How the Florida Legislature crashed and burned
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With the House and Senate led by Republicans both of whom hail from Central Florida a budding partnership was expected to bring tax cuts, increased spending on education and renewed focus on water resources.
There also was hope that key Central Florida projects, including money for a downtown soccer stadium and a University of Central Florida campus, would come through with the support of House Speaker Steve Crisafulli and Senate President Andy Gardiner.
Instead, the legislative session ended with the budget at a standstill, much of the local projects either dead or in peril, and Gardiner and Crisafulli accusing each other of underhanded tactics.
The gridlock is a function of the high stakes at play billions of dollars in taxpayer funds, access to health insurance for 800,000 to 1 million Floridians and potential deep cuts to health-care providers. But it's also a symptom of the stark philosophical differences between the more conservative House and more moderate Senate, despite overwhelming Republican control in both chambers.
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/politics/os-legislature-what-went-wrong-20150502-story.html#page=1