Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition

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The Associated Press’ annual planning session is akin to binge-watching press conference­s. This year, Gov. Rick Scott, Republican and Democratic leaders of both legislativ­e chambers and Agricultur­e Commission­er Adam Putnam were on the docket.

Scott unveiled his proposed budget for the year that begins July 1.

What was found in the $83.5 billion plan was far-fetched projection­s of cuts in parts of the budget that Scott doesn’t like and at least one non-starter with the House of Representa­tives.

Scott would boost per-student funding for public education, to $7,420.99, an increase of 3 percent. But that would rely heavily on an infusion of $557.9 million in additional local property taxes resulting from an increase in property values.

The state would reduce payments to public hospitals by $298 million. It would also save $581 million by allowing the managed-care plans that handle Medicaid patients to tweak how they reimburse hospitals. And $50 million in funding for inflation and automatic Medicaid increases would be eliminated.

Leaders weren’t eager to jump on board. And House Speaker Richard Corcoran, a Land O’ Lakes Republican, ruled out using the proceeds of increased property values, saying it constitute­d a tax hike.

The speaker also suggested he was willing to push the legislativ­e session into overtime because of the disagreeme­nt.

“We will not raise taxes,” Corcoran said. “And if that means a lengthy year, we’re prepared for that. But we will not raise property taxes — not today, not tomorrow, not ever.”

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