(The Center Square) — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis unveiled a proposal on Monday designed to combat homelessness and prevent Florida cities from becoming like San Francisco.
The proposed legislation would prohibiting camping on city streets, sidewalks and parks and give the state the ability to ensure the compliance of local governments.
The state would also increase money for homeless shelters while banning drug use among those living there and requiring them to seek work. The governor’s proposal would also increase funding for substance abuse and mental health treatment.
“We bring a ray of hope to make sure that we’re gonna do everything we can in this legislative session to keep Florida on the right track. There’s a lot of different things that we’ve been working on.” DeSantis said.
The former GOP presidential candidate noted that over the past five years, Florida has paid down 25% of its debt while the federal government has continued to spend.
“Your share of the national debt as a U.S. citizen is over $100,000 per American, your share of Florida’s debt as a Florida resident is about $600,” DeSantis said.
DeSantis pointed out that because the Sunshine State’s debt is so small, Florida would be able to handle paying this debt if it needed to, and compared to other states, Florida has done very well managing its liabilities.
“We’re gonna continue to cut taxes, we’re gonna continue to make sure we manage the budget well, we’re also gonna continue to ensure that we’re investing in things like education,” DeSantis said, adding that Florida is ranked number one in education according to U.S. News & World Report.
DeSantis added that parental choice in their child’s education and increasing salaries for teachers also remains a priority for himself and lawmakers, with the Legislature investing over $1 billion into education during the 2023 legislative session.
Environmental restoration and preservation also remain a top priority, with DeSantis stating that thanks to the work of lawmakers since he has been governor, there are projects now getting off the ground that was once thought to be pipe dreams 10 years ago, including a storm water treatment plant located in the Everglades.
“We really take pride in being a law and order state, we take pride in being a state that supports the people who wear uniforms, and we take pride in maintaining public order, and making sure people have good quality of life,” DeSantis said.
DeSantis added that he and the Legislature are not going to allow any city in Florida to become a city like Los Angeles or San Francisco, which both have high crime rates, homelessness, and drug use.
“Not on our watch,” DeSantis said.
