After months of work done by the appropriations committee, the second version of the 2014-15 Activities and Services budget passed 19-1 Tuesday night.
The approval comes after Student Body President Juan Cubillo vetoed the first budget Jan. 28, then refused to sign the version that passed Tuesday night.
Cubillo did not speak during the meeting, but later Tuesday night, after the budget passed, posted on his Facebook page a message on Florida Gulf Coast University Student Government letterhead that was dated Monday. It reads in part:
“I have done everything I could to fight this budget. I have approached the Senate with every intention to collaborate and negotiate, yet their reception has been very weak. I will not veto this budget again, however, I will not sign this budget and I shall let it pass into law without my endorsement.”that a nearly identical budget was passed through Senate tonight by a committee led by Senator Michael Danis.”

Danis, who was appropriations chair during the original budget hearings, wanted to make it clear that the “chair of the appropriations committee does not have voting rights, and therefore, I don’t make the decisions on the budget. I conducted the meetings.
“I respect the fact that Juan has a right to voice his opinion as student body president, but the facts do need to be straightened out,” Danis continued. “Out of the 150-plus RSOs that are on this campus, to only have two or three show up tonight, I consider that being a successful budget. At the end of the day we need to look at what is better for the entire student body, by having a fair process, which we did.”
Danis and two other members of the appropriations commitee said that Cubillo didn’t attend any budget meetings during the process.

“These conferences are very important to them because it gives them a chance to show their research,” Downs said.
The amendments were met with little support.
“Math Club hosts middle schoolers coming to FGCU, who may eventually decide to come here,” Sen. Romana Kahvedzic said. “While their fundraising may be lacking, this is good for our school.”
Members of the appropriations committee disagreed with the amendments.
“You guys know we did put a lot of work into this budget,” Sen. Andrew Grillo said. “If these organizations want more money, they can always come see us July 1 for a bill.”
Sen. Downs was the one opposing vote. Downs confirmed that had the Math Club amendments been supported, he would have voted in favor of the budget.