Fla. state agencies start rolling out wish lists

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) - Hard times are haunting Florida with falling tax revenues, but that hasn’t scared state agencies out of asking for more money.

Some of what they’re asking for, however, would just undo cuts that have already been made.

“Happy Halloween,“ lobbyist Sheldon Gusky said at a budget hearing Friday. “I think it’s more tricks than treats this year.“

Agencies have begun a series of public hearings on their wish lists for the next budget year, which begins July 1, 2009, amid forecasts of even darker financial days ahead.

The budget requests will help Gov. Charlie Crist develop his own spending recommendations for the Legislature before it goes into session in March. Lawmakers are free to ignore those recommendations, which they often do, when they write the state budget.

“Give us back what we had, and don’t cut us any more,“ pleaded Gusky, who represents the Florida Public Defender Association. He said the public defenders’ top priority is restoring $24.4 million and 256 position cut in the past year.

Lawmakers ordered the cuts because state revenue has been falling for more than a year due to Florida’s sagging economy.

The current $66 billion budget is about $6 billion less than the 2007-08 version lawmakers initially passed. More cuts may be made to avoid deficit spending, which is prohibited by the Florida Constitution.

State economists in July predicted a $1.47 million deficit for the current year. A special legislative committee in September partly filled the gap by using $672 million from a reserve fund, and Crist has asked agencies to hold back 4 percent of their spending.

The economists will meet again Nov. 21 to make another revenue forecast. It’s expected to be even lower for the rest of this budget year and the next one.

Agency officials, though, said they’ll need more money because the cost is rising for things like utilities, fuel, health care and food, and more people need their services.

The Department of Corrections, for example, is seeking a $286 million increase in its operating budget. It includes money to hire more than 1,700 new employees to guard a growing inmate population and staff new prisons due to open. The department also wants more than $500 million to build even more prisons and make critical repairs.

Buddy Jacobs, a lobbyist for the Florida Prosecuting Attorneys Association, state attorneys are in a “survival mode” but aren’t asking for more money. Jacobs, though, also urged that prosecutors, courts and public defenders be spared from additional cuts.

“In these hard times, you have to maintain law and order,“ he said.

At another hearing, Department of Children & Families budget director Dennise Parker said her agency’s request for a $181 million spending increase includes several “must fund” programs.

Some deal with violent sexual predators, assist adoptive parents and provide mental health and substance abuse services.

Copyright 2008 The Associated Press.