Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Space Florida gets its budget slashed

Jim Ash reports from Tallahassee:

In the midst of final budget negotiations, a Senate leader seriously wounded Space Florida, the quasi-governmental group that promotes the commercial space industry.

Sen. Mike Fasano, R-New Port Richey and a powerful transportation spending committee chairman, slashed the group's $4 million appropriation nearly in half, saying he was angry at reports that it spent $300,000 on a Pennsylvania lobbying firm with ties to its president.

Space Florida President Steve Koehler was racing to Tallahassee on Wednesday to meet with Fasano and key legislative leaders. Spokeswoman Deb Spicer disputed reports in the Orlando Sentinel, saying that Space Florida did not spend state tax dollars for lobbying. The two firms the public-private industry advocacy group hired for $200,000are based in Florida and Washington, D.C., Spicer said.

"Steve Koehler is going to be meeting with key lawmakers to set the record straight," she said.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

It's spelled S-L-A-S-H-E-D

just saying...

Anonymous said...

goodness - that is the second main heading in florida today that was BADLY mis-spelled!! Don't they have spellcheck??

Anonymous said...

Time wounds all heels.

Anonymous said...

Must be products of the Floriduh edjewucational shistem

Anonymous said...

They do good englihs

Anonymous said...

There jurnalizm is real well to

Anonymous said...

Anonymous need to get a life