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Tom Lee - page 15

Rick Scott’s office claps back at budget chiefs after priorities snubbed

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After the first meeting of 2016 legislative budget conference Friday evening, senior budget writers — in particular House Budget Chairman Rep. Richard Corcoran — told reporters the Legislature had so far more or less ignored two of Gov. Rick Scott‘s top priorities. Corcoran said their current proposal contained “zero” toward a $250 million dedicated Florida Enterprise Fund for state business recruitment efforts and less than half the amount requested for a massive tax cut package: just $400 million compared to Scott’s $1 billion…

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Budget conferees begin weekend of negotiations

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House and Senate budget writers met Friday night to organize the 2016 Budget Conference process. They plan to meet through the weekend as they negotiate how to reconcile the $1 billion gulf between their spending plans as they allocate taxpayers’ money to keep Florida’s government running. Rep. Richard Corcoran, House budget chief, said after the meeting that the Florida Enterprise fund – money to be used to attract jobs to the state and a major priority of Gov. Rick Scott –…

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Senate budget chief Tom Lee adds gaming bills to Appropriations Cmte. agenda

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Senate budget chair Tom Lee has added a pair of potentially momentous gaming bills to the Appropriations Committee’s agenda for its meeting next week, set for Tuesday, March 1. SB 7072 would expand slot machines beyond South Florida and reduce the effective tax rate on the machines. It would allow slots in six counties where voters already have approved the form of gambling in a local referendum – namely Brevard, Gadsden, Hamilton, Lee, Palm Beach, and Washington –  but would also allow…

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Budget conference to begin this weekend

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Legislative leaders issued a joint statement on the 2016-17 state budget Thursday night: Members, We are pleased with the progress President (Tom) Lee and Chair (Richard) Corcoran (the Senate and House budget chiefs) have made and are optimistic we will be ready to begin the budget conference this weekend. We will update you as early as possible tomorrow, so you can make the appropriate travel arrangements. Thank you for your patience as we work through this important process. We look…

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Rick Scott calls session ‘successful’ – but still hasn’t got what he wants

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Gov. Rick Scott on Wednesday suggested, with as much subtext as he could muster, that lawmakers need to come around on his two main budget goals for 2016-17: $1 billion in tax cuts and $25o million for business incentives. After all, legislative leadership passed their priority bills early on, which Scott happily signed. The message was clear: You got yours, I want mine. “We’ve had a very good Session. It’s all going to be successful,” Scott told reporters after a bill…

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House passes incentives measure desired by Rick Scott

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After a debate that included mentions of monsters, Robert A. Heinlein and the Tampa Bay Rays, the Florida House of Representatives Wednesday passed its 2016 business and economic incentives package, including the framework for Gov. Rick Scott‘s proposed $250 million Florida Enterprise Fund. As bill sponsor Jim Boyd reminded members, it still has no funding: “This is a structure bill, a policy bill,” he said, explaining that how much money goes to incentives still must be decided in the budget process.  The legislation (HB 1325)…

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Alimony bill clears 2nd committee in Senate

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The Senate’s alimony overhaul bill cleared its second review panel Wednesday, though it was again rushed through in the remaining minutes of a committee hearing. The Appropriations Subcommittee on Criminal and Civil Justice OK’d the bill (SB 668), aimed of getting rid of “forever alimony,” on a 5-2 party-line vote. As in its first hearing in the Judiciary Committee, the bill was last on the agenda. With time growing short, committee chairman Joe Negron limited speakers to one minute. There was time enough…

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