Budget turkeys hiding out?
by Dara Kam | May 26th, 2009Something good has come out of the state’s dire financial straits.
At least according to Florida TaxWatch.
The business-backed government spending watchdog organization found just $15 million in budget “turkeys” this year, the lowest amount except for two years in more than two decades.
Last year, TaxWatch identified $110 million in turkeys - projects which are slipped into the budget at the last minute or without the usual review. The year before, the group targeted more than $250 million in projects they targeted for vetoes.
TaxWatch President Dominic Calabro said the state’s dire economy is the reason behind the shrinking budget bonanza.
But with $2 billion in tax and fee hikes and more than that in stimulus money added to the budget, he said he was surprised lawmakers restrained themselves from finding more ways to bring home the bacon.
“There’s nothing more delicious than spending OPM - other people’s money,” Calabro said.
He also said it was difficult to identify some potential projects that might fit into the budget category because of the stimulus funds. For example, more than $20.3 million is being spent on state transportation projects for “economic development.” But those projects have not yet been named.
The group performs the annual exercise before the governor signs the budget and exercises his veto authority, which Gov. Charlie Crist will do this week.
Tags: Add new tag, Charlie Crist, state budget, State Senate
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