TALLAHASSEE, Fla.,None — Rallies are going on Tuesday as state lawmakers begin the 2011 legislative session at the State Capitol. In addition to talking about cuts to education, legislators will also address several other major issues.
Schools are facing a proposed 10 percent cut. Teachers, firefighters, police, and other state workers are being asked to contribute five percent to their pensions and pay more for health care to make up a $3.6 billion shortfall.
It is against that backdrop that the senate and then the house began their annual 60-day session with the speaker of the house predicting more gloom then light.
"We will have to reduce spending on good programs in order to preserve necessary programs," said Winter Park Representative Dean Cannon.
Governor Rick Scott listened quietly from the back, and then left to work on his State of the State address which is scheduled to begin at 6:00pm. He's expected to try to drastically cut social services and Medicaid.
"So it's going to be optimistic. I look forward to seeing you tonight," Scott told a crowd.
Outside there were 300 to 400 tea party members, which is far fewer than the predicted thousands expected to gather from across the state to support the governor.
While across the state, a slightly smaller crowd of state workers and supporters gathered, worried about how hard the budget cuts will hit them.
"We wanna make sure that basically the public knows we support education and that we support the creation of more jobs not by cutting state workers," said Sarasota representative Rob Wright.
For the next 60 days, tensions are only going to increase, both inside and outside the Capitol.
WFTV
