As State Reins in Spending, Local Projects Get Nothing

Tallahassee–In a brutal budget year where cutbacks are being measured in the billions of dollars, requests for help from an Odessa equestrian therapy program, Hillsborough homeless advocates and a Tampa firefighters' museum never stood a chance.

Local legislative delegations traditionally submit what are known as "community budget requests" in an effort to support local projects with a slice of the state revenue pie. More than 60 such requests were filed this year from Hillsborough alone, and the spending plan released late Monday reflected the sour mood of budget writers: Virtually none of them received a penny.

"Very tough year," said Rayme Nuckles, chief executive of the Homeless Coalition of Hillsborough County, which was among the groups shut out this year. Local lawmakers had sought $2 million for the coalition's Community Kitchen project.

Rep. Kevin Ambler, R-Lutz, who made the pitch for the homeless in the House, wasn't surprised that the request was shot down. "When you're $6 billion short, you have to find a way of getting essential services funded," he said. "It just made for some tough choices.

After years of swelling state budgets fueled by a red-hot housing market and spending on hurricane reconstruction, Florida is now retrenching. Less money collected on home closings and through sales taxes means less money to spend on education and health care, which make up two-thirds of state spending, and the rest of the services provided by Tallahassee.

The $66.2 billion spending plan slated for a vote Friday is $6 billion lighter than last year's $72 billion budget, although last year's blueprint had to be pared twice from that amount as economic forecasters adjusted their income expectations.

The writing on the wall had already sapped the optimism from Edie Dopking, executive director of the Quantum Leap Farm in Odessa. Dopking's nonprofit was up for $167,000 in state money for a program that allows trauma and other patients at the James A. Haley Veterans' Hospital to ride horses as part of their rehabilitation.

"I have to say, I'm disappointed, but not surprised," Dopking said. Lawmakers "prepped us pretty well. This was just not the right year."

No state money means fewer vets will be able to take advantage of the therapy, she said. Her program was hardly the only one passed over as the budget came together.

Assistance for ex-offenders, substance abusers, homeless and the hungry weren't funded. Nor were a pool heating system at the Brandon Sports and Aquatic Center, a monorail energy research interactive display at the Museum of Science and Industry, or the Tampa Firefighters Museum.

"Those people who asked us knew from Day One it was going to be a tight budget," said Sen. Mike Fasano, R-New Port Richey, who sponsored several of the local budget requests in the upper chamber. "We've not heard from anyone who has complained or whined. They've been very understanding and very supportive, and they know that we'll try again down the line in future years."

There was a smidgeon of good news for Tampa Bay area residents tucked into the 408 page appropriations bill -- particularly for those suffering from soggy shoes and stalled out cars after the area's notorious summer rainstorms.

Drainage projects in the Lake Meade, Nesmith Road/Ray Ann Drive/Trapnell Road, Duck Pond and East Morgan Street/Parson Avenue areas received funding of from $100,000 to $400,000 to alleviate flooding. The state will also kick in $750,000 for a pair of water projects in Plant city, and the Southwest Florida Water Management district received $1 million for Tampa Bay restoration.

Lawmakers are slated to vote the budget up or down Friday; they no longer can amend the document. Gov. Charlie Crist has line-item veto power, meaning he can erase individual allocations before signing the budget.

Last year, Crist trimmed about $460 million from the final product, but on Tuesday, the governor hinted he was happy with what budget negotiators had accomplished.

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