DeSantis reduces Florida spending in new budget, retains surplus and key investments

TAMPA, Fla. – Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the 2024-2025 fiscal year budget Wednesday, totaling nearly $116.5 billion and including a $17 billion surplus.

Florida’s budget is slightly less than 2023-2024’s budget by several million dollars.

“I thought it was important,” DeSantis said. “I want to hold the line.”

Most of the budget was approved as lawmakers wrote it, but DeSantis exercised his line-item veto authority for some proposals to the tune of around $1 billion. The budget lawmakers sent to the governor was approximately $117.5 billion.

The governor’s office also noted how Florida debt has been reduced by 36% since he took office, or $6.3 billion. And on Wednesday, the Cabinet approved a measure to pay down another $500 million.

“We’re spending less than we did overall last year,” DeSantis said, largely thanks to his line-item veto actions. “[This] is huge.”

The recently renewed Florida State Guard, fully controlled by the governor, is receiving $20 million to help with training, recruitment and equipment.

The state’s Law Enforcement Recruitment Bonus Program is receiving $17 million, which distributes checks to new officers opting to protect their communities in Florida.

Major educational funding includes $1.25 billion for teacher salaries and raises, $28.4 billion for K-12 schools, $4.1 billion for the State University System, $1.7 billion each for early child education and the Florida College System, and $765 million for workforce education.

“[The $1.25 billion] can only be used to increase teacher salaries,” DeSantis said. “No money to union – no money to bureaucracy.”

Also in education is more funding for civics education initiatives, DeSantis celebrated. He added that 3,000 more teachers will go through a state civics certification program.

Transportation is another large sector in the budget, involving $15.5 billion for the Florida Department of Transportation, $14.5 billion for the State Transportation Work Program, and the Moving Florida Forward Initiative, which holds a host of infrastructure and road expansion projects statewide.

The budget includes the already-announced $1.5 billion for Everglades restoration and water quality projects, and $15 million for state parks.

DeSantis contrasted Florida’s budgetary situation with rivaling New York, a Democratic state similar in population but with a massive size of over $200 billion.

Included in Florida’s fiscal year is tax relief totaling around $1.5 billion – including nearly $500 million in property insurance tax relief, along with a plethora of sales tax holidays like “Freedom Summer” and for disaster preparedness.

This year’s major health care initiative was spearheaded by Senate President Kathleen Passidomo, known as “Live Healthy.” Hundreds of millions have been greenlit for associated programs, as DeSantis also announced in April.

On health care, nearly $500 million is going toward supporting pregnant women, new moms and children, $442 million for behavioral services, $232 million to help cancer research, $2.2 billion to the Agency for Persons with Disabilities and $4.9 million for State Veterans’ Nursing Homes improvements.

Funding is also being awarded to bolster economic growth in Florida, including the frequently utilized Florida Job Growth Grant Fund to the tune of $75 million, $175.2 million for the State Small Business Credit Initiative and $80 million for VISIT FLORIDA.

Major law enforcement funding highlights include $179.4 million for the Office of Opioid Recovery, $12.5 million to target human trafficking and help victims, $7 million for the Defense Infrastructure Grant Program and $3 million for the Military Base Protection Program.

$1.2 billion will go toward emergency management as well.