Gov. Charlie Crist's budget office just announced that he will holdback 15 percent of the money remaining for each agency for the remaining fiscal year, undoubtedly requiring immediate cuts to education, courts, law enforcement and health care services.

The announcement comes more than two hours after the governor was asked by the Herald/Times if his office was planning to order a 15 percent holdback on agencies, including school districts. "Not that  I've been briefed on yet," Crist told reporters.  He had just ended a 40-minute roundtable with film and entertainment industry officials. Crist's office believe he was referring to

From the governor's press release: "In an abundance of caution, 15 percent  of the total appropriation for each agency has not yet been released. As we monitor the economic outlook in the coming months, factoring in monthly revenue and federal stimulus implications, funds will be released accordingly. Exceptions to this action are being evaluated on a case-by-case basis through the normal amendatory process."

Here's the letter to agency heads from Crist budget director Jerry McDaniel:  Download 2009.3.19 2008-09 Fourth Quarter Releases

Two hours before the budget announcement, Crist met with film and entertainment industry executives, who pleaded for more money for incentives to produce movies in Florida. "I'm going to be a shameless promoter of a great movie," he said, holding up a poster for "Marley & Me."