Governor Ron DeSantis has signed a $116.5 billion "Focus on Florida's Future" budget for the upcoming fiscal year - set to begin on July 1, it includes significant funding for various state priorities while reflecting DeSantis' efforts to reduce unnecessary expenditures.
Image from Florida Governor's Office
Among the highlights, the budget allocates over $740 million for Everglades restoration, an 8% increase in Medicaid funding for nursing homes, and a $1 million boost for mosquito control efforts. Public education receives a notable increase, with the Florida Education Finance Program growing by nearly $1.8 billion, totaling over $28.4 billion. This includes additional funds for mental health, school safety, and a $200 million raise to boost teacher salaries, although the teachers union argues this is insufficient to significantly impact educators' pay.
The budget also contains substantial vetoes, including funds for numerous higher-education construction projects, the New Worlds Tutoring Program, and participation of the Florida College System in the state group insurance program. DeSantis emphasized that these cuts aim to ensure the state can "do more with less," advocating for efficiency in government spending.
Notable allocations in the budget include $14.5 billion for the state transportation work program and $232 million for cancer research funding, with a significant portion dedicated to the Casey DeSantis Cancer Research Program.
Read the full budget here.
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