Senate President-designate Mike Haridopolos, R-Merritt Island, and House Speaker-designate Dean Cannon, R-Winter Park, today announced that they would use the state legislature’s Nov. 16 organizational meeting as an opportunity to also call a special session to override vetoes issued by Gov. Charlie Crist during their spring session.
One item on the agenda? Restoring a $9.7 million funding cut to Gainesville’s Shands hospital. The money had originally been included in the legislature’s appropriations bill, but Crist excised the dollars in a May letter (which you can read in full after the jump).
“As incoming Senate president, I’m concerned about Florida’s economic outlook and the looming budget shortfall the Legislature will be required to address in the coming months,” wrote Haridopolos in an October letter to then-Democratic gubernatorial candidate Alex Sink, chastising her for what he called “a disturbing pattern of unsustainable spending proposals.”
“We must be honest with the citizens of our state, and we need to follow the example of Florida’s families who are tightening their belts and reducing their budgets when finding it harder and harder to make ends meet,” Haridopolos added. “At a time when Florida families and businesses are doing more with less, they should be able to expect the same from their government.”
Read Crist’s line-item vetoes in full:
