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Michael MolineApril 27, 2017

The House and Senate agreed upon the outlines of a state budget Thursday and appointed conferees to work out the details, beginning that afternoon. Senate President Joe Negron said the deal would provide an across-the-board raise for state workers — their first in about nine years, according to Appropriations Chairman Jack Latvala, for whom the […]

Michael MolineApril 26, 2017

Gov. Rick Scott has issued another missive urging full financial support for Visit Florida. This one is a memo written to Scott by Christian Weiss, in-house economist to the governor, who warns that cutting the tourism-development program by $50 million — as House and Senate budget negotiators are considering doing — would result in a […]

Staff ReportsApril 26, 2017

Gov. Rick Scott, while on a trade mission to Argentina, urged the Florida Legislature to include his economic incentives programs when finalizing the next state budget. “Lawmakers cannot be shortsighted at the expense of Florida families by cutting funds for tourism marketing and economic development,” Scott said in a written statement distributed by his office. “I would be […]

Michael MolineApril 26, 2017

House and Senate negotiators have agreed on the broad outlines of a new state budget, and were haggling over the details before appointing members to conference committees, Senate President Joe Negron said Wednesday. “We’ve reached an agreement on the substance of the budget, and we’ve also reached agreement on a way that we can get […]

Michael MolineApril 26, 2017

There were competing accounts Wednesday of negotiations over the next state budget, with the Senate’s top Democrat saying a deal’s been struck. The chambers have agreed to meet in the middle on the $4 billion that separates their respective proposed budgets, taking $2 billion from the Senate plan and adding $2 billion to the House […]

Staff ReportsApril 25, 2017

Gov. Rick Scott has distributed a letter by Ben Watkins, director of the Division of Bond Finance, to the House and Senate budget chairmen, warning that cutting Visit Florida could damage the state’s credit rating. The letter, dated Tuesday, addressed to Jack Latvala in the Senate and Carlos Trujillo in the House, warns that cutting […]

Michael MolineApril 25, 2017

The House and Senate were on the brink Tuesday evening of agreeing to a framework for negotiating s budget deal, House Speaker Richard Corcoran told the House. “We are very, very, very close to having allocations agreed to with the Senate,” Corcoran announced from the speaker’s podium, drawing cheers from the members. “And I mean […]

Peter SchorschApril 25, 2017

Updated 2:45 p.m. — The House has sent over an offer and the Senate is reviewing, according to staffers in both chambers. — After teetering toward a late-session meltdown, the bones of a roughly $83 billion 2017-18 state budget are in place, according to three sources close to Gov. Rick Scott‘s office and several lobbyists familiar with […]

Michael MolineApril 25, 2017

Legislation extending $300 million in tax holidays and breaks for veterans, college students, farmers, young families, and more moved closer to a final House vote Tuesday, picking up an amendment expanding use of private contractors to collect auto tag fees. The amendment, by Republican Jason Brodeur, would let tax collectors in 64 counties where they don’t […]

Michael MolineApril 25, 2017

The House Appropriations Committee voted along party lines Tuesday to approve an $82.1 billion “standard operating budget,” in a move Democrats complained brought Washington-style dysfunction to Tallahassee. “I can tell you, we have spent every last, legitimate effort trying to compromise before we came to this point. It wasn’t for lack of effort. It wasn’t […]

Tag: 2017-18 state budget

House and Senate settle budget allotments, appoint conference committees

Continuing sales pitch for Visit Florida, Rick Scott warns of hit to state revenues

From Argentina, Rick Scott keeps up the chatter for economic incentives

Budget deal would include Lake O plan, lower property taxes for schools

Top Senate Democrat says chambers will split the difference on state budget

Rick Scott enlists state bonds chief in fight for Visit Florida funding

Richard Corcoran: House and Senate ‘very, very, very’ close to budget deal

State budget deal struck? Jack Latvala says, ‘no,’ but…

House sets up $300 million tax holiday package for final vote

House ‘standard operating budget’ clears Appropriations Committee