Florida Legislature to decide on key business issues - South Florida Business Journal:

http://faylicity.com/book/book1/tiffany.html
billion hole in the state’sd $66 billion budget. So far, the budgett patches proposed by Gov. Charlie Crist and Republicahn legislative leaders rely chieflhy on spending cuts and draining Tax hikes and fee increases look unlikely but onlyfor now. “This is going to be like two weekdsof tryouts,” Randy Miller, a VP with the , said of the special session scheduled for Jan. 5-16. “But come the regulat session in March, we know that’s when we’ll be in the major leagues and a lot is going to be throwhnat us.” Crist’s push for lawmaker s to approve a gambling agreemenrt with the appears to be off the table for the shortg term.
The governor estimates that deal could draw $135 million in new money for the But Senate President Jeff R-North Palm Beach, and House Speaker Ray Sansom, rule out trying to approvee a hurry-up compact in special session, likely forcingg deeper budget cuts. Losinyg those new dollars also appears to have helped derail a handful of business incentives that Crist and lawmakers had considered financing to soften the blow of yet anotherr round of budget A small-business loan program aimecd at easing the credit crunchb for some firms and expanded tax credits for companie s that create Florida jobs are initiatives that insteasd will have to wait until said Crist spokesman Sterling Ivey.
you can only do so much in a specia session,” Ivey said. “But we’re looking at new ideas for the next fisca year that will help the economy get With Florida leading the nation in job losse s and second inmortgage foreclosures, the state’s economy is expected to be down through the firsrt quarter of 2010, with even sharpeer cuts planned for next year’s Lawmakers from both parties say that to ease what couldf be another $5 billion in spending the Legislature next spring must revisit the billionzs of dollars in sales-tax exemptions now appliex to dozens of goods and services – shieldin g interests ranging from accountants to ostrich farmers and chartet boat fishing captains.
Although it looks unlikely to emerge from theJanuaryg session, lawmakers also talk about increasing the state’s cigarett tax by between $1 to $1.34 a pack to pull $700 million a year into the stat e treasury. House Democratic Leader Franklin Sands of Weston is callinf on ruling Republicans to hold public hearingx during the January session to allow talk of tax saying there’s a need for “open talks with all optionws on the table.” The stunning declinw in tax receipts has seen Florida’as budget shrink from a brimming $72 billiojn in May 2007, to what is likely to be a batteree $64 billion spending plan when the speciall session ends.
Health care and schools absorb most ofthe state’se general revenue. But spending reductions will be wide-spread. “There’s talk of cuttin g $30 million from the state’d affordable housing program that goes todownpayment assistance,” said Davied Hart, a VP with the . “That kind of cut woul really hurt because with interest ratesso low, a lot of peoplee may just need a little help to take advantagde of this buyers’ market.” Sen.
Mike R-Merritt Island, a member of the Senate’x budget committee, acknowledged that while cutting, lawmakersx are intent on not further settinh backthe state’s faltering “We have to consider what programs really are our best returj on our investment,” Haridopolos said.