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Florida Forever May Be Saved

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By CATHERINE DOLINSKI

cdolinski@tampatrib.com

Published: January 23, 2009

TALLAHASSEE - Gov. Charlie Crist may override the Legislature's decision to suspend the $300 million Florida Forever land conservation program, even as lawmakers prepare to make further state budget cuts this spring.

On Thursday, Crist added Florida Forever to a list of possible vetoes to the $2.6 billion budget reduction package that lawmakers passed last week. The package, which awaits the governor's signature, cancels a $250 million bond issuance for the land purchase program, suspending it for the remainder of the fiscal year ending June 30.

The cut saves an immediate $4 million on debt service this fiscal year and $20 million if continued next fiscal year.

"I'm looking very closely, with what level of change we can bring to bear ... as it relates to restoring Florida Forever," Crist said at the Capitol during The Associated Press' annual legislative forum for editors and reporters. "What concerns me is that if you start to do something one year, it takes on a repeat performance in the next year."

Senate President Jeff Atwater said Florida has spent $5.5 billion conserving 2.3 million acres of land over the past 17 years.

Suspending Florida Forever is only temporary, said Atwater, R-Palm Beach Gardens.

"That debt service, of about $20 million - you can equate that to about 800 teachers," he said. "You can equate that to about 1,100 Florida Highway Patrol officers. You can equate that to about 18,000 students in voluntary pre-k. ... Those things we've chosen to continue to invest in."

Other veto prospects that Crist has mentioned include an $11 million cut to teacher bonuses and public safety cuts that have triggered the layoff of more than 60 probation officers. He will announce his vetoes next week, he said.

House Speaker Ray Sansom, R-Destin, said he respects the governor's veto option but expects Crist to make up for any vetoes in his budget recommendations.

With the state facing a revenue shortfall of at least $3.4 billion next fiscal year, budget woes loomed large throughout Thursday's forum.

Democratic leaders from the House and Senate called for raising billions of dollars by ending corporate tax loopholes and tax breaks. Senate Minority Leader Al Lawson, D-Tallahassee, said lawmakers could raise as much $2.5 billion by closing corporate tax loopholes and bringing back the state's intangibles tax on stock and bond holdings.

Neither Atwater nor Sansom committed to any new revenue sources but said that all proposals will get consideration. Atwater in particular stressed the need to revisit the entire tax structure - which may entail hiking the cigarette tax.

The Senate and House chiefs also said they will try to serve up more property tax relief. But Atwater said it may be time for insurance rates to go up for those covered by Citizens Property Insurance Corp.

Lawmakers passed emergency reforms in 2007 in response to surging insurance rates and increasing difficulty that many property owners faced in obtaining private insurance at all. Among the reforms was a three-year rate freeze for Citizens, the state-run insurer of last resort.

Atwater said it's time for those rates to rise again - but incrementally, to avoid a sudden "jolt."

Reporter Catherine Dolinski can be reached at (850) 222-8382.

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