It's one that relies heavily on federal stimulus money. The Legislature is looking at ways to stimulate the economy without necessarily using those stimulus dollars.

House Speaker Larry Cretul says no other time in history have leaders needed to make such bold decisions. Earlier Tuesday TV 20 showed you how much education may be affected by budget cuts. Now lawmakers tell us they will do their best to keep the cuts from hurting- but their hands are tied.

"We've got a lot of work to do," says House Speaker Larry Cretul. Larry Cretul's opening words just days before the start of the Legislative Session are felt by elected leaders across Northcentral Florida.

"It is going to be a year of hard choices obviousely with dwindling revenues and increased demands. You have to balance those and I understand the challenges of education and healthcare. Those are the two biggest issues right now on the plate," adds the House Speaker. To hear the complete story please see video on right: