TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — The Florida Senate on Wednesday voted unanimously to adopt a $74 billion spending plan that provides pay raises for state workers and includes a substantial increase in money for public schools.
The vote marked the first time in several years where state lawmakers got to crow about all the items in the budget that got money as opposed to what was getting cut.
"The budget is a reflection of our values," said Sen. Joe Negron, R-Stuart and Senate budget chief.
Included in the Senate's proposed $74.3 billion budget is a 3 percent pay raise as well as nearly $500 million for teacher pay raises. Republican Gov. Rick Scott had asked for a $2,500 pay raise for all teachers, but the Senate measure requires school districts to tie the raises to student performance.
The Senate spending includes money for Everglades restoration, beach restoration, hometown projects as well as increased payments to doctors who treat Medicaid patients.
Some legislators complained that the Senate budget does not include a higher bump in pay for correctional officers. The budget includes up to an 8 percent pay raise for highway patrol troopers with more than five years of experience.
Negron said he took that step because veteran troopers were getting paid nearly the same as new hires. But he agreed he would try to find extra money to give a bigger raise to those who work at the state's prisons.
The Senate budget bill (SB 1500) now heads to the Florida House. The House is expected to debate and vote on a rival spending plan later this week.
The Florida Legislature has until early May to pass a new budget that covers spending from July 2013 until June 2014.
There are differences in the rival plans. For example, the House wants a 6 percent tuition hike for universities while the Senate budget does not include any fee increases. Still the differences between the two chambers don't appear big enough to keep legislators ending their work on time.
"When I look at the two budgets side by side, I think a lot of issues will be easily resolved with good-faith discussions," Negron said.
But while Senate Democrats joined with Republicans in supporting the budget, that won't be the case in the House.
House Democrats said Wednesday they will oppose the proposed House budget because it fails to tap into massive amounts of available federal aid to expand Medicaid coverage, as called for by the federal health care law.
Scott has said he wants to expand Medicaid, calling it the "compassionate" and "common sense" choice. The federal government would foot the entire bill for the first three years and Scott has said it's unfair for Florida taxpayers to pay into a program and get nothing in return.
Rep. Mia Jones, D-Jacksonville, said that Floridians deserve to benefit from more of the tax dollars they contribute to the federal treasury. She said Floridians pay more in federal taxes than they get back in services, at a time when many residents don't have health coverage.
House Democrats said that expanding coverage to up to 1 million Floridians would save thousands of lives each year while creating tens of thousands of jobs.
Associated Press reporter Bruce Schreiner contributed to this story.
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