💰💼DeSantis Makes it Rain with Florida’s Record Budget, but Vetoes Say “Not Today” to Millions in Local Projects! 🚫
TL;DR; Governor Ron DeSantis put pen to paper, giving the nod to Florida’s fattest budget yet, while also taking the budgetary chainsaw to some $510.9 million in local project funding. The biggest cut? A cool $100 million from the Conservation And Rural Land Protection easements program. The outcome, a budget ringing in at around $116.5 billion. Meanwhile, DeSantis flexed about Florida’s strong fiscal game.🎙️💪💸
Who doesn’t like a good budget drama? Florida’s Governor, Ron DeSantis, dropped the mic on a record-breaking state budget, while also saying “nah” to millions destined for local projects. Now that’s what you call a fiscal plot twist! 📉🎤⬇️
So, what got the ax? About $510.9 million got struck off the ledger, with the heftiest chop of $100 million taken from the Conservation And Rural Land Protection easements program, a rural land preservation initiative. DeSantis left us guessing as he chose to remain silent on why these particular projects got the veto stamp. Was it a game of eeny, meeny, miny, moe or was there a master strategy behind it all? 🤷♂️🕹️💡
DeSantis did, however, make some noise about the state’s financial prowess during a budget signing event. Comparing Florida’s fiscal approach to President Joe Biden’s and those of Democrat-led states, he lauded Florida’s expanding tax base, booming business investments, and (in his words) a budget in “fantastic shape”. 📣🏋️💼
But amidst the self-praise, a question lingers – what about the vetoes, Governor DeSantis? Last year, DeSantis gave an explanation when he wielded his veto pen, but this year, not a peep. 🤐🖊️ The Governor’s office dropped the budget veto list hours after his Fort Pierce event wrapped up. Talk about keeping the audience on their toes! 👀⏳
Although the budget was dressed down, some bling remained. Big talking points included “record” environmental spending, pay raises for state law enforcement officers and teachers, a whopping $4 billion for road projects, and a third year of $1,000 bonuses for law enforcement officers and firefighters. All of this was wrapped in the patriotic package labeled the “Framework to Freedom.” 🗽🔖💰
Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson, however, wasn’t feeling the party vibes. He slammed DeSantis’ decision to cut funding for the Conservation And Rural Land Protection program, declaring it a blow to Florida’s $180 billion agriculture industry. Simpson’s disappointment got us asking, did DeSantis go a step too far? 🚜💔🌽
Let’s not forget about education – another $150 million from the education-related funding was also given the boot. This included a proposal for a pay raise for teachers working in juvenile-justice education programs and a number of construction projects at state colleges and universities. Ouch! The learning sector got schooled. 🏫💰👋
DeSantis’ budget moves provoked mixed reactions from Democrats. Some praised the budget’s allocations for the environment and local projects, while others criticized the Governor’s decisions, stating it would harm Floridians. Who knew budgets could be so polarizing, right? 🌍💔⚖
