay as House members -- many of them newcomers to budget committees -- turned aside federal money from an administration headed by the governor's brother. Gov. Jeb Bush supported the grants, though his office had no immediate comment on Wednesday's actions.

"This commission was created not to be a rubber stamp," said the panel's chairman, Rep. Bruce Kyle, R-Fort Myers, chairman of the House Appropriations Committee.

"It's much akin to a child saying, 'I need money, but I can't tell you why,' " Kyle told a top official of the Department of Environmental Regulation. DEP's request to spend federal money to clean up leaking underground storage tanks was delayed for a month after it became clear that it would be rejected.

The biggest controversy centered on the Department of Health's request to spend $1-million from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for a public awareness campaign to lower risks of heart disease, stroke and breast cancer in women. The money is the first installment of a five-year, $5-million grant.

House members voted 5-2 to reject the grant. Among those voting to reject the money were Reps. Leslie Waters, R-Seminole, and Gus Bilirakis, R-Palm Harbor.

"The House position is that it should be voted on by both houses and approved by the governor," Bilirakis said. "I philosophically agree with it."

The budget commission has been in place for about two years. Before that, such decisions were made by the governor and Cabinet with no input from lawmakers.

Rep. Sandra Murman, R-Tampa, sided with fellow House members in opposing other grants, but she voted for the health money. She said that women's health is a major concern and that Florida's inability to beat out other states in securing federal money is "almost shameful."

"I kind of have to follow my heart on this," Murman said.

Agriculture Commissioner Charles Bronson failed to secure approval to spend $16,543 to donate surplus federal food to women and children who are "nutritionally at risk," according to an agency report. A separate request to use three separate federal grants totaling $290,000 for fire ant control was delayed. Bronson's four other budget amendments were approved.

The DEP could not persuade House members to let it spend $764,000 to help cover the costs of cleaning leaking underground storage tanks. An agency official warned that some of the money might end up in other states, but DEP was told to return next month with more information.

"This is a health, safety and welfare issue," said Sen. Ken Pruitt, R-Port St. Lucie, "and sending (the money) back is going to send a very poor signal to the federal government."

Wednesday's developments signaled a worsening of relations between the House and Senate before the regular session begins in March. The House and Senate must agree on the budget. At this point, the two sides are philosophically far apart.

Sen. Tom Lee, R-Brandon, criticized House members as "self-appointed experts who claim that you're not telling the truth or you don't know what you're talking about."

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Lucy Morgan

From the Times state desk