UPDATE: House Speaker Larry Cretul met a short while ago with Lawson and the ministers, according to spokeswoman Jill Chamberlain. During the private meeting, Cretul and the group prayed -- twice.
Democratic leader Sen. Al Lawson -- flanked by pastors, state workers and fellow Democratic lawmakers -- held a press conference this morning to urge Governor Charlie Crist to veto any budget that includes a pay cut for state workers, as is proposed in the Republican-led House and Senate.
"They want to balance this budget on the backs of state workers," said Lawson, D-Tallahassee. "It is unacceptable, and we will fight as long as it takes, right to the end."
Lawson was joined by Sen. Dan Gelber and Reps. Alan Williams and Geraldine Thompson. The ministers said House Speaker Larry Cretul has refused to see them today, but they said they plan to see Gov. Crist and Senate President Jeff Atwater.
Lawson and the other lawmakers said that if the state can afford to continue giving tax breaks to corporations and the wealthy, the state can afford to at least maintain the salary levels of state workers who have not seen a raise in recent years.
"These aren't just numbers on paper," said Rep. Williams, whose mother was a state employee for 40 years. "These are real lives. These are mothers and fathers and grandmothers. Are charter boats more important than state employees? Are Super Bowl skyboxes more important than state employees? I don't think so."
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