State budget outline is set, but details to be ironed out

Scott angry at Visit Florida funding cuts

TALLAHASSEE Lawmakers have a broad agreement on a roughly $83 billion state budget, Senate President Joe Negron confirmedWednesday, but final details still have to be ironed out.

House priorities such as avoiding a property tax increase and spending $200 million for charter schools are included, along withNegron’s priorities of increasing funding for higher education and Bright Futures Scholarships and his plan to buy land south of Lake Okeechobee for a reservoir to hold pollutedwater.

Negron and House Speaker Richard Corcoran, R-Land O’Lakes, are still haggling over the final details, he said, but wouldn’t provide specifics on the remaining differences.

After an agreement on top-line budget numbers is reached, the chambers can begin formal talks to complete the budget.

Lawmakers have until Tuesday to produce a final budget to end the legislative session on time.

Meanwhile, Gov. Rick Scott lashed out at lawmakersWednesday over a tentative budget deal that leaves Visit Florida, the state’s tourism promotion group, funded at $25 million – a $51 million cut from the current budget.

He has repeatedly pushed lawmakers for funding for Visit Florida at $76 million – and in recent weeks asked for $100 million – as well as $85 million for economic incentives forEnterprise Florida, the state’s economic development agency that uses incentives to entice businesses to add jobs.

But under a budget deal reached by House and Senate leaders Tuesday, Visit Florida is funded only at $25 million and incentives for Enterprise Florida aren’t funded at all.