By: Stephen D. Price and Jim Ash
Source: Florida Capital Bureau
A week into overtime and with tensions running high, the Legislature passed a $66.5 billion budget on Friday to end a chaotic session marred by a $6 billion budget shortfall and complicated by the criminal indictment of former House Speaker Ray Sansom, R-Destin.
The Senate led the way earlier in the day with a 32-8 vote, with only a handful of Democrats, including Dave Aronberg of West Palm Beach, whose district includes Lee County, voting against. Ronda Storms of Valrico was the only Republican to vote no. Moments before adjourning, the House voted 75-43 to pass the budget over Democratic objections.
Called, “blue smoke and mirrors,” by some critics, the budget uses $5.3 billion in federal stimulus dollars, more than $800 million in fees and cuts to social service programs to deal with a $6 billion budget deficit .
On the final day of the session, lawmakers approved a deal that would approve high-stakes card games at Seminole casinos and lift poker betting limits at dog and horse tracks. The move frees $300 million in gambling proceeds for this year’s budget and guarantees at least $2.2 billion for public schools over the next 15 years.
A week into overtime the Legislature passes $66.5 billion budget
