The governor also wants increases for reading and child advocate initiatives.
By Associated Press
Published April 22, 2004
TALLAHASSEE - A couple of million dollars scattered around a $57-billion budget may not seem like much, but could go a long way toward aiding some critical social programs, Gov. Jeb Bush said Wednesday.
He said he hopes lawmakers find more money for a program encouraging teens not to smoke and another providing representation for children in court.
The House and Senate have allocated $1-million for each of those programs. Bush wanted to see $16-million for the antismoking program and $5-million in public guardian money.
"There's not much you can do with a million dollars in a state this size," Bush said.
He also said he would like lawmakers to find more money for reading programs, a top priority of his administration.
Rep. Bruce Kyle, R-Fort Myers, and Sen. Ken Pruitt, R-Port St. Lucie - the top budget writers in each chamber - continued to work out a compromise spending plan Wednesday. What they can't decide will go to House Speaker Johnnie Byrd and Senate President Jim King by the end of the week. Legislative leaders hope to close a budget deal by early Monday that would give lawmakers enough time to vote on it by the session's scheduled April 30 finish.
King, R-Jacksonville, said there is some interest in the Senate in finding more money for the antismoking program. But he thinks money spent on contracts with agencies that produce the program's edgy advertising might be better used.
"I don't have any real keen interest in going out and finding two or three advertising companies and say, "Here are state dollars; go do this,' " he said.
King added he might be open to spending money on advertising produced by state universities and schools.
The Senate's top health care budget writer, Sen. Durell Peaden, R-Crestview, is among those who think the money could be better spent on more traditional educational programs.
Antitobacco program funding has dwindled in recent years and last year was cut to $1-million. Advocates say smoking has dropped by nearly 60 percent among middle school students and by almost 40 percent among high schoolers since 1998.
"There's ample money to be able to fund this program," Bush said. "It's a program that works."
"We absolutely agree with his suggestion that although $1-million would help keep the program in place, his requested figure of $16-million in recurring dollars would ensure the program's success," Health Secretary John Agwunobi said.
The American Lung Association said the state should be spending even more on the program.
"Florida receives more than $400-million a year from the tobacco settlement, yet our lawmakers won't even commit to using 10 percent of those dollars to save our kids from a lifetime of addiction," said Belle Dekoff, the group's Florida president.
