Lawmakers expanded school vouchers, reserving $2.2 billion to offer every K-12 school-age child in Florida a voucher or education saving account, regardless of family income. The budget this year put a premium on expanding state spending in areas that previous GOP administrations had failed to fund. NBC News reported, and the governor’s office confirmed, that DeSantis’ chief of staff, James Uthmeier, as well as other staff members, were actively involved in making fundraising calls to benefit his presidential campaign by soliciting donations from Tallahassee lobbyists - some with clients who were waiting to see if projects they supported got vetoed. $5 million for a road at the Moffitt Cancer Center Life Sciences CampusĭeSantis, as with most governors, has always used the budget as a political tool, but this year he took it to a new level as he runs for president.$500,000 for the 1st Avenue North and 25th Street Pedestrian Safety project in St.$2.5 million for Tampa Bay Water Morris Bridge Wellfield improvements.$111,006 for the City of Hallandale Beach - Austin Hepburn Senior Mini Center.$400,000 for the Herzing University nursing lab and training center Simulation Training Center.In a nod to House and Senate leaders, the governor left 29 of the late insertions in the budget, while targeting only nine worth about $11.5 million, including: TaxWatch said in a statement that “these lists diminish confidence in the budget process and should be discontinued.” The money is handed down by leaders on “sprinkle lists,” and the projects are often used as leverage for late-session votes and dealmaking. The 2023-24 fiscal budget for the state is a record $116.5 billion, 28% more than DeSantis’ first state budget in 2019-20.įlorida TaxWatch, the business-backed budget watchdog organization based in Tallahassee, urged the governor to veto 38 projects that were inserted into the budget during the negotiations process by House and Senate leaders. Booming tax revenues and billions of dollars in federal aid have allowed lawmakers and DeSantis to spend freely while assigning a record $15.3 billion to reserves. “Ron DeSantis and his veto pen made Florida worse off today.” Record spending planįiscally, DeSantis didn’t have to cut anything. “Budgets aren’t just numbers on spreadsheets, they’re a reflection of our values and priorities,” House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell, D-Tampa, said in a statement. $6.4 million to repair or renovate 21 public broadcasting stations across the stateĭeSantis’ spokespeople did not respond to questions about why the programs were cut.īut Democrats, who voted unanimously for the state budget, blasted the governor for cutting millions in social programs. 17 drainage improvement projects across the state.
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