State lawmakers say they expect next year's budget to be even tighter than the last. That means some local groups won't get state money for their projects in 2009.

State lawmakers annually file what they call "Community Budget Issue Requests" on behalf of local government and special interest groups. but next year will be different.

State legislators from around North Central Florida got an earful Thursday.

This auditorium full of area power players lobbied these state lawmakers in what would usually be for sponsorship of community budget issue requests. But this time, they can't ask for those.

So, instead, these were their pleas.

"The students at Santa Fe have asked for the right simply to pay a little more in a fee and have the same right as the university of Florida students have -- to get on a bus and not have to worry about a token."

"We need help, especially with the population of individuals who have a mental illness, because they are not getting better in our jails."

"We would be opposed to any new legislation that would have a workload impact on our offices at this time."

"As you said earlier, there is no money, so we probably won't be asking for any money."

"With the boundary adjustment act, the language does need to be cleaned up after 18 years."

"Consider the additional sacrifices that schools and students have had to make during the last year so that the state could balance its budget."

"To allow tuition at our four year universities to rise to the national average."

... Just to name a few.

Which means these guys now have some homework to do.

They call the decisions ahead tough when targeting areas to cut.

The Florida Legislature is scheduled to meet in regular session next spring.

There have been talks about calling a special session to revisit the current budget.