Crist

Gov. Charlie Crist vetoes $365 million from state budget cuts
BY MARC CAPUTO
Herald/Times Tallahassee Bureau
TALLAHASSEE -- Gov. Charlie Crist restored about $365 million in budget cuts Tuesday, sparing a major environmental program, a teacher merit-pay plan and the state's tourism-marketing efforts.

''Reducing these programs and services, I believe, would have negatively impacted the people of our state and that's why I'm restoring them today,'' Crist said. ``The budget I'm signing today does tighten our belts significantly.''

In saying he ''resurrected'' the programs, Crist praised the Legislature -- rather than faulting it -- for its work in a special lawmaking session earlier this month to fill a $2.4 billion budget hole by cutting spending and emptying savings accounts.

The leaders of the House and Senate issued written statements that refrained from criticizing Crist, though other Republicans in the Legislature have started to chafe over the governor's decision to cancel nearly 30 percent of the $1.2 billion in budget cuts they had approved.

Essentially, Crist looks like the good guy who restores programs for kids, the National Guard and the developmentally disabled -- while the Legislature does all the bad-guy cuts.

''It's easy to go out and demagogue these issues and pander to folks, but the Senate and House are constitutionally required to make this work,'' said J.D. Alexander, the Senate's budget chief.

A sticking point for Alexander: The Florida Forever program. He suggested that the Legislature proposed halting about $200 million in environmental land buys only because it had ''a pretty clear understanding'' with the governor's office about the budget reduction.

But Crist, who called Florida Forever ''near and dear to my heart,'' said no such deal was made.

''We don't do deals,'' Crist said. ``Everyone has their own style. That's not my style.''

Crist said he could only veto so much with his ''scalpel.'' As a result, he let stand a $190 million reduction to an affordable housing program.

Rather than call them ''vetoes,'' Crist called his actions Tuesday ''investments'' in Florida. In other veto highlights, Crist restored:

• $28.9 million to help teachers, autism education and the Florida School for the Deaf and Blind

• $22.8 million for the Agency for Persons with Disabilities. Crist said it would help 31,000 people.

• $16.2 million to avoid 118 layoffs of probation officers, substance abuse, guardian ad litem and review of restoration of civil rights cases

• $22 million to fund tourism, Visit Florida marketing and other economic development grants.

• $600,000 for Florida National Guard and continued tuition assistance, body armor and other assistance.

Marc Caputo can be reached at mcaputo@MiamiHerald.com.