Senate President Joe Negron, R-Stuart, welcomed the agreement but said it would take time to figure out how much the funds could help other areas of the budget.
“I think it’s too early to tell exactly how we would do that and what the logistics would be,” Negron said. “But it’s a very positive development for putting our budget together.”
The House did not include any of the LIP money in its spending plan, which weighs in at about $81.2 billion and is expected be approved Thursday.
House leaders were even more cautious about the LIP issue Wednesday. Appropriations Chairman Carlos Trujillo, R-Miami, said it wouldn’t be wise for the state to use any savings related to the LIP money, which is doled out annually, for year-to-year state needs.
The House has pushed to pare down the budget this year in part because of projected shortfalls in the future.
“We would probably like to use it either (in) tax cuts or put it straight into reserves and shore up some more reserves for the out years,” Trujillo said of the possible money.
