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Politics

House, Senate near budget accord

House and Senate budget negotiators moved toward agreements Sunday that would prevent thousands of developmentally disabled people from losing state-paid services and increase public school spending by $457 per student.

By ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published April 23, 2007

TALLAHASSEE - House and Senate budget negotiators moved toward agreements Sunday that would prevent thousands of developmentally disabled people from losing state-paid services and increase public school spending by $457 per student.

The breakthroughs came in two of the conference committees trying to resolve differences between the chambers over a $70-billion-plus budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1.

Senate members on a panel dealing with health care and social services agreed the state should cover an anticipated $156.7-million deficit due to rising costs in programs for people with cerebral palsy, Down's syndrome and other developmental disabilities.

They did not, though, agree with an earlier House proposal on how to do that.

"We're very optimistic because the Senate took a big step," said Rep. Aaron Bean, R-Fernandina Beach, who is leading the House health care conferees.

Talks will continue today in the health committee and a panel handling prekindergarten through 12th grade education appropriations.

House members on the schools committee agreed to increase their spending proposal for the basic student allotment by $65-million to match the Senate's figure of $10.274-billion.

Per-student spending would increase 6.7 percent over the current state budget to $7,307, if the Senate accepts it as expected.

"We heard (school) districts say, to the extent possible we have money, the more that we can make it discretionary and flexible the better," said Rep. Joe Pickens, R-Palatka, who is leading the House side in the talks.

To get that additional discretionary money, the House conferees cut their proposed spending for state-required school programs including merit pay for teachers, one of the most contentious issues lawmakers have faced in the past two years.

The state currently spends $147.5-million for merit, or performance, pay and the Senate had proposed no increase in the new budget.

Gov. Charlie Crist had proposed essentially doubling merit pay spending to $300 million while the House appropriated $200-million.

Pickens said he promised Crist the House would hold firm at $200 million through two rounds of negotiations, but he gave in after the Senate refused to waiver.

[Last modified April 24, 2007, 13:21:31]