A $65.1 billion budget that Republicans called responsible and Democrats blasted as callous and harmful passed a sharply divided House on Friday, setting the stage for high-stakes budget negotiations with the Senate this week. The spending plan for the fiscal year that begins July 1 passed on a nearly straight party-line vote: 74-45, with Rep. Marti Coley, R-Marianna, voting with Democrats. The Senate passed a more-expensive budget earlier in the week. The two houses must reconcile the differences in conference before the budget can be approved. Republicans said the plan balanced slumping state revenues with the critical needs of constituents. They highlighted a $30 increase in per-student funding for public education. "In what is arguably the worst economic times that our state has ever faced ... what the state of Florida has been able to do by this budget is not only maintain per-student funding but increase it," said Rep. Anitere Flores, R-Miami, who chairs the committee overseeing public education funding. But Democrats cited cuts to higher education and paychecks for public employees and said fees being raised were really thinly veiled tax increases. Coming in for particular scorn were the fee increases. The House plan raises about $800 million from hikes in the costs of diver's licenses, vehicle titles and court filings. "This bill is in essence a tax increase on everyday Floridians," said Rep. Ronald Brise, D-North Miami. The package comes in at about half a billion dollars less than the Senate spending proposal. Legislative leaders hope to reach an agreement no later than April 26.
http://www.jacksonville.com/news/florida/2...re_sharp_bitter
http://www.floridatoday.com/article/200904...WSFRONTCAROUSEL
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Thanks to Mark Pudlow for the clip and the lead.