Florida House looks to cut budget for higher education

TALLAHASSEE Florida House leaders unveiled a proposed higher-education budget Tuesday that includes cuts designed to spur state universities and colleges to spend some of their reserve funds.

The proposal also would not expand the Bright Futures merit-scholarship program to cover 75 percent of the tuition and fees for “medallion scholars.”

House Higher Education Appropriations Chairman Larry Ahern, R-Seminole, said House leaders are looking to pass an “austere” state budget in the range of $85 billion, in contrast to Gov. Rick Scott’s proposed $87.4 billion overall spending plan.

To keep the 2018-2019 budget within expected revenue growth and to keep state reserves strong, Ahern said it will necessitate spending cuts.

Ahern said the highereducation budget has been targeted for cuts because of the “substantial growth” in state funding for the system over the past five years, including a $1.3 billion increase in general revenue support.

“In this budget we will be recommending that we start slowing that growth,” Ahern said.

While the House budget will include cuts in operating money for the colleges and universities, the reductions could be offset by the schools using reserve funds, Ahern said.

“Remember that unlike other state agencies, colleges and universities do not revert their general revenue back to the (state) treasury each year,” Ahern said. “They keep those taxpayer dollars, and their fund balance has grown.”

He said the 28 state colleges have about $350 million in unspent funds, while the 12 universities have more than $1 billion.