Senate President Jeff Atwater is considering deeper cuts to higher education in an effort to bring the House and Senate budgets closer together.

Atwater said he spoke with House Speaker Larry Cretul this morning and is “sending down ideas, some themes that I thought could be productive” in bringing the disparate budgets closer together.

“Stay tuned. Press onward,” Atwater said at the conclusion of an abbreviated floor session this morning.

Listen to his remarks here.

The North Palm Beach Republican advised senators to wait and see what happens “over the next few hours and maybe tomorrow” in the hope that “maybe tomorrow we would have some additional feedback from our partner.”

“We will press on each day,” Atwater said, and possibly schedule additional committee meetings.

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Gov. Charlie Crist this morning dismissed a warning from Moody’s Investor Service that it would downgrade Florida’s credit rating if lawmakers failed to replenish reserve accounts that have diminished during his first two years in office.

“Possible downgrade list? Oooh,” Crist said, feigning fear. “So much for Moody’s.”

Crist usually insists that he’s “concerned about everything.” But asked about the report issued Tuesday from Moody’s, which placed the state on the “watchlist for possible downgrade,” the Republican showed his disdain by blowing air through his lips to make a “pffft” sound.

A downgraded credit rating could cost the state billions in interest payments at a time when the slumping real estate market and national credit crisis have forced lawmakers to cut the budget for three consecutive years.

“We need to use them,” Crist said about dipping into reserves.

Speaker Larry Cretul said Tuesday that the Senate needed to spend less.

Senate President Jeff Atwater is expected to address the state’s budget issue this afternoon. The fight between the House and Senate over how much to save for future years has forced Republican leaders to cancel five consecutive days of budget conference committees.

Atwater, whose chamber unanimously approved a cigarette tax hike and a package to bring in more money from gambling, has budget proposal that is about $550 million more expensive that the House. The major differences are the Senate spends more on universities, road projects and state salaries.

But Atwater opened budgets talk in December by highlighting his concerns about the state bond rating, saying a downgrade would amount to a “tax on our sons and daughters.”

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Lawmakers can’t complete their business on the budget before the session is slated to end next Friday, Senate Democratic Leader Al Lawson said this morning at a caucus meeting.

“It’ll be probably almost impossible for us to get out of here really next week,” Lawson, D-Tallahassee, said. “It looks very doubtful that we are going to be able to do that.”

Lawson based his prediction on a conversation with Senate President Jeff Atwater late last evening, he said.

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Former NYC mayor and onetime GOP presidential frontrunner Rudy Giuliani will headline a May 8 fund-raiser for 2010 Republican state House candidate Nick Loeb at the Manalapan home of Richard DeVos, the Amway-founding billionaire who owns the Orlando Magic.

Loeb and former Boca Raton Councilman Bill Hager are seeking the Republican nomination to replace term-limited state House Majority Leader Adam Hasner, R-Boca Raton, in District 87, which includes parts of southern Palm Beach County and a few Broward County precincts.

“Good thing I’m not in the House!”
That’s what Gov. Charlie Crist said when asked about House Speaker Larry Cretul’s offer to the Senate to go along with a $1 per pack cigarette tax if the Senate would agree to the House’s budget cuts.

That would go against what Crist asked for in the budget: no tax hikes and keeping spending on education and health care programs safe.

Here’s some more of what Crist said during a Q and A with reporters at the mansion before a reception for supporters of the Washington, D.C. “Florida House.”

At his meeting with Cretul, Crist said he reminded the Speaker that state economists recently predicted that the state’s dire financial situation will begin to turn around next year with a $1 billion boost and a $2 billion the year after that: “I wanted to make sure the members are aware of that fact and that it’s our duty to deal with the facts we’re presented with today. I appreciate wanting to budget in the long term but we have to live day to day given the circumstances.”

On whether lawmakers should consider revenue estimates for the next three years when crafting the budget or take a more immediate view: “I don’t know if we know. Neither of us have a crystal ball. It’s important for us to look at these estimates, take them seriously and realize that they’re usually on the low side.”

On whether tax hikes and fee increases could hurt him in a future political run, say for U.S. Senate: “No. number one, we haven’t yet. Number two, we are in financial circumstances that have not been seen since the Great Depression and I know the people understand.”

