Does Jeb Bush Hate USF?

[Bulls 1]

Look at all the cuts he made to hurt USF.  From the Tribune

"He slashed more than 30 Tampa Bay-area projects totaling more than $40 million.

Meanwhile, he praised lawmakers for delivering a budget that otherwise funds the state's top priorities.

That was little consolation for members of the Tampa Bay area legislative delegation, many of whom had capitalized on the group's growing clout in the Legislature to win millions for local and regional causes.

``Our share has been severely cut back,'' said Sen. Victor Crist, R-Tampa, noting several significant programs and projects were cut.

Those cuts include: $12 million for construction of outpatient treatment centers connected with the University of South Florida's Alzheimer's Research Institute, $2.5 million for USF's school of music, $8.9 million for the USF biotechnology park, and $3 million for renovations to a stretch of North 22nd Street where two children were killed by a hit- and-run driver.

I wonder how much he cut out of FSU and UF?

[Cubanbull]

well dont worry if anyone else gets hit on that road it is safe to know that Jeb will use state tax dollars to keep them on life support no matter what anyoneelse thinks.

[CoolBull85]

I saw a piece of the article...was it Bush or did they not pass the floor votes?  I would think it is equally a representation problem (who are your Sen. & House members) than a Bush problem.

[Papa_Bull]

I saw a piece of the article...was it Bush or did they not pass the floor votes?  

It was ONLY Bush striking out items which had passed previously.

[smazza]

keep voting republican

[USFHayman]

Being a music major myself, the School of Music building is the oldest building on campus and has been at the top of the University project list for years to get a new building.  In 1981 it was ready to be built, ,but the Sun Dome roof had a "problem" so they used that money to fix it.  It is now 2004 and years of promises later...Looks like a few more years.  Thank you Jeb!!! what a swell guy...

[Knight_Light]

I saw a piece of the article...was it Bush or did they not pass the floor votes?  I would think it is equally a representation problem (who are your Sen. & House members) than a Bush problem.

Actually, Byrd and R-King from Jacksonville tried to bypass much of the legislative process with their large pet projects. They both tried to slide in the extra funds during the negotiation process...and not directly on the floor of their chambers.

That didn't work.

Bush rejected them both.

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http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/state/orl-asecbudget29052904may29,1,4822306,print.story

Vetoes trim state budget

Gov. Bush cuts $349 million, OKs worker training in Orlando

By Bob Mahlburg

Tallahassee Bureau

May 29, 2004

TALLAHASSEE -- Gov. Jeb Bush vetoed a record $349 million in proposed spending before signing a $57.3 billion state budget on Friday, eliminating money for projects ranging from a pilot pre-kindergarten program and assistance to 21 medical trauma centers to $2 million in proposed security improvements for Orlando International Airport.

And in a slap at the Legislature's leaders who battled with Bush off-and-on during the past two years, the governor vetoed $12 million for an Alzheimer's disease research center named after House Speaker Johnnie Byrd's father, who died of the disease, and $3 million that Senate President Jim King tabbed for a biomedical research program named for his late parents. Byrd and King added that extra money for the projects during budget negotiations.

But Bush spared money for a key Orlando economic-incentive project, saying he was impressed by a $4.2 million University of Central Florida program to train prospective employees of Electronic Arts, a California-based game company.

"That is the kind of win-win we're excited about," Bush said.

Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer welcomed the news and said he thinks the financial package -- which includes another $36 million from Orlando, Orange County and UCF -- will entice EA and its 775 jobs to move to downtown Orlando.

"That's wonderful," Dyer said. "The Governor's Office worked for us in creating that funding, so I would have been extremely surprised if he did veto it."

Set priorities

The governor said many of the vetoed projects were worthwhile but said that long-term financial pressures -- to pay for schools, a pre-kindergarten program mandated to take effect in 2005, smaller class sizes and a rapidly growing Medicaid program -- must take priority.

"They're done with the best intentions, but we can't afford them if we're going to meet the needs of the broader issues of this state," he said.

Bush's previous record for vetoes was $290 million in 2001; the total was only $33 million last year. He said this year's amount reflects that this year's $57.3 billion budget has grown under pressure from interest groups and an improving economy.

"The pressure to spend is extraordinary," he said.

Bush, who is in his second term as governor, doesn't need to worry about angering voters because he won't run again for the state's top post. But cuts could impact other Republican candidates in Florida, including Bush's older brother in the November presidential election.

Bush's past vetoes have caused hard feelings with some legislative leaders, and the deep cuts could add to tensions with lawmakers in his final two years. He said he understands how local legislators have to face voters "down at the Rotary Club" after losing local projects. But he noted that the overall budget is up $2.8 billion, or 5.1 percent, from this year.

