Politics

Budget cuts hit heavily in education and health

Republicans push through plans over objections by Democrats.

By SHANNON COLAVECCHIO-VAN SICKLER and ALEX LEARY, Times Staff Writers
Published October 6, 2007

TALLAHASSEE - Republicans in the House and Senate pushed past the objections of Democrats on Friday to approve $1.1-billion in budget cuts that will hit colleges, public schools, hospitals and nursing homes.

Although the House and Senate plans differ slightly, final approval is expected Friday, when the special session ends.

Public schools would get about $100 less per student than originally budgeted. Health and human services agencies would have nearly $480-million less to spend, primarily because they would get less in Medicaid reimbursement rates.

Universities and community colleges would be able to charge 5 percent more in tuition starting in January, yet their budgets would fall by about $100-million, a 3 percent decrease.

One clear winner Friday was the Johnnie B. Byrd Sr. Alzheimer's Center and Research Institute in Tampa, which faced a $7-million budget cut, but skated with a loss of $1.5-million.

Republicans declared the budget fair and fiscally responsible. Earlier predictions had been that state agencies might have to cut their budgets by as much as 10 percent.

Democrats complained the plans take money from water quality projects, health care and education yet leave untouched such things as film industry incentives and transportation projects that benefit developers.

Democrats also warned that the more modest-than-expected cuts were achieved only by using one-time money that won't be around after this year. They wanted to spare education and health services from cuts by dipping into state reserves and repealing some tax exemptions.

"We're going to have a problem when we have to fund everything later on," said Sen. Steve Geller, D-Cooper City.

The Legislature approved a $71-billion budget during the regular spring session, but since then tax revenue has dropped. This week's special session was necessary to rebalance the state budget.

Meanwhile, economists already are projecting a $1.5-billion shortfall for the 2008-09 budget year, and worried whispers around the Capitol suggest it might be worse than that.

"What you're seeing is just the predicate of what you'll see in the regular session," warned Senate President Ken Pruitt, R-Port St. Lucie.

The Senate voted 26-11 for its budget bill, with South Florida Sens. Gwen Margolis and Mandy Dawson the only Democrats in favor. The House voted 67-35 after several hours of debate.

Schools would have $290-million less under both chambers' proposals. That's a reduction of 1.4 percent. Also, teachers and administrators would not get performance bonuses approved this past spring.

Democrats cast it as a cut to public schools, but Republicans such as Sen. Don Gaetz of Niceville called it "adjustments to increases." Schools will get more than last year, just not as much as they had expected.

"At the end of the day we have more money in critical areas," said Gaetz, a former Okaloosa school superintendent.

Both the House and Senate want universities and community colleges to charge 5 percent more in tuition starting in January, and Gov. Charlie Crist this week indicated he might reverse his opposition to a hike.

"We're losing sight of how difficult it is for the majority of people to pay for college," said Sen. Ronda Storms, R-Valrico, the only senator to oppose the hike. "It's becoming too elite."

The Senate would restore about $20-million in revenue lost when Crist vetoed a tuition hike earlier this year, and would allow universities to charge a technology fee equal to up to 5 percent of tuition. The House has no such provisions, but does propose tuition be automatically adjusted for inflation each year.

Shannon Colavecchio-Van Sickler can be reached at svansickler@sptimes.com or 813 226-3403.

[Last modified October 5, 2007, 23:31:41]