A day after the House speaker described a budget-negotiation gridlock, Senate leaders said Thursday that they are optimistic that lawmakers can reach agreement on a new $87 billion-plus spending plan for the state and finish the 2018 session on time.
“I think we have made some really good progress in the past several days toward being able to complete our budget work on time and to be able to bridge what really are very manageable differences between the House and Senate budgets,” Senate President Joe Negron, R-Stuart, told reporters Thursday afternoon.
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Negron, one of the few lawmakers to lead both the House and Senate budget committees during his legislative career, said while there are spending differences in the budget bills, they remain only $100 million apart overall.
“I think that those differences are routine and to be expected, based on having two different chambers with different ideas on appropriate ways to fund state government,” Negron said.
His comments came the day after House Speaker Richard Corcoran, R-Land O’Lakes, specifically accused Negron and Senate Appropriations Chairman Rob Bradley of “stonewalling” on the budget talks and acting like “kindergartners.” As Negron did, Bradley brushed aside the speaker's critique.
“I remain very optimistic about finishing this session and doing it in a way that all of the people of the state of Florida can be proud, including finishing a budget,” Bradley, R-Fleming Island, said.
On Wednesday, Corcoran suggested the budget deadlock could lead to lawmakers ending the session without a budget bill and could also jeopardize major policy proposals.
But Negron downplayed that scenario, noting both he and Corcoran have been working for years on some of the policy initiatives.
At stake in the session finale are the House’s plans to expand educational choices in the public school system and the Senate-backed plan to continue an effort to raise the national status of Florida’s universities.
Negron predicted the budget posturing, which is not unusual toward the end of a legislative session, will finish amicably.
“And I think the leaders that we have in both the House and Senate will help us get there,” he said. However, when directly asked when the formal budget negotiations will begin, he could only offer, “shortly.”