Lawmakers casting doubt on Scott's promises of tax cuts

With newly elected Gov. Rick Scott's first session of the Florida Legislature about to start, Republican legislative leaders are casting doubt on his campaign promises for tax cuts.

On Wednesday, in an appearance before the Tallahassee press corps, Scott insisted he intends to keep those promises, which included phasing out corporate income taxes and cutting school property taxes by nearly a fifth.

But facing a gap of $3.5 billion or more to balance the state's budget, currently $70.4 billion, Republican state Senate President Mike Haridopolos and House Speaker Dean Cannon indicated to the same gathering that they're skeptical at best that tax cuts are possible.

Scott's response Wednesday: "I'm going to put out a budget that shows them how to do it."

The views suggest a potential fracture in the seemingly monolithic Republican control of state government.

Scott hinted he would go over the heads of the Legislature to the populace, if necessary to achieve his goal.

"I'm going to talk to people around the state and explain why I believe in it, and I believe that we will get those reductions," he said.

"I believe my budget proposal's going to pass." added Scott, who has a history of spending millions of his own money for his campaign and for pushing his own views on public issues.

Cannon, of Winter Park, didn't reject the idea, but made it clear he's unconvinced.

"The top priority is don't raise them," he said, addressing the gathering in the Capitol, which was intended to provide reporters a preview of the coming legislative session March 8-May 6.

"If we achieve the goal of not raising taxes or fees, that would be a success," Cannon said. Cuts "would be a big challenge."

He said his mind was open on the subject, but "I haven't seen a way yet that I'm persuaded is doable."

Haridopolos told reporters last week that in attempting to balance the state budget with no tax increases, prospects for tax cuts are dim.

"At this point, we are struggling so much with the $3.5 billion shortfall that tax cuts are not part of our equation at this point," the Merritt Island Republican said at the time.

Wednesday, he backpedaled slightly, but still didn't welcome the idea of tax cuts.

"The first priority I have as president of the Senate is to say we will reduce spending by $3.6 billion," he said. "Once we make those cuts, which are going to be very, very difficult, then we will look at tax relief."

He said he expects Scott "is going to look at the budget in a new way" when he makes his budget proposal.

"We're wide open for tax cuts," he said. "I'm all ears."

During his campaign, Scott promised to cut property taxes collected for schools by 19 percent right away - 1 mil out of 5.3 mils - which would eliminate about $1.4 billion in revenue; he would cut another mil over the following seven years of his tenure.

He promised to eliminate the state's corporate income tax, which produced about $1.8 billion last year.

"Total state tax revenues will benefit from the dynamic economic growth created from the corporate income tax phase-out," Scott promised.

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