Gov. Charlie Crist will announce a new wrinkle in negotiations with the Seminole Indians where the tribe is expected to up the amount of money it gives the state to get a gambling deal at its Hard Rock resorts.

The Seminoles will likely agree to pay the state at least twice the $100 million per year for education they previously agreed to in a compact tossed out by the Florida Supreme Court last year.

The tribe could ante up as much as $500 million or make two years of payments immediately in an effort to get lawmakers to sign off on a deal allowing them to continue running Las Vegas-style slot machines and tabled card games including blackjack and baccarat, sources close to the negotiations said today.

Crist did not provide details but said that he would make an announcement about a revised compact tomorrow.

While the House and Senate have moved forward with their disparate compact plans, Crist has continued negotiations with the tribe.

“I favor the original approach. I think if we have some more news tomorrow that could even be better,” Crist said this evening.

He acknowledged the news would involve more money up front but would not say how much more.

“Yes. Yes. Yes. I don’t know if it’s going to be considerable, though. I would attach that caveat to it. I just don’t know yet,” he said.

Eco-friendly Gov. Charlie Crist is “intrigued” by the House proposal to raise money by drilling for oil offshore.

The plan, put into an energy bill, would allow oil leases as close as three miles from the coast and also raise about $300 million a year for the state’s Florida Forever land-buying program.

“I’m intrigued by it,” Crist told reporters this evening before an event at the mansion.

“The reasons why it could be good is it could help us be less dependent on foreign oil. You know the price of gas last summer exceeded $4 a gallon and that’s a concern. I’m intrigued by it because of the potential it may have for being able ot extract oil from beneath the Gulf of Mexico potentially in a way that is safe and a way that is clean and a way that generates a lot of revenue for the state of Florida.”

But with just eight business days left until the session ends and a Senate that isn’t likely to sign off on the proposal, it’s unlikely the proposal will go anywhere for now, Crist acknowledged.

“Earlier would have been nicer. Let me obviously state the obvious,” Crist said.

Senate President Jeff Atwater yanked a controversial Central Florida commuter rail bill from its final committee stop and has sent the measure to the Senate floor for a full vote.

The move was done without the approval of Senate Rules and Calendar Committee Chairman Alex Villalobos, R-Miami, but Senate rules do not require that Atwater get the go-ahead from Villalobos.

Sen. Paula Dockery, a vehement opponent of the bill that would pay CSX transportation giant more than $600 million to purchase some of its freight line and make improvements on other lines, stopped by the Senate Democratic office to give them a heads-up on the maneuver and shore up opposition.

Yesterday, the measure (a priority of Gov. Charlie Crist and incoming House Speaker Dean Cannon) was amended to include a $2 rental-car surcharge to help pay for South Florida’s Tri-Rail commuter line.

Dockery, a Lakeland Republican, told Senate Democratic Leader Al Lawson and a handful of other Senate Dems that “the votes on the floor look pretty good” to kill the deal.

“They must be planning on twisting people’s arms to bring it straight to the floor,” Lawson, D-Tallahassee, responded during the informal chat.

Lawson received assurances from the few caucus members attending the meeting that they would vote against the measure (SB 1212).

“We don’t want no train tracks on our back,” Lawson said.

Although Palm Beach County voters approved a limit of two four-year terms for county commissioners, whoever Gov. Charlie Crist appoints to replace retiring Commissioner Addie Greene might end up serving more than 11 years.

Find out how after the jump…..

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The Florida House approved its gambling deal to bring in about $375 million to the state next year.

This particular bill isn’t expected to go much further: It takes away blackjack games from Seminole casinos, while the Senate would wants to offer new games like roulette and craps.

What is of interest is the 84-27 vote from the House, keeping in mind that if a deal comes back to the chamber, it will be something much larger, which might increase opposition, but will need another 33 votes to kill anything.

Meanwhile, there were eight Republicans and one Democrat who were out of the room for the vote: One was Rep. Ray Sansom, who has not been in the Capitol since being indicted on Friday. He’s asked to be excused until at least tomorrow.

The other Republicans who didn’t vote: Kevin Ambler of Tampa; Marti Coley of Marianna, Speaker Larry Cretul of Ocala, Greg Evers of Baker, David Rivera of Miami, Baxter Troutman of Winter Haven and Trudi Williams of Fort Myers.

The Democrat who missed the vote was Michael Scionti of Tampa.

