Latest news with #FloridaBudget
CBS News
06-07-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Florida state senator criticizes DeSantis' line-item vetoes to 2025 state budget
CBS News Miami's Jim DeFede talks to State Sen. Lori Berman, the Democratic leader in the Florida Senate, about the state budget, which was just signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis. The two discuss the $600 million in line-item vetoes that the governor made, as well as the funding and programs from which that money was allocated. Guest: State Sen. Lori Berman/D-Palm Beach County
Yahoo
01-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
DeSantis issues education vetoes before signing Florida budget
The big story: Florida has a budget for the fiscal year that begins today. Before signing the $115 billion spending plan into law on Monday, Gov. Ron DeSantis vetoed millions of dollars of projects, with several hits to education projects. One of the more notable cuts was $5.7 million to public radio and television stations, which are primarily run by schools and universities. The stations' news outlets have become punching bags for conservative Republicans, who have pushed for a national defunding of the system. DeSantis did not touch The Florida Channel, though, Florida Politics reports. DeSantis also axed $356,046 for a study of cellphone use in high schools, which lawmakers said they want to review before considering a full ban. A ban on student phone use in elementary and middle schools becomes law today, WJAX reports. Several items directed at school districts and universities also took hits. Among them were $609,500 toward expansion of Saint Leo University's nursing program, $2.5 million for a workforce center at Hillsborough College's Plant City campus, $1 million for a resilience initiative for Hillsborough and Pasco county educators, and $1 million toward an ARK Innovation Center at Pinellas County schools. Pinellas superintendent Kevin Hendrick focused on appropriations the district will receive, such as $500,000 to support a teacher apprenticeship program and a separate $1 million allocation for the ARK project. 'The $1 million veto would have meant $2 million for the center, but in this fiscal climate, the district is grateful for the $1,5 million in appropriations,' Hendrick said. Read more about the budget here. University presidents: Trustees at the University of South Florida have decided to drop the search firm that brought Santa Ono and Ben Sasse to the University of Florida. Staff sharing: The Madison County school board rescinded its agreement to share administrative staff with the Jefferson County school district, raising concerns about last-minute changes to the job descriptions, WTXL reports. School vouchers: Charter Schools USA will accept vouchers for students to take individual classes at 62 of its campuses, Next Steps reports. New schools: The Duval County school district is planning to open new schools even as it shutters others, the Florida Times-Union reports. Employee housing: The Orange County school district is helping employees find affordable housing, the Orlando Sentinel reports. College costs: The threat of shrinking Pell grants has Florida college students worried they might not afford finishing their degrees, WFTS reports. Charter schools: A former superintendent of Alachua County schools was named principal of Santa Fe College's charter school, MainStreet Daily News reports. Don't miss a story. Yesterday's roundup is just a click away. Before you go ... Each morning, right?
Washington Post
30-06-2025
- Business
- Washington Post
DeSantis signs a slimmed-down Florida budget into law after vetoing millions
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the state's new budget of about $115 billion into law Monday, capping the end of a lengthy and combative legislative season that was largely defined by GOP infighting , despite the party's iron grip on Tallahassee. The signing came 'right at the buzzer,' DeSantis said, just one day before the budget goes into effect. It took lawmakers 105 days to finalize the spending plan, during what was supposed to be a 60-day session.
Yahoo
28-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
About $21M is at stake for area in state budget. Here are the projects that face veto pen
From funding services to support veterans and high-tech crime fighting tools, to budgeting for new bathrooms at Palafox Market in downtown Pensacola, the Florida legislature has approved $21,174,400 million in appropriations requests for projects that would impact Escambia and Santa Rosa counties, including the Pensacola area. Governor Ron DeSantis is still reviewing the $115 billion budget legislators passed and has warned he may veto at least $500 million in funding appropriations. Here's a look at what projects were pitched by local legislators and greenlighted for state funding, should the governor sign off on them. He's expected to sign the budget into law before July 1. The Arc Gateway Pearl Nelson Center - $400,000 Palafox Market Public Restrooms (Downtown Improvement Board project) – $75,000 OnBikes Pensacola (Escambia, Santa Rosa) - $62,500 Family Arts Education Expansion at Pensacola Little Theatre (Escambia, Santa Rosa, Walton) - $646,000 The Blue Angels Foundation for Critical Veteran's Services - $1,500,000 Historic Pensacola - $125,000 Total: $2,808,500 As DeSantis looks to slash Florida budget, here's why Pensacola could be in his crosshairs ECUA Compost Improvements - $1,000,000 Escambia County Carpenter Creek/Bayou Texar Stream Restoration Property Acquisition - $1,000,000 Pensacola and Perdido Bays Estuary Program (serving Escambia, Santa Rosa, Osceola) - $975,000 UWF Educational Research Center for Child Development Expansion (serving Escambia, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Walton) - $1,667,400 