The governor said he didn't intend to single out King, R-Jacksonville, and Byrd, R-Plant City, by vetoing their "turkeys," saying they were among many projects that hadn't been properly reviewed by legislative committees. He cited his vetoes of $5 million for a Hillsborough County courthouse project in Byrd's hometown, and three other courthouses.

"It's not about the speaker or the president," Bush said. "I vetoed them all."

Byrd's year-old Alzheimer's center, at the University of South Florida, does get $15 million in the current year. King's proposed center for biomedical research, though, will not be created at Florida State University.

Bush also slashed $1.5 million for police and fire equipment in the tiny St. Johns River community of Welaka, where King has a vacation home. But he said he made an exception to keep money to buy a fire truck long sought for the North Florida town of Carrabelle by Sen. Al Lawson, D-Tallahassee. Bush said he left that item because he likes Lawson and he is important as "a player" in Statehouse matters.

King, who is on vacation, issued a statement Friday, saying: "Respectfully, we disagree with some of the governor's vetoes, but we recognize his authority to veto items as one of the steps in this process." A Byrd spokesman said he would have no comment.

The budget includes more money for schools, the environment, social services and economic incentives. It also calls for $220 million in tax relief, including a sales-tax holiday and a gas-tax cut in August.

Medicaid HMO goes

The biggest single item vetoed was a controversial $56.3 million plan -- strongly backed by Byrd -- that would have forced thousands of elderly Medicaid patients to join HMOs. Bush also vetoed $7.6 million for added security for the Super Bowl in Jacksonville next February -- though another $2 million for security survived -- and $10 million in subsidy payments for a workers' compensation insurance pool. Bush said the Super Bowl funding could set a dangerous financial precedent and "announce to the word we would spend $10 million every time a Super Bowl comes" to Florida.

Bush vetoed only a handful of mostly small projects in Central Florida. The biggest was $2 million in proposed security improvements for Orlando International Airport.

The $2 million loss in funds could slow down a multiyear project of security upgrades but will not stop it, said Carolyn Fennell, an OIA spokeswoman. The $140 million project includes moving baggage scanners from public areas to other parts of the terminal, making more room for passengers, Fennell said.

And Orlando Regional Medical Center is one of 21 trauma centers in the state that won't share a proposed $20.7 million subsidy. ORMC has said it can't afford to keep running the region's only Class I trauma center without additional aid.

Bush said he vetoed the pilot pre-kindergarten program because he thought the summer program was "impractical if not impossible." But Bush said he still backs the pre-K concept, adding, "I'm hopeful we can sign that bill."

Lawmakers had been unable to agree on such issues as teacher standards and length of class days for the program, which must begin statewide in the fall of 2005. As a compromise, they provided $7 million for a pilot summer program in 10 counties, including Osceola.

But many education officials objected that little would be learned from a pilot summer program -- and that there was too little time to do it right. Tom Greer, Osceola County school board chairman, said he was "tickled" by the veto.

"We wanted to be part of pre-K," he said. But without the governor's intervention, "We would have had to start classes next Tuesday to get the hours in."

The district sent out a flier last week telling parents about the program and urging them to sign up. Only five parents had signed up as of Friday.

Barry Flynn, Tania deLuzuriaga, Leslie Postal and Beth Kassab of the Sentinel staff contributed to this report. Bob Mahlburg can be reached at bmahlburg@orlandosentinel.com or 850-222-5564.

[Guest S.  Bien]

The Alzheimer's research facility is still getting built, just not this out-patient treatment center or care that Byrd tried to slide by.

I am happy to have another research facility at USF to attract more top notch research dollars, doctors, and facilities, but I wish Byrd would have championed that money toward more infrastructure facilities instead of a research center named after his dad that died of the disease.  

[bulls96go]

sounds like he used a fair and balanced approach

but the budget still increased 5.1%

my salery did not increase 5.1% so why the hell is the state budget increasing 5.1%. if you ask me he did not cut  (veto) enough

all these politician know is spend spend and spend some more, IMO.

abe lincoln " you cannot stay out of trouble by spending more than you earn"

[The_Reaper]

JEB BUSH IS A LOWDOWN SUCKASS WHO IS THE BIGGEST SHHEEEAAAT IN FLORIDA HISTORY> HE AND HIS LEGISLATURE HAVE DESTROYED FLORIDA'S EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM AND THE HOPES AND DREAMS OF MANY ASPIRING STUDENTS. HIS PUSH FOR THE FCAT PROWRESS HAS LEAD TO A DECLINE NOT ONLY IN THE MORALE OF TEACHERS, BUT STUDENTS AS WELL. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE HIM TAKE THE TEST. AND IF HE FAILS, HE'S OUT OF A JOB. I WILL BE SO GLAD WHEN THIS POWER MONGER RICH BOY GETS OUT OF OFFICE.   THE REAPER