By Betty Parker
Ft. Myers News-Press
04/26/08

TALLAHASSEE — Budget negotiations — as usual with only a week to go — are now in the hands of the presiding officers of the House and Senate, with a final deal likely Sunday afternoon or Monday.

But Sen. Burt Saunders, R-Naples, who’s already blocked in his committee proposals on mining and polluting fertilizer unpopular in Lee County, feels confident Florida Gulf Coast University’s planned nursing school will get about $2.5 million in the final budget.

The last budget proposal from the Senate had the facility at zero, after the university system’s Board of Governors had to recommend cuts in the face of budget shortfalls.

Buildings for state universities traditionally are among the very last items to be settled, but it seems as certain as anything can be at this time.

It’s not as much as the school wanted, but it’s enough to start the planning, and it’s no small coup given the cuts elsewhere.

Hardly anyone got everything they wanted, and FGCU also got an unexpected $8.5 million for a solar field, a project Saunders said is of great interest to Gov. Charlie Crist who’s made energy innovation a priority.


 

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