Legislative leaders face deadline to reach budget compromise

(The Center Square) – With a deadline looming to finish Florida’s overdue budget for a potential Monday vote, leaders in the House of Representatives are guaranteeing a compromise while Senate leaders are a bit more cautious.

Rep. Lawrence McClure, R-Dover, said “you betcha” when asked by reporters at a media availability on Thursday night if a budget compromise ready for a floor vote can be finished by Friday. McClure is the House Budget Committee chairman.

Senate Committee on Appropriations Chairman Ed Hooper, R-Palm Harbor, said the past two days of negotiations “have been maybe the most productive we’ve had,” but stopped short of guaranteeing a budget deal in time for a Monday vote.

According to the state constitution, a 72-hour “cooling off” period is required before a budget can be voted upon by both chambers. A deal would have to be reached by Friday to ensure enough time for a Monday vote.

The two sides have reached a compromise in principle on the state’s nearly $50 billion general fund budget, which only includes state tax revenues such as the 6% sales tax.

McClure said the deal will also include $830 million for state debt relief.

Tax relief in the budget package would add up to about $2.25 billion that includes the elimination of the business rent tax ($900 million) and permanent sales tax exemptions ($350 million).

The two chambers are at odds over spending for budget categories, known as silos, for criminal justice, K-12 education, higher education, transportation and others.

The conference committee on the budget has been working on these spreadsheets this week to find accord. Each chamber proposes an offer and the other side can either agree or they can issue a counter-proposal. On each spreadsheet, spending outlays where a deal has been reached are colored in gray, while those still being contested are in yellow.

Lawmakers adjourned on May 23 without a budget after 90 days of work in Tallahassee and had to reconvene in special session to come to a deal after a tentative agreement fell apart. The state’s new fiscal year begins on July 1.

With federal and dedicated funds, such as the Florida Lottery, the total budget is likely to be about $119.8 billion. Lottery revenues are allocated specifically for K-12 education.