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Veto ax lands on dreams for river

If the city wants the Riverwalk project, it will have to be done without state money, Gov. Bush says. So be it, says the mayor.

By JONI JAMES, ALEX LEARY and JANET ZINK
Published May 26, 2006

TALLAHASSEE - Wielding his line-item veto power for the final time, Gov. Jeb Bush on Thursday slashed a record $449-million in projects from next year's $74-billion state budget, including $3-million for Mayor Pam Iorio's high-priority Riverwalk.

Iorio called the veto a bad decision and said she was extremely disappointed.

"He missed a real opportunity to invest in a project that was good for everyone," the mayor said. "The Riverwalk is going to be key to economic development. Anyone who's been to San Antonio can vouch for that."

But the governor said the state isn't obligated to support the Riverwalk, which would link Channelside and Tampa Heights. It's Tampa's responsibility, Bush said.

"They ought to put more money into it,'' he said. "Because that's what they're going to have to do, apparently."

Bush took a different view toward the Salvador Dali Museum in St. Petersburg, which will get $4-million to help move it to a different spot downtown, bringing state money for the project to $8-million.

The governor acknowledged the money was a favor to fellow Republican and political ally St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Baker.

"I'm very pleased and thankful," said Baker, who lobbied Bush personally last week.

Iorio, a Democrat, said she's confident she'll raise money for the $40-million Riverwalk.

"I love challenges. When obstacles are put in front of me, it makes me work all the harder. No problem there," she said.

Several other Hillsborough requests were also vetoed, including $800,000 for the Tampa History Center; $5-million for the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center's Total Cancer Care Program; and $2.5-million for a Tampa Bay Lightning parking garage.

"When we started making our trips to Tallahassee this year we really anticipated it would take more than one year to get accomplished what we wanted," said Lightning president Ron Campbell. "We were surprised but pleased with some of the traction we were making. We'll be back to build on the momentum."

The vetoes Bush made Thursday represent a fraction of a $73.9-billion budget. It is a record $8-billion more than current spending. It includes a nearly 9 percent increase in per-pupil school funding and the largest conservation purchase in state history, the 74,000-acre Babcock Ranch in southwest Florida.

"This budget represents our conservative approach to government," Bush said. "Spending taxpayers' hard-earned money demands responsibility and accountability."

The governor also vetoed $800,000 slated for an Internet-based reading program for Hillsborough students in kindergarten through third grade. And Bush struck funding for a reading program for students learning English, which would have brought $500,000 to Hillsborough schools.

The Dali funding was far from certain after Bush signaled last year he considered it a one-time deal because the money comes from a fund for land preservation. Hurting its standing further, the project topped Florida TaxWatch's annual budget "turkey" list put out earlier this week.

"I was as surprised as anyone," said state Rep. Frank Farkas, R-St. Petersburg, one of the lawmakers who championed the project.

In the end, Bush said he could not let a nearly completed project languish when the museum had followed through on its own commitments. "Half buildings really just don't make my day," he said.

Some key Pasco County projects also survived the veto process. They include a $7.6-million regional hurricane shelter and health clinic, and $1-million to address flooding problems in the Duck Slough area of Trinity.

Bush rejected a $9-million science building for the University of South Florida St. Petersburg.

The building was included on the three-year construction list approved by the Board of Governors, which oversees the university system.

"The loss of the science and technology building is disappointing to the faculty, staff and students of USF St. Petersburg,'' said USF St. Petersburg regional chancellor Karen A. White. "It curbs our ability to serve our growing number of students in the quality way we feel they deserve.''

Bush, who leaves office in January after serving two terms, made no apologies for his choices. This year's veto list tops by nearly $100-million his previous 2004 record of $349-million. After eight years, Bush contended, lawmakers should have known their projects were vulnerable because they didn't go through appropriate vetting processes.

"They have a right to squawk; they have invested a lot of their energy in these projects,'' Bush said after signing the budget at an afternoon news conference. "But you'd think after a while they'd understand I'm pretty principled about this.''

Legislative leaders' official responses were tempered, unlike two years ago when Bush vetoed a then-record $349-million.

And Bush did spare projects near and dear to the leaders of both legislative chambers, such as the $3.4-million Brandon community center backed by Senate President Tom Lee, R-Valrico.

Less than a week after Bush endorsed him in his bid to becomes the state's next chief financial officer, Lee said, "Some people view this as a negative; however I've always viewed it as a healthy check and balance."

Bush's vetoes came as the state's total budget swelled by 9 percent to $71-billion. Including in that increase is 5.5 percent more for state services and 38 percent more for one-time spending for things like roads, prison facilities, public schools and one-time tax cuts.

Despite the vetoes, Bush praised legislators for creating a "phenomenal budget'' that cuts taxes $278-million, provides $715-million to bail out the debt-ridden, state-run Citizens Property Insurance Corp. and includes a record 8.6 percent increase in per-student public school funding.

Lawmakers also set aside nearly $3-billion in reserves for less robust economic times.

Bush actually pushed for another nearly $1-billion in property tax cuts just months ago, but lost that battle when lawmakers opted to pump that money back into education.

But in many other areas, the governor won: The state's intangibles tax on stocks and investments, worth about $131-million annually, has been eliminated starting in 2006-07; the budget includes money to provide merit pay for teachers; and it sets aside $735-million for environmental lands and Everglades restoration and $390-million for Bush's economic development initiatives.

"Call me wacky, but it is important for the governor to be immersed in the details of the budget because money should follow policy, not the other way around,'' Bush said after spending more than 30 minutes presenting highlights of the budget.

Times staff writers Shannon Colavecchio-Van Sickler, Letitia Stein, and Shadi Rahimi contributed to this report.

LOCAL FUNDS VETOED BY GOVERNOR

Here are some of the projects Gov. Jeb Bush vetoed Thursday:

HILLSBOROUGH

HERNANDO

PASCO

PINELLAS

AREAWIDE

Compiled by Times researcher Deirdre Morrow

[Last modified May 28, 2006, 10:19:09]