The state's chief financial officer handles money matters in Florida, but as the campaign for the position starts to heat up, it appears that teacher performance pay will be an issue in the coming election, too.

Senate President Jeff Atwater, R-North Palm Beach, the favorite to win the Republican CFO nomination, was a strong supporter of the teacher performance pay plan that passed the Senate earlier in the session and the House early Friday morning.

Gov. Charlie Crist presented a State-of-the-State address on Tuesday that did more than underscore the need to balance the state budget in these rocky financial times.