Opinion ID: 1666913
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 21

Heading: Gubernatorial Veto

Text: Be that as it may, the restrictions in both 5 and 6 clearly constitute specific appropriations which the Governor could properly veto. The smallest identifiable sum to which the restriction in 5 relates is $2,500,000, and in 6, $10,000,000. Thus, the total allocation to the community colleges will be reduced by $2,500,000 in each fiscal year of the biennium, and the total allocation to the state university system will be reduced by $10,000,000. We close with the admonition that it would be a serious mistake to interpret our acceptance of jurisdiction in this cause as a general willingness to thrust the Court into the political arena and referee on a biennial basis the assertions of power of the executive and legislative branches in relation to the appropriations act. Mandamus is an extremely limited basis for jurisdiction which traditionally has been, and will continue to be, employed sparingly. Shevin ex rel. State v. Public Service Comm'n, 333 So.2d 9 (Fla. 1976); Heath v. Becktell, 327 So.2d 3 (Fla. 1976); Dickinson v. Stone, 251 So.2d 268 (Fla. 1971). Hence future attempts to invoke this Court's jurisdiction on similar grounds will be viewed with great circumspection. To that end we outline the proper shape which similar litigation should assume in the future. Any person, as citizen and taxpayer, may bring suit and have stricken a gubernatorial veto of a qualification or restriction in a general appropriations bill, even if the qualification or restriction is clearly unconstitutional, unless the governor can successfully demonstrate that the qualification or restriction itself constitutes a specific appropriation within the intendment of article III, section 8(a). In such a proceeding no issue may be raised as to the constitutionality of the qualification or restriction. That is, the governor cannot counterclaim that his action was prompted by an unconstitutional legislative act. In this context a mandamus action should be limited to narrow issues of law which do not require extensive fact-finding. On the executive side of the ledger, any person, as citizen and taxpayer, may bring a declaratory judgment action to challenge the constitutionality of provisions in a general appropriations act. As exemplified in the discussion of the proviso relating to the South Florida Medical Center, the absence of a record is a major obstacle to a comprehensive resolution of a complex issue in this case. A declaratory judgment suit in circuit court will obviate this problem by enabling the parties to develop a full record upon which the court can base an intelligent decision. Accordingly, we hold that the proviso language here at issue which is attached to the appropriations identified herein as 1 and 3 is null and void because it violates article III, section 12, Florida Constitution. We hold further that the vetoes identified herein as 2, 4, 5 and 6 are valid as being within the purview of the executive power granted by article III, section 8(a), and that the appropriations bill is reduced by the amount of the specific appropriations to which those vetoes relate. It is so ordered. ENGLAND, C.J., and BOYD, OVERTON, ALDERMAN and McDONALD, JJ., concur. ADKINS, J., concurs specially with an opinion.