TALLAHASSEE -- Lawmakers slashed $1.2 billion in spending Wednesday, reduced nearly every state program's budget -- and began breaking their own past promises.

In a May 2 news release headlined ''House Republicans Keep their Promise to Floridians,'' legislative leaders boasted that the 2008-09 budget didn't spend savings on day-to-day operations, gave more money to the Florida Highway Patrol and the Agency for Persons with Disabilities and didn't reduce Childrens Medical Services, Healthy Start or the state crime lab.

But Wednesday's newly trimmed budget reverses most of those commitments. It spends up to $1.6 billion in savings money, takes back the new FHP and APD money, and cuts the crime lab and services for kids.

State Rep. Dean Cannon, R-Winter Park, said the promises couldn't be kept for reasons beyond anyone's control.

''No one would have expected us to keep those commitments,'' he said, ``if anyone had predicted that by January '09 the big three automakers would be near bankruptcy, the stock market would have lost 30 percent of its value and the economy would have contracted faster than it has ever contracted since we've been keeping records.''

Republicans followed through on some of their vows. They kept crucial Medicaid payments for the elderly, and held hospice harmless. They also kept the promise to not raise school property taxes and to keep per-student funding above the 2007 level -- albeit by $12.80.

But they increased traffic fines, raised a new nursing home tax and shifted more of the burden for funding hospitals to local taxpayers.

The voter-approved ''high quality'' prekindergarten program has been watered down a little, with larger summer class sizes that will grow 20 percent, from 10 to 12 students. Per-student funding also was cut.

Then there's Florida Forever land-buying program. ''Forever'' will stop for the rest of the budget year. What comes after that for the program will be decided at the March regular session. The Legislature also raided $1.2 billion in so-called ''trust funds'' established with taxes for dedicated purposes, such as affordable housing, healthcare, cleaning the environment or regulating insurance.

The Lawton Chiles Endowment Fund for poor kids and seniors could fare worst of all. If federal money doesn't come by June 15, it will lose $700 million.

''They shouldn't call these trust funds,'' said Democratic Key West Rep. Ron Saunders. ``There's no trust.''

Marc Caputo can be reached at mcaputo@MiamiHerald.com

Join the discussion

The Miami Herald is pleased to provide this opportunity to share information, experiences and observations about what's in the news. Some of the comments may be reprinted elsewhere in the site or in the newspaper. We encourage lively, open debate on the issues of the day, and ask that you refrain from profanity, hate speech, personal comments and remarks that are off point. In order to post comments, you must be a registered user of MiamiHerald.com. Your username will show along with the comments you post. Thank you for taking the time to offer your thoughts.

     Showing: Oldest first Newest first Most-recommended first Least-recommended first

@Nyx.AuthorDisplayName@ wrote on @Nyx.PostedAtTime@:

@Nyx.repliedToText@

@Nyx.replyAnswerText@

Reply to this Comment @Nyx.Recommender@ @Nyx.AbuseReporter@