(The Center Square) – Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis unveiled his $115.6 billion proposed budget for the fiscal 2025-26 budget year on Monday.
The second-term Republican governor’s proposal is $3 billion less than this year’s budget in total dollars, but the general fund outlay ($50.2 billion) would have a $383.4 million increase.
“Florida’s steadfast commitment to fiscal conservatism is why we are in such good financial shape,” DeSantis said at a news conference in Tallahassee. “Florida has experienced historic success by keeping government spending low while balancing significant investments in meaningful initiatives. These include expanding workforce education for high-demand jobs, providing family-first tax relief, ensuring that Florida’s students can access a quality education that fits their needs, expanding infrastructure to reduce congestion, and restoring the Everglades.
“It is proof positive that when you act responsibly with taxpayers’ money, success will follow. I look forward to accomplishing even more for this state in the coming year on this firm financial footing.”
Under the DeSantis plan, the state’s reserves would be $14.6 billion, more than 12.5% of the state’s total appropriation.
The governor seeks $2.2 billion in tax relief, which includes a potential repeal of the business rent tax worth $1.6 billion in annual revenue. The tax would be phased out over a two-year period.
DeSantis also wants a new $100 million venture capital tax credit program designed to incentivize investment in new ventures in science and engineering, along with preventing the expiration of the sales tax exemption on data centers.
On K-12 education, DeSantis wants lawmakers to boost the per-student amount under the Florida Education Finance Program to its highest total, $9,205 per student, a $222 per student increase compared to this budget year.
For higher education, the governor is seeking $1.7 billion for community colleges and $3.9 billion for universities and wouldn’t include any tuition or fee increases.
He also wants salary hikes for 4,700 state sworn law enforcement officers and more than 730 state firefighters, which would be a 20% increase for entry-level officers, 25% for veteran law enforcement officers and state firefighters.
The budget proposal also includes $805 million for Everglades restoration, with most of that, $613 million, appropriated for the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan.
DeSantis also wants $550 million for targeted water quality improvements statewide, including implementation of the recommendations of the BlueGreen Algae Task Force.
On transportation, the governor wants $1.7 billion for his Moving Florida Forward Initiative, which is designed to alleviate congestion on Interstate 4 in central Florida.
For the state’s transportation outlay, DeSantis wants $13.8 billion, which includes $5.7 billion for highway construction and maintenance to include 115 new lane miles and $1.6 billion to resurface 2,647 lane miles.
Under the budget proposal, the state would spend $954.7 million in scheduled repairs for 43 bridges and replacement of 21 others.