UWF Next Generation Innovators with Northwest Florida State College - $2,000,000 UWF Undergraduate Civil Engineering program - $750,000 The Retreat Expansion (serving Escambia, Santa Rosa) - $300,000 The NISSI Project (Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Walton, Bay) - $37,500 Re-Entry Alliance Pensacola, Inc. (Escambia, Santa Rosa) - $750,000 Escambia County Gun Violence Reduction - $350,000 Brain Bag Early Literacy Program (Escambia, Santa Rosa) - $145,000 National Flight Academy (Bay, Escambia, Hillsborough, Leon, Nassau, Okaloosa, Orange, St. Johns, Santa Rosa, Walton) - $650,000 AMR at Pensacola Homes for Veterans - $350,000 Pouring Foundations Transitional Housing Project - $150,000 (Escambia, Santa Rosa) Havens of Hope Foundation Senior Services Critical Infrastructure Improvements - $375,000 Covenant Care Foundation Nonie's Place Children Therapy Center - $375,000 Florida Lighthouse At-Risk Youth Mentorship Program - $250,000 Total: $11,124,900 Construction of stormwater pond at Bagdad Distribution Site - $591,000 Jay Business Park Stormwater Pond Expansion - $400,000 Jay Emergency Generator Replacement - $375,000 Santa Rosa County Soundside Land Conservation and Preservation - $850,000 Andrews Institute Research: Regenerative Medicine – $3,500,000 Santa Rosa County Veterans Treatment Court – $150,000 Extension of Taxiway at Whiting Aviation Industrial Park - $850,000 Naval Air Station Whiting Field – Base Entrance Traffic Improvements $275,000 Vet CV Mission Next Center - $250,000 Total: 7,241,000 This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Escambia, Santa Rosa funding in Florida budget, if no veto
Yahoo
24-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Florida lawmakers pass $115B budget, ending weeks-long standoff
Two weeks away from a state government shutdown, and 45 days past their original deadline, Florida lawmakers finally passed a budget for 2025-26 late in the evening of June 16. The $115.1 billion spending plan is $3 billion less than the current year, ending an extended stalemate between the House and Senate over tax cuts. Senate budget chief Ed Hooper, R-Clearwater, admitted there were 'shouting matches' and 'finger pointing' in the deadlock over the budget between the chambers. But 'nobody on either side can claim 'we won,' because I hope the state of Florida won,' he said ahead of the vote. On the main budget bill (SB 2500), the Senate approved it unanimously and the House voted 103-2, with only Reps. Dotie Joseph, D-North Miami, and Angie Nixon, D-Jacksonville, voting against it. Despite the overwhelming support for the main appropriations bill, Democrats expressed frustration and disappointment with other bills to put parts of it into effect. They took issue with provisions to allow Gov. Ron DeSantis' office to probe spending by local governments, to allow charter school operators to set up shop within an existing public school and to reverse a decision made last year to dedicate funding from the Seminole Gaming Compact to environmental and land conservation programs. Rep. Robin Bartleman, D-Weston, took particular issue with the charter school provision, known as Schools of Hope, in SB 2510. A similar bill failed to pass during the regular session, but the provision popped up in what's known as a budget conforming bill negotiated between the chambers. The bill 'got debated in the Senate and that bill did not cross the threshold,' Bartleman said. 'Why are you messing with schools that are working? This is a sin.' The bill passed along partisan lines, 80-24 in the House and 25-9 in the Senate. During the regular session that was supposed to end May 2, House and Senate leaders reached an impasse over tax cuts. House Speaker Daniel Perez, R-Miami, preferred to cut the state sales tax from 6% to 5.25%, while Senate President Ben Albritton, R-Wauchula, feared such a large cut would jeopardize funding for vital services in future years. DeSantis, too, threatened to veto a sales tax cut when Albritton and Perez reached an initial deal for a smaller sales tax cut, fretting it would threaten his push for large property tax cuts. The tax cut bill (HB 7031) doesn't have an overall sales tax cut or a property tax cut, but includes the elimination of the tax businesses pay on rents and targeted exemptions of sales tax for certain items. The bill will cost state coffers $1.3 billion, with $904 million of it coming from the business rent tax elimination. Republican legislative leaders defended their work as providing a balanced budget – something required by the state constitution – while giving tax breaks to help families and businesses. "Florida Senate Republicans recognize that it is hardworking families and business owners, not the government, who create jobs and build thriving communities throughout our state,' Senate Republican Leader Jim Boyd of Sarasota said in a statement. 'We are always mindful that every dollar state government spends comes from a family or business that earned it. Our constituents are counting on us to invest their tax dollars wisely, with a focus on the long-term financial stability of our state.' The budget – which goes into effect July 1 – now heads to Gov. Ron DeSantis, who didn't attend the traditional 'hanky drop' ceremony at the end of session because he is on a trade mission in France. The governor must sign the budget into law like any other bill, but has line-item veto authority for it, and may well excise a fair amount of spending. If you can't read the budget bill posted above, click here. Gray Rohrer is a reporter with the USA TODAY Network-Florida Capital Bureau. He can be reached at grohrer@ Follow him on X: @GrayRohrer. This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: $115B state budget clears Legislature 45 days past original deadline
