IMPASSE IN TALKS OVER INCENTIVES, VISIT FLORIDA,

By JIM TURNER
THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA

THE CAPITAL, TALLAHASSEE, April 23, 2013 ………..Unable to reach consensus over select economic incentives, along with funding levels for Visit Florida and Space Florida, House and Senate negotiators declared an impasse Tuesday in budget talks regarding economic projects and infrastructure needs.

Negotiators were able to agree on the majority of the $11.2 billion for the operations of the Division of Emergency Management, Department of Economic Opportunity, Department of State, Department of Transportation, Department of Military Affairs, and the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.

But now the chambers' budget chairmen, Sen. Joe Negron, R-Stuart, and Rep. Seth McKeel, R-Lakeland, will have to balance the remaining offers that negotiators were unable to work out after five days of talks.

"I don't think our budgets are a train wreck," said Rep. Ed Hooper, R-Clearwater, who headed the House talks. "I guess we'll agree the outstanding issues are bump issues. We'll work the next 10 days and hopefully go home."

With the impasse looming, the Senate increased its line item for economic development incentives that could be available through Enterprise Florida from $51.1 million to $55.1 million, while the House has held at $39.99 million.

"They probably fluctuated more on Visit Florida than we did," said Sen. Andy Gardiner, R-Orlando, who chaired the Senate negotiations. "We kept trying to come up on the economic development tools and they seemed to keep wanting to come up on Visit Florida."

The Senate offered $13.5 million for Visit Florida, with the House countering $24 million.

For Space Florida, the Senate settled on $5 million on Tuesday, to the $10 million proposal from House members.

Gardiner said he was surprised the two sides couldn't reach agreement on Space Florida, as the Senate had initially proposed $1 million for the agency. The Senate later upped its offer to $8 million.

"I thought we made a very generous offer on the $8 million. They wanted $10 (million), I thought they would split the difference," Gardiner said. "We were under the impression it was a bump issue, so we went back to $5 (million.)."

Negotiators for both chambers approved $6 million for the Quick Response Training Program, but propose using different funding sources that Negron and McKeel will also have to sort out.

The amount for the training program is the same as in the current year, but half of what Gov. Rick Scott has requested.

Other areas of disagreement include:

-Rogers Park, Hernando County, $250,000 offered by the House, $50,000 by the Senate.

-Hernando County broadband network, $2 million by the House, $50,000 by the Senate.

-The Institute for the Commercialization of Public Research, $1 million House, $6.5 million Senate.

-Historic Preservation Grants, $7.99 million House, $7.64 million Senate.

-Chinsegut Hill Historic Plantation, The Manor House restoration, Hernando County, $500,000 House, $150,000 Senate.