Jim Rosica
A line-item to fund veterans workforce training wasn’t zeroed out, state Sen. Anitere Flores said Thursday.
The apparent move raised eyebrows among some watchers of the Health and Human Services budget conference. Both chambers seemed to agree on $1 million in the 2018-19 state budget.
“We’re just changing the funding source,” she told Florida Politics. “We want it to come for current year’s unspent funds. They have $1 million in back-of-the-bill language.”
To be precise, the line in question – 421 – is for “Workforce Training Grant Aid to Local Governments.”
Flores is leading the Senate’s effort to hammer out the Health and Human Services part of the budget in conference.
The Senate wants to use already existing money, rather than spend out of general revenue or a trust fund, she added.
“Now, (the Department of) Veterans’ Affairs has expressed some concerns,” said Flores, a Miami-Dade Republican. “We are working with them to make sure we can come to an amicable resolution.
“Our staff is making the argument that they can do it from unexpended funds from this year. Their staff is making sure that that is possible. But we’re going to resolve this issue.”
