TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) – The Republican Party of Florida shouldn’t continue financially supporting an effort to put a gay marriage ban into the state constitution, Gov. Charlie Crist said Tuesday.

The party contributed $300,000 to Florida4Marriage.org last year, the group that tried to place a question on the November ballot that would define marriage as a union between one man and one woman. The group failed to gather enough signatures and is now aiming for the 2008 ballot. The state Republican Party’s contributions account for nearly three-fourths of what the group has raised so far.

Crist said the party “probably” shouldn’t continue to spend money on the effort.

“It can be better spent on other things that may be more pressing, like elections,” Crist said. “I think that the people care about issues like insurance premiums. They care about property taxes. They care about public safety, and I think it’s important that not only those of us in government, but the party focus on those issues, too.”

John Stemberger, who is organizing the ballot effort said his group would continue to look to Republicans for support.

“We were happy to get it and we’ll ask for more from the Republicans, the Democrats, the Libertarians and anyone else that will give us support,” Stemberger said. “The governor has expressed his view and that’s fine.”

Stemberger pointed out that Crist signed the petition to place the question on the ballot and has endorsed the amendment. Stemberger supported Crist’s opponent, Tom Gallagher, in the Republican primary last year because Gallagher had stronger stances on conservative social issues.

Crist’s statement was welcomed by the Florida Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender (GLBT) Democratic Caucus.

“The marriage amendment is nothing but a get-out-the-vote effort from the far right. We all welcome the governor’s comments on trying to swat it down once and for all,” said GLBT spokesman Stephen Gaskill. “There are real issues that Floridians care about, and pushing a marriage amendment just further divides the state.”

On Monday, Jim Greer, the newly elected chairman of the state Republican Party, said he supports the amendment but was unsure if the party would continue contributing to the effort.

Because of new restrictions passed by voters last November, the amendment will need support from 60 percent of voters, which puts more pressure on Florida4Marriage.org to campaign for its passage.

“We’re going to mount the most robust and well-funded campaign that has ever been conducted in any of the states,” Stemberger said. “We obviously have a 60-percent hurdle, and we’re ready to face it.”