TALLAHASSEE -- The budget picture has turned out to be even worse than lawmakers expected, as revenue collections for the state fell $100 million in December.
If sales tax and other revenue continues to fall, the budget deficit would balloon from $2.3 billion to $3 billion by the end of the budget year, on June 30.
Lawmakers in Tallahassee continue trying to balance the deficit, which may end up being an even tougher task. See Previous Story.
Republicans want to cut spending for everything from health care to education, but Democrats said deep cuts could be disastrous, and want to avoid them with new taxes on things like private planes.
Democrats also said they want the legislature to sign off on the Seminole Indian tribe's new casino games, which could give the state access to hundreds of millions of dollars.
Republicans, however, are adamantly against signing off on the games.
None of the budget cuts have been finalized, but legislators do have a wishlist of about $900 million in budget cuts, far more than the $560 million Gov. Crist proposed.
Proposed Budget Cuts
- $490 million from K-12 education spending
- $150 million from to universities and community colleges
- $330 million from nursing homes, hospice, AIDS care and prevention and hospital reimbursement rates
- $2 million from Space Florida, which recruits commercial aerospace business
- $7 million from the Visit Florida tourism agency.
More are expected once the legislature meets for its regular session in April.
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