Florida Governor's Bill

Charlie Crist has released his budget proposal. The only things I looked at are his spending proposals on education and voter machine paper trails. $403,562,820 is proposed for the student financial aid program. Crist is asking for $32 million for voting machines.

3259 SPECIAL CATEGORIES
GRANTS AND AIDS - VOTER PAPER TRAIL INITIATIVE
FROM GENERAL REVENUE FUND . . . . . . . . 32,500,000

Funds in Specific Appropriation 3259 are provided from nonrecurring General Revenue to establish a voter verifiable paper trail in elections. Calculations for equipment replaced shall be based on the number of precincts and early voting sites as of October 2006. Any remaining funds may be utilized by the Department of State for purposes relating to voter education on voting options, including optical and touchscreen systems. The Department of State may coordinate and develop a strategic voter education program and develop a statewide public service campaign. The Department of State shall report to the Governor and the Legislature the equipment purchased and voter education programs implemented with these funds.

You can email the state at 2006election@flsenate.gov to lobby or ask questions about voting machine reform.