(The following story by Aaron Deslatte and John Kennedy appeared on the Orlando Sentinel website on April 10.)
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Central Florida’s commuter-rail deal survived an assault in the state Senate Wednesday, as lawmakers scrambled to find cash in an austere budget year to soften cuts to critical services.
The Senate approved its proposed $65.9 billion spending plan by a 26-12 vote after beating back two dozen amendments that occasionally divided the usually clubby chamber. The House, which debated for more than eight hours Wednesday, is expected to give final approval to its $65.1 billion plan today.
With tax collections down by $3 billion, the bleak budget prompted lawmakers to launch raids on each other’s hometown projects, although few attempts were successful.
For more than two hours, critics of the state’s $650 million-plus deal to reroute CSX Corp.’s freight operations — and buy its 61-mile line through Orlando to use for commuter rail — sought to transfer dollars meant for the deal to the courts system and to social services programs.
Ultimately, the Senate voted 16-to-22 to defeat a $20 million transfer to the court system, to offset cuts that officials say will result in more than 300 layoffs statewide — but not before some senators denounced the commuter rail deal.
“We’re giving a private, for-profit corporation $650 million, while courts and education languish,” said Sen. Alex Villalobos, R-Miami. “It’s outrageous.”
Only $150 million of the deal is designated for purchasing the rail line through Orlando that would accommodate commuter trains. The rest will go mostly to upgrading CSX’s freight rail operations.
“If we have a choice between the court system, Medically Needy, dental care, prescription drugs, I’d rather err on the side of a person’s life than a railroad at this time,” said Sen. Gary Siplin, D-Orlando, who voted to strip money from the rail deal.
(The state’s Medically Needy program covers transplant and catastrophic-illness costs for 20,000 poor people not eligible for Medicaid.)
But Senate Majority Leader Dan Webster, R-Winter Garden, urged senators not to “open a floodgate” by raiding transportation dollars dedicated for long-term projects.
CSX officials have said the complex deal negotiated over the last two years will fall apart if the Legislature doesn’t approve legal liability protection for the company this year. They argued the project will stimulate the economy with construction jobs and help lower-income and elderly people get around.
“This is a project that takes care of the people in Florida and that stimulates the Florida economy,” said CSX Vice President Lisa Mancini, part of an army of rail supporters and lobbyists in the Capitol.
But it was cuts in health and human service programs and education that drew the most sweeping condemnations.
Democrats in the House and the Senate argued that ruling Republicans were wrong to refuse to consider increasing taxes to ease the reductions.
Health and social service programs alone face $1.1 billion in cuts in the Senate budget and more than $800 million in the House plan. Actual cuts will be greater because federal matching funds are lost when state dollars decline.
Much of the difference between the House and Senate plans lies in the House’s decision to shut down Florida’s biggest environmental initiatives — slashing $100 million from Everglades restoration and $300 million from Florida Forever land-buying.
In schools, the House would reduce classroom spending by $86 per student, or 1.2 percent. The Senate cut is $116 per-student, or 1.6 percent.
Cuts affect virtually every area of state government, with courts, the prison system and arts and cultural programs also facing spending reductions and job losses.
“They’re slashing thousands of jobs in a time when Florida already leads the nation in mortgage foreclosures,” said Rep. Franklin Sands, D-Weston.
Senate Minority Leader Steve Geller, D-Cooper City, argued unsuccessfully that lawmakers could raise almost $400 million by revamping how multistate companies pay their corporate income tax in Florida, capturing money now lost when companies shift profits to subsidiaries in other states.
But the measure was killed on a voice vote, with Republicans arguing that tax increases would further hurt Floridians reeling from a stalled housing market, rising unemployment and higher living costs.
“I’m appalled at the indifference we saw here today,” said Geller of Cooper City. He said the amendments were designed to “wean some very wealthy corporations from the legislative coddling they’ve enjoyed for years.”
One of the few amendments approved was one by Sens. Don Gaetz, R-Niceville, and Mike Fasano, R-New Port Richey, reducing salaries of the governor, Cabinet members and state legislators by 10 percent.
“At a time when belts have to be tightened to balance revenues and expenses, those in elected positions should lead by example,” said Gaetz. He said the pay cut would raise $600,000 to reduce cuts in early childhood education.
For its part, the House approved a 2.5 percent salary cut for lawmakers only.
The House also voted for a Democratic amendment that blocks disbursement of $20 million in subsidies paid every year to about 20 local governments that run sports stadiums for professional sports franchises, including the city of Orlando and Osceola County.
Combined, the governments have drawn down $224 million over the last 14 years to help finance facilities for teams such as the Florida Marlins and Tampa Bay Lightning. Orlando and the Magic were added last year; the city has drawn down $500,000 so far this year, records show.
Senate budget chair Lisa Carlton, R-Osprey, said lawmakers had stretched their dollars as far as they could.
“With the economy in the situation we’re in, we’re asking everybody to give a little bit,” Carlton said.