But the warm glow of victory has faded, and the economy is starting to sputter. When they convene Tuesday for a 60-day regular session, Republican legislative leaders and Bush will get their first taste of leading a large state in leaner times. Bush remains relentlessly upbeat, insisting he s thirsty for the challenge. We have real opportunities to do big things, Bush said. We have priorities that exceed our revenue growth.
Opportunities abound, but palatable choices are much harder to find.
At the same time, Bush and lawmakers will be forced to deal with the perennial issue of school overcrowding. House conservatives are pushing a new twist on a controversial school voucher plan opportunity scholarships for children stuck in overcrowded schools. Bush s Democratic opponents sense a new vulnerability. Still, they vow to fight the budget and tax cuts, while painting Bush as a compassionate conservative who has lost his compassion. Democrats say their poll numbers show Bush s popularity is slipping, and few Floridians feel they got their money s worth in tax relief.