State lawmakers have balanced the budget by dipping into savings and cutting programs. They avoided any tax increases to cover the $2.3 billion deficit.
Nursing homes, some affordable-housing programs, hospitals, prisons and drug-treatment programs appear to be spared the deepest of cuts. Road construction spending was hardly touched ($3.5 million). However, state environmental programs were gutted – DEP cuts are $240 million.
$1.6 billion will be transferred from trust funds and special savings accounts. As we reported earlier, the Lawton Chiles Endowment Fund for poor children and seniors was hit for $700 million.
According to the Miami Herald, the number of state jobs will decline by 1 percent, or 1,432. Legislators say nearly all are jobs that are currently vacant.
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