Budget bills pass legislature
Budget bills pass legislature
House, Senate differ on crucial details about the extent of cuts
TALLAHASSEE — Virtually no sector of state government, from public schools to programs for the sick and disabled, is spared from the budget axe in spending bills passed Thursday by the Florida House and Senate, though they differ in many key details.
GOP lawmakers who control both chambers are holding firm to their no-new-taxes commitment, with austere appropriations bills of nearly $70 billion that would slash almost $4 billion in spending.
Democrats argued that House and Senate bills alike are balanced on the backs of public employees, in effect imposing an income tax on them.
Both chambers would dock the paychecks of teachers, state workers and many local employees, including police and firefighters, to reduce state, city and county government contributions to their retirement plan by up to $1.1 billion. The spending cuts also are expected to result in widespread layoffs.
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