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee sent out this press release today highlighting a Sun-Sentinel story last weekend that raised questions about Gov. Charlie Crist’s work schedule. The Associated Press also explored the issue in this story.

But what’s noteworthy today is that the press release clearly shows the DSCC is anticipating Crist will run for the state’s open U.S. Senate seat.

“Maybe the know something I don’t,” Crist said.

Crist hasn’t announced what office he’ll run for in 2010 (he said he’ll decide after session). But many expect him to leave the state’s budget problems behind and head for D.C.

For signs, consider that politicians seem to making future plans based on Crist packing up the governor’s mansion:

RPOF Chairman Jim Greer is considering a Congressional campaign (his current position largely depends on Crist remaining in Tallahassee) and House Majority Leader Adam Hasner told us on Sunday he won’t challenge incumbent U.S. Rep. Ron Klein (expectations are that he’d have an open office to run for after the domino-effect from Crist leaving the governor’s office).

Moments after Speaker Larry Cretul, R-Ocala, drew a line in the sand over the House’s proposed budget cuts, his office received a visit from Gov. Charlie Crist.

Crist — along with his chief of staff Erik Eikenberg and budget director Jerry McDaniel — met with Cretul’s chief of staff Dudley Goodlette and state Rep. Will Weatherford, R-Wesley Chapel, to offer projections that show the state general fund revenues increasing $1 billion in 2010-11 and $2 billion in 2011-12. But it sounds like the House is including those numbers in their projections.

The meeting broke up the moment a reporter was let in the room.

“This things I wanted to share were the revenue projections from the out years,” Crist said. “I wanted to make sure they had a fresh copy. The future is bright. We don’t have to do necessary new revenue and cuts.”

Crist has shown little interest in a cigarette tax hike, which the Senate is united behind, or additional cuts, particularly any that touch education or health care.

Crist said he spoke to Cretul and Senate President Jeff Atwter, R-North Palm Beach, earlier today.

The Florida Department of Education paid $12,000 for four months of advertising on the Sayfie Review, a political website owned by Justin Sayfie, a lobbyist, GOP consultant and former top advisor to Gov. Jeb Bush.

The state is advertising its “Ready to Work” program that certifies workers for certain jobs. The program is run by DOE in conjunction with the Agency for Workforce Innovation.

The money comes from about $11 million the state spends on the program annually. The certificates let employers know how well applicants can read, write and perform basic math.

“When you advertise with SayfieReview.com, you are instantly grabbing the attention of the major decision makers and opinion leaders in the State of Florida,” the Sayfie Review’s website promises.

The site is a regular staple for Capitol movers and shakers but it’s unclear how many literacy-certified job seekers routinely click on the site.

The credentialing program also includes a “job profiling” component in which companies pay $2,000 for an assessment of what their workers do. The research is performed by the University of North Florida.

Speaker Larry Cretul, R-Ocala, said the state House would consider the Senate’s cigarette tax hike and gambling package as a way to boost slumping state tax collections, if Senate President Jeff Atwater, R-North Palm Beach, would accept about $500 million in budget cuts from the House.

Listen to Cretul’s message here.

The message is significant, because the House has refused to discuss tax increases this year.

But Cretul said he doesn’t want to approve a budget that will lead to future shortfalls. The current Senate budget, he said, would hand lawmakers a $2 billion shortfall in 2011.

“The availability of stimulus dollars will begin to decline and the state’s budget deficit will once against expand,” Cretul said. “We need to look at the state budget from a three year perspective.”

Senate and House lawmakers still have not met in formal budget negotiations, which were scheduled to start Saturday. Before the two chambers can meet, Cretul and Atwater must agree to a set dollar amount for the budget. Only then can conference committees meet to hash out how the money will be spent.

Or, in the House’s case, not spent.

Lawmakers have until Tuesday, April 28 to agree on a budget in order to finish on time on May 1.

Folks who use mirrors to look up women’s dresses or down their shirts better beware.

A Senate panel approved a measure that would broaden the video voyeurism laws to make the practice illegal. Current law prohibits peeping Toms from using electronic devices, like video cameras, to peer at others’ privates but does nothing to bar them from doing the same with a mirror.

Sen. Dave Aronberg filed the measure in response to a Panhandle case in which a man used a mirror to peer up a woman’s skirt at a bookstore.

