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Quick budget solution possible
By JIM ROSS CRYSTAL RIVER -- The Florida Legislature meets again today to fix the state budget. Unlike last time, Nancy Argenziano thinks this special session will proceed relatively smoothly. "I think we'll be done in 72 hours," the Republican representative said. The first special session, held in October, yielded acrimony and finger pointing but no budget deal. This time, Republicans have agreed to an 18-month postponement of a scheduled cut of the intangibles tax on stocks, bonds and other investments. That delay, plus $1.3-billion in spending cuts, should fix the budget and make up for the shortage in tax revenues that Florida has experienced because of the sagging economy and the drop in tourist traffic. Argenziano said she would be vigilant this week, looking for ways to prevent cuts to vital areas such as social services and health care. But "we're not going to know anything until the last minute," she said Monday night. Argenziano recently learned that she has lost her seat on the House Fiscal Responsibility Council, which helps make key budget decisions. She said House Speaker Tom Feeney was playing politics by removing her; Feeney's office had a different explanation. Argenziano previously lost a leadership position on another House council. She said she still serves on valuable committees that oversee government appropriations, administration, natural resources and judicial oversight. And she noted that her disputes are with House leaders, not the Republican Party as a whole or her GOP colleagues, with whom she works closely. Still, some people are wondering whether Argenziano is losing something else -- clout -- along with key committee posts. "In order to be an effective legislator, you have to get along with the leadership. I'm not saying go along and get along, but you are not going to be effective if you alienate everyone in your party," said Joe Cino, chairman of the county's Democratic Executive Committee. Cino is no Argenziano fan. He has promised to challenge her at the polls if no other candidate does so. Still, he said his criticism would apply to any lawmaker. History keeps a long list of political mavericks whose styles have led to diminished political clout -- and diminished hopes for local projects that need state dollars. "She might be hurting us as citizens of Citrus County," Cino said. He said Argenziano certainly wouldn't do so intentionally. But "when the positives turn to negatives, and it starts going the other way, it's detrimental to the citizens."
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