Plan ties budget vetos, tax cuts

By ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published May 26, 2007

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TALLAHASSEE - The $459-million in spending Gov. Charlie Crist has vetoed should be used to cut property taxes, House Democratic Leader Dan Gelber said Friday.

Crist on Thursday signed into law a $71.5-billion state budget after vetoing a variety of spending items ranging from local cultural and recreation projects to a 5 percent tuition increase for university and community college students.

The signed budget, though, includes a $545-million increase in the state's required local property tax for public schools, although lawmakers will meet in special session June 12-22 to cut city and county property taxes.

In a letter to House and Senate leaders, Gelber suggested the Legislature in the special session reduce the state-required school tax in an amount at least equal to the vetoed spending.