House and Senate negotiators Tuesday began narrowing budget differences, with agreement on issues such as a minimum-wage proposal, spending on a new elections investigation office and revamping pay in the Department of Corrections.
But gaps remained as several conference committees face a Thursday deadline to agree on spending details. Issues that remain unresolved Thursday will go to House Appropriations Chairman Jay Trumbull, R-Panama City, and Senate Appropriations Chairwoman Kelli Stargel, R-Lakeland, for additional negotiations.
“We tried to make some headway on our differences, predominantly focusing our attention on department issues,” House Infrastructure & Tourism Appropriations Chairman Jayer Williamson, R-Pace, said after an initial set of conference committee meetings Tuesday morning.
The House went into negotiations with a $105.3 billion budget proposal, while the Senate’s proposal was at $108.6 billion. Both would be record amounts, as the state is flush with federal stimulus money and higher-than-expected sales tax revenues.
Now it’s a matter of where or how to spread the money as lawmakers work to pass a budget before the scheduled March 11 end of the regular legislative session.
As an example of the types of differences, the House has agreed to spend $50 million on the tourism-marketing agency Visit Florida, the same amount as in the current year. But the Senate wants that amount on a “recurring” basis, which could make it more permanent.
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