The Florida Senate opened debate Wednesday on a budget proposal that effectively totals $85.2 billion and incudes increased funds for public schools, state universities and hospitals.

  • Florida Senate debates $85.2 billion budget for vote likely Thursday
  • Budget includes more money for schools, universities, hospitals, state workers
  • House says the budget is full of pork, sets stage for special session
  • CAPITOL CONNECTION: Latest News | Contact your Florida legislators

But it's being derided by House leaders as full of questionable spending the state can ill afford.

The budget is expected to pass the Senate Thursday, setting up a showdown with the House, which is set to give final approval to a spending plan that is $4 billion leaner. Resolving a slew of so-far intractable differences separating the two chambers could require a special legislative session.

Senate leaders defended the budget, calling it a vehicle for targeted investments in Florida's future 

"I don't call it an expenditure; I call it an investment in our children," said FL Sen. David Simmons (R-Altamonte Springs).

The plan also boosts pay for state workers who have gone years without raises, even as Florida's economy has rebounded from the Great Recession, fueling an increase in state revenue.

"This budget is heavy on people," said Sen. Jack Latvala (R-Clearwater). "This budget provides some much-needed, long awaited and well deserved pay raises for state employees, especially for correction officers, state law enforcement, judges, public defenders, guardian ad litems."

House Republicans, however, are taking issue with the Senate's proposed increase in higher education funding, pointing to recent revelations that some state university foundations have been spending taxpayer dollars on opulent donor getaways and large executive salaries.

While new House budget rules have sharply reduced funding for local projects, the Senate plan is flush with cash for senators' hometowns.

"You want me to tell you where we can bridge differences real fast, in the hundreds of millions?" House Speaker Richard Corcoran (R-Land O'Lakes) asked rhetorically last week. "$700 million is too many projects. That's a lot of pork."

Florida Senate scales back cut to state attorney budget

One of the changes made to the Florida Senate's budget proposal Wednesday scales back cuts to the State Attorney's office for Orange and Osceola County.

The Senate planned to cut over $1 million from prosecutor Aramis Ayala's office because she pledged not to seek the death penalty in any cases handled by her office. The money would be transferred to prosecutors who are taking Ayala's cases.

The Senate voted Wednesday to restore more than $569,000 to the budget of Ayala's office. But the Senate plan still calls for more than $622,000 in cuts. That money will still be shifted to another prosecutor.

The Florida House is still proposing a $1.3 million cut to Ayala's office.

Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.