By Brandon Larrabee
TALLAHASSEE — Gov. Charlie Crist signed a spending measure Tuesday aimed at balancing the state’s budget but vetoed some of lawmakers’ proposed cuts to education, public safety, land conservation and tourism promotion.
The revisions to the budget, meant to fill an expected shortfall of at least $2.4 billion in the formerly $66 billion spending plan, passed during a special legislative session that finished Jan. 13.
With his veto pen, Crist restored full funding for a program to provided bonuses to teachers certified by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards; struck a provision that would have led to the dismissal of 118 probation officers; and retains state backing for Visit Florida, the state’s tourism arm.
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