A divided appeals court upheld the constitutionality of a 2015 decision by Gov. Rick Scott to veto $2,000 pay raises that lawmakers had included in the state budget for firefighters.

Rejecting arguments that the veto violated collective-bargaining rights, the majority of a three-member panel of the First District Court of Appeal said Scott acted within his authority to veto spending items in the state budget. It said lawmakers could have overridden the veto but did not.

“The Florida Constitution clearly articulates the governor's authority to veto the GAA [the General Appropriations Act, a formal name for the budget], or specific appropriations therein,” said the seven-page majority opinion, written by Judge Timothy Osterhaus and joined by Judge Harvey Jay. “It authorized him to veto the raise appropriation here. That appellant's [the International Association of Firefighters'] members possess constitutional collective bargaining rights does not alter the governor's constitutional authority with respect to the GAA. The governor's action in this case comported with his constitutional authority.”