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Legislators back in action
Pensacola News Journal, March 2, 2010
$3 billion revenue shortfall likely to dominate session
BILL COTTERELL NEWS JOURNAL CAPITAL BUREAU
TALLAHASSEE -- Florida legislators converged on the Capitol on Monday for an election-year lawmaking session marked by an unprecedented $3 billion revenue shortage.
From a dawn breakfast of Republican women to the traditional session-eve welcoming gala of Associated Industries of Florida, downtown Tallahassee came to life with preparations for the 60-day session.
House and Senate committees have been working for months and a few held hearings on bills for the early part of the session.
The House and Senate convene this morning, and Gov. Charlie Crist is scheduled to make his State of the State address this afternoon. The Senate has a bill on its agenda to postpone for two years a major increase in unemployment-compensation taxes for employers.
"We have 60 days to do our work, and that's not a countdown, just a fact," said House Speaker Larry Cretul, R-Ocala. "We have a very, very narrow window to accomplish what we need to do, and we're facing some unprecedented times -- we're facing the possibility of as much as a $3.2 billion deficit in our budget, before we even start."
Cretul and Senate President Jeff Atwater, R-North Palm Beach, jointly announced a resolution the GOP leadership plans to pass calling on Congress to balance the federal budget and rein in spending. Although federal stimulus money has been vital to state budgeting, the leaders said future generations will be saddled with an impossible debt if federal spending continues at its current pace.
A few lawmakers got a little fundraising done before the two-month cutoff. At least nine legislators are running for Cabinet offices or Congress, and will be forbidden legally to take campaign contributions while the Legislature is in session.
"I just thank God for every dollar I can get," said Rep. Greg Evers, R-Baker, who scheduled an evening reception for his state Senate campaign. Evers said "this being an election year doesn't make any difference for me" legislatively.
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