Crist Signs Budget, Vetoes Galore

Charlie Crist at signing ceremony at Ballast Point

Gov. Crist chose the backdrop of Tampa Bay for one of his signing ceremonies to mark passage of the state budget for the upcoming year.

The governor sliced nearly half a billion dollars from the requests. Among the cuts were a million dollars' in start-up money for the new Tampa Bay Regional Transportation Authority, an emergency shelter for the disabled in Pinellas County and a Dunedin monument dedicated to soldiers who received the purple heart.

Crist says the state is asking local governments to tighten their belts, so the state also has to cut its appetite for spending.

To hear the full audio of the governor's speech, click here.