Gov. Ron DeSantis unveiled a $117.3 billion state budget proposal Wednesday, his eighth and last, that includes new money for a Make America Healthy Again commission, transfers part of the University of South Florida to New College, and bolsters military installations in hopes of deterring oil drilling off the Florida coast.
The proposal, which runs roughly $3 billion higher than the current-year budget, would allocate a record $1.56 billion for teacher salary increases, $14.3 billion for infrastructure and transportation projects, and $1.4 billion for Everglades and water quality projects.
“Since I became governor, we have run budget surpluses, reduced the state’s legacy debt by more than 50%, and enacted record tax relief,” DeSantis said in a statement, hours after his Orlando budget rollout. “Today I announced the ‘Floridians First’ Budget, which will keep Florida on the course of fiscal responsibility and delivers on the priorities that have made Florida the greatest state in America.”
His proposal would eliminate 354 vacant positions — 225 of which are county health roles — and launch novel testing of contaminants in food with a $5 million allocation toward Florida’s new MAHA Commission, co-chaired by First Lady Casey DeSantis and Lieutenant Gov. Jay Collins.
The commission emerged in September as a way for Florida to align with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy’s nationwide push to “make America healthy again” through targeting processed foods and chemicals, and questioning water fluoridation.
The governor proposed a bill, too, that would transfer land from University of South Florida’s Sarasota-Manatee campus to New College of Florida. DeSantis proposed last session that those Ringling Museum facilities be transferred to New College.
The governor’s budget would expand the school guardian program, providing security to K-12 schools, colleges, and universities, with about $6 million to implement it.
Another provision is aimed at an emerging battle between Florida officials and the Trump administration. DeSantis wants to allocate $6 million to the Florida Defense Support Commission and $1.5 million for the Defense Reinvestment Grant Program to counter the White House’s plan to explore for oil off the Florida Gulf coast.
“This investment is especially critical as Florida continues to advocate that leasing of oil and gas developments off Florida’s Gulf coast may negatively impact the Gulf Testing Range,” the governor’s office wrote in the budget proposal.
The document referred to concerns that the military’s ability to train in the Panhandle would be severely hindered by oil rigs near their training areas. Florida has multiple military bases in Panama City and the Pensacola area.
One of the big items being sought by DeSantis is $1.56 billion targeted for teacher pay raises, nearly 15% more toward increases than last year. The governor emphasized that the stand-alone item for teacher pay can ensure that money appropriated from Tallahassee goes to the classroom and benefits students.
“The classroom, 90% of it is what teacher do you have standing in front of the classroom. That’s the most important thing,” DeSantis said.
Fiscal strength
DeSantis, who is term-limited from running for reelection, touted the state’s fiscal strength, noting that his proposed spending plan earmarks $118 million for the Budget Stabilization Fund, also known as the state’s “rainy day” fund. DeSantis has tripled the amount in the fund since first taking office. The fund could reach the constitutional limit of $5 billion next year if the Legislature approves.
“Our overall footprint from a government perspective is that we have the lowest number of state government workers per capita and we either are the lowest or the second-lowest in state spending per capita of all 50 states. So, the outcomes are superior to states that are spending 25, 50, 100 percent more per capita … ,” DeSantis said.
The 2026 regular legislative session begins Jan.13. Although the Legislature will consider thousands of bills during the 60-day session, there is just one they are required to pass: the General Appropriations Act, or the budget. If lawmakers are unable to pass a budget within that time, the Legislature can extend the session or call a special session.
Homestead property tax relief
DeSantis focused much of his energy on the proposed spending plan but also used the opportunity to push for property tax reductions for homestead properties in the coming session. DeSantis’ budget would set aside $300 million to “support ongoing property tax relief conversations.”
DeSantis called the issue “huge” and said he’d have more to say about it “going forward.”
“But we have an opportunity to give people relief on this. So, we’re going to be working, you know, I know there’s been a lot of great work that is being discussed, you know, I’ve been talking with some of the senators, but I know some House members are working on a lot of stuff. We got to be bold, we got to be strong, and we got to do something that’s going to have a meaningful difference in people’s lives and the lives of families. And, you know, otherwise, you know, it just ain’t gonna it ain’t gonna fly,” DeSantis said.
No money for social justice, net zero policies
DeSantis’s budget includes funding for 25 additional circuit and county court judges.
The governor’s budget bill would amend a 2023 statute that made it illegal for a governmental entity, the state group health insurance plan, or a state-contracted health care provider to spend state dollars on gender-affirming or -conforming care.
The bill would expand that law to ban all governmental entities from spending tax dollars on “efforts which advance, promote, entertain, or support fundamental considerations of social justice, including those focused on critical race theory; diversity, equity, and inclusion; or that otherwise defend the concept that mankind is inherently racist, sexist, or oppressive, whether consciously or unconsciously, solely by virtue of his or her race or sex.”
DeSantis’s proposed budget bill would prevent governmental entities from spending funds to advance, promote, entertain, or support Net Zero policies, carbon taxes and assessments, and carbon emission trading programs, commonly known as cap-and-trade or cap-and-tax programs. The bill would amend statutes to say such programs are “detrimental to the state’s energy security and economic interests. “
He’s also suggesting $693,455 — nearly identical to the current budget — for the State Board of Immigration, a commission created during the 2025 session to oversee Florida’s immigration laws and ensure statewide enforcement and compliance.
The governor’s budget would expand the school guardian program, providing security to K-12 schools, colleges, and universities and about $6 million to implement it.
Jay Waