Gov Ron DeSantis signed a $116.5 billion state budget into law Wednesday after cutting $1 billion worth of local projects and other initiatives, boasting that Florida is able to do more with less money than other states and the federal government.
“We are glad to meet needs and keep spending under control, something the people in Washington can learn from,” DeSantis said at a news conference in Tampa, where he took shots at the Biden administration, blaming the president for the state’s inflation and subsequent belt-tightening.
Of the nearly $1 billion in vetoes, DeSantis said, “some are wasteful or not appropriate for state tax dollars.”
He did not provide specific examples during his press conference and didn’t release his vetoes until late in the afternoon, which prompted an angry response from Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried who said the timing was a “blatant attempt to keep the press from reporting on them today.”
Many of the items vetoed were educational building projects and programs, local infrastructure projects such as city and county roads, and water and sewer improvements, social services programs for the homeless, the elderly and victims of domestic violence, medical and legal services and other programs to help communities.
“Once again, Ron has passed a near-record budget that doesn’t come close to meeting the needs of Floridians,” Fried said. “Among other things, this year’s veto list includes millions of dollars in canceled storm water projects, school safety improvements, and local infrastructure fixes — things that actually improve our day-to-day lives.”
DeSantis cut $2.5 million for a building at Seminole State College, $225,000 for an initiative at Lake Howell High School in Seminole County, $160,000 for Black History Month 5K run in Orlando, $200,000 for Florida’s Black Music Legacy program in Orange County, $2.5 million for a Wekiva-Ocala Greenway acquisition and $1 million for septic-to-sewer conversion in Seminole County.
He also cut $2.4 million for a Windermere water project, and $250,000 for Winter Park Chain of Lakes nutrient and hydrological study,
Also cut were $1.225 million to the Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens in Sanford for security enhancements and other infrastructure, and $1.5 million to the University of Central Florida for instructional programs.
Even the Legislature took a hit with $56 million cut in legislative support services for the House and Senate. DeSantis also vetoed $9.75 million for the three-year-old Florida Gaming Control Commission’s licensing and enforcement efforts.
And he vetoed more than $32 million in cultural and museum grants, which Orlando State Rep. Anna Eskamani, a Democrat, said was short-sighted.
“Investing in arts and culture is a powerful economic generator. The arts sector creates jobs, stimulates tourism, and enhances the quality of life for all Floridians,” she said.
The trims bring the 2024-25 budget down to the same amount adopted last year, after the governor had cut $511 million from that budget. But it’s still $2 billion more than DeSantis initially asked from the Legislature back in December.
The 2024-25 budget, which takes effect July 1, shows a $17 billion surplus, DeSantis said, and it reduces the state’s debt burden by $500 million, making the state’s deficit less per capita than any other state.
The budget includes $1.25 billion for teacher pay increases. Yet after a total of $4 billion invested in raises since 2019, Florida still has among the lowest teacher pay in the nation, worse only than West Virginia, according to the National Education Association.
It also has a 3% raise for state workers — the third year in a row that DeSantis and the Legislature have been able to deliver on that front.
The state spending package also includes $1.5 billion in additional funds for Everglades restoration and cleanup projects, bringing the total under DeSantis to $6.5 billion, said Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Shawn Hamilton.
And the budget includes billions to help accelerate Department of Transportation road projects to meet demand and relieve congestion, with some projects advancing seven to 10 years ahead of schedule, DeSantis said.
“Our infrastructure is better funded than some states that tax you to smithereens,” DeSantis said, taking a shot at one of his favorite targets, New York.
The budget also provides $1.5 billion in tax relief, including $500 million in toll road refunds and several sales tax holidays. Last year’s budget provided $2.7 billion in tax relief.
The budget also provides $56 million to help some of the 23,000 people with special needs who though approved are still waiting for services through the Agency for Persons with Disabilities.
And it contains $717 million for the Live Healthy program pushed by Senate President Kathleen Passidomo. The program aims to increase access to medical care by training and hiring more doctors, nurses and other medical professionals and to provide tuition assistance for medical, nursing and dental students and loans to build clinics.
“All in all, this is a budget that shows it can be done,” he said.
