Just hours before the long-awaited state budget was about to go into effect, Governor Ron DeSantis vetoed $567 million on Monday and signed it into law.
After a 105-day prolonged session, the Legislature adopted a budget of $115.1 billion, which is half a billion less than the governor’s pre-session recommendation. The governor, however, inflated the amount of the Legislature’s budget to include spending that does not entirely count toward the new fiscal year at the budget signing ceremony and in the news releases that followed.
DeSantis maintained that the overall budget was $10 million more than his suggested amount following his $567 million in budget vetoes.
The budget for 2025–2026 is less than the $117.46 billion budget for 2024–2025.
Both of Palm Coast’s appropriations—$2.5 million for an equalization tank similar to the one shown above and $2.5 million to assist with modernizing Waste Water Treatment Plant 1, the largest and oldest in the city, in the Woodlands—survived vetoes. Also surviving was a $125,000 appropriation for a proposed YMCA in Town Center.]
How many locations are cutting back on spending each year? When he signed the budget in Wildwood on Monday morning, DeSantis stated, “Not a lot.”
Additionally, DeSantis eliminated $750 million intended to strengthen a reserve fund. House Speaker Daniel Perez and Senate President Ben Albritton praised the proposal to increase the funding in the event of a recession. The revised budget will bring the fund close to $5 billion.
Voters can boost the reserves themselves in November 2026 through a proposed constitutional amendment that would raise the fund’s legal cap, DeSantis explained, adding that he didn’t think they would enjoy the concept of doing so.
A representative for Albritton declined to comment, and the Florida Phoenix’s request for comment on the veto of the expensive item that the Legislature had highlighted was not immediately answered by Perez’s office.
During budget talks in early June, Perez told reporters, “We don’t know what the future holds.” We have a sample to look at in the 2000s when we had a recession, but I believe this is merely a preparation for being ready for the unexpected, and none of us know what the unexpected is.
The only state that levies a business rent tax is Florida. As of Tuesday, that is no longer the case.
The Legislature has also taken a step that I have been advocating for for many years: it has abolished a business rent tax that is unique to Florida among the 50 states. It is detrimental to our economy. It hinders the expansion of businesses. The tax is therefore being sunsetted. DeSantis stated.
The total expected tax relief from the scheme is $1.3 billion.
A budget that was approved by lawmakers cut 1,745 jobs, or 1.5% of the permitted workforce.
$14 million for the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office hangar, $4.4 million for public television stations, $1.3 million for public radio stations, $1.5 million for the Broward County program to prevent evictions and provide rental assistance, and $2.8 million for a transportation efficiency program at Florida International University are among the budget vetoes.
The almost $360,000 lawmakers had put aside to implement a bell-to-bell cellphone ban in six Florida school districts was vetoed by DeSantis.
The $1.99 million College of the Florida Keys Marine and Maritime Professional Institute was vetoed.
The budget included $62,500 for OnBikes Pensacola, but DeSantis vetoed that line item. Rep. Alex Andrade, who chaired the committee that looked into the Hope Florida charity run by First Lady Casey DeSantis, is one of OnBikes’ vice presidents.
DeSantis vetoed the $750,000 that lawmakers had agreed to contribute for the Florida Museum of Black History’s development in St. Augustine.
$1 million to research the effects of doing away with property taxes was vetoed by DeSantis.
We can examine this without spending money on bureaucracy. DeSantis stated, “Let’s just do it; we know what needs to be done, and we will do it.”
We will have to go to the ballot and complete the property tax, DeSantis stated. I am aware that I discussed it with President Albritton yesterday. He is determined to succeed. There are no justifications. We have a nearly three-to-one Republican majority in the House of Representatives. Can you think of a reason why you can’t finish it?
Both the lieutenant governor and chief financial officer positions are still open following the resignation of former Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nuez earlier this year and the resignation of now-U.S. Rep. Jimmy Patronis to run for his new post.
The governor stated that although he has not yet made a decision on those positions, he will do so soon, but not before the holiday weekend on July 4.
Florida Phoenix, Jackie Llanos, and Jay Waagmeester