The judge in that case noted that “there is is no clear prohibition of this reprehensible conduct anywhere in the state of Florida.”

Aronberg, D-Greenacres, provided a simple explanation of the bill (SB 1064) during a rushed Senate Judiciary Committee meeting this morning: “Means you can’t look up women’s skirts using a mirror.”

WEST PALM BEACH — Two weeks after he upheld incumbent Jack McDonald’s one-vote victory in a Palm Beach mayor’s race, Judge David Crow today listened to another 30 minutes of arguments on whether he should reconsider his decision.

Crow said he will issue an order “shortly” in a case that is being watched closely by elections officials around the state because it could ultimately set a new legal precedent for the way absentee ballots are handled.

However Crow rules, attorneys on the losing side are likely to file an appeal.

During today’s proceeding, Crow revisited arguments over whether McDonald’s challenger or the Palm Beach County elections office has the burden of proving whether disputed absentee ballots were “received” in time to be counted.

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State lawmakers moved toward approving a new $2 rental-car surcharge to pay for Tri-Rail but with strings attached that supporters of the commuter rail line make the proposal virtually worthless.

The measure, tucked into a controversial Central Florida commuter rail bill, would allow county commissions to approve the fee hike temporarily by a super-majority vote but later require voter approval of a referendum to keep the surcharge intact.

The state now matches contributions from Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade counties to pay for South Florida’s fast-growing commuter rail service. But local authorities have said their contributions will decline or disappear as they grapple to slash spending due to steep declines in property tax collections.

The surcharge would raise about $45 million a year for Tri-Rail.

Freshman Sen. Chris Smith sponsored an amendment including the referendum in exchange for a ‘yes’ vote on the Central Florida rail proposal in which the state would pay more than $600 million to CSX transportation giant to purchase its freight line and pay for improvements on its other lines. The state would also contribute more than $400 million to create the new commuter line. The proposed SunRail line is one of Gov. Charlie Crist’s priorities.

Broward County Commissioner Josephus Eggelltion, who serves on the commission that oversees Tri-Rail, said the proposal will do nothing to help the rail line at a time of record-breaking ridership.

“Make no mistake. I’m a proponent of rail. That’s not our issue. The issue is in order for rail to be successful and to keep from breaking the local taxpayers’ back you have to have a dedicated funding source,” the former House representative said. “We’re the only state in the nation that does not have a dedicated funding source for rail. I mean, that’s a sad commentary for Florida. That’s not a very good signal to send to Congress at all.”
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Gov. Charlie Crist signed two death warrants today, bringing to four the number of executions he has ordered since taking office more than two years ago.

Crist signed warrants for David Eugene Johnston, convicted in the 1983 murder of an 84-year-old Orlando woman, and John Richard Marek. Marek was sentenced to death for the 1983 rape and murder of a 47-year-old woman whose car broke down on the Turnpike in Broward County.

Marek is scheduled to be executed by lethal injection on May 13 at 6 p.m. Johnston is scheduled to die on May 27 at 6 p.m.

Click here for The Post’s special interactive feature on Death Row.

U.S. Rep. Adam Putnam, R-Bartow, picked up an endorsement today from former state Rep. Marty Bowen, R-Winter Haven. The two were both running for state agriculture commissioner – one of three statewide Cabinet offices that could open up in 2010. Bowen also announced today that she was closing her campaign, leaving Putnam and state Sen. Cary Baker, R-Eustis, as the candidates. Check their fund-raising totals so far here.

Bowen’s statement:

“It is important for people who care about agriculture to solidify our support behind one candidate for this job and today we have rallied around Adam. Adam is now the candidate for Florida agriculture and he is the best candidate for Florida’s future.”

Putnam has also been endorsed by the Florida Nursery Growers & Landscapers Association, Southeast Milk Producers, Florida Citrus Mutual, Polk County Farm Bureau, Hillsborough County Farm Bureau and Dade County Farm Bureau.

Attorney General Bill McCollum’s child cyber-crime unit will be featured on talk show giant Oprah Winfrey’s show this afternoon.

A television crew accompanied McCollum’s anti-child porn team on an arrest and will report on it today. Word is the confiscated material and discussion includes graphic information about the state’s porn industry.

The AG’s Child CyberCrime Unit Director Maureen Horkan and the Director of Law Enforcement will be interviewed on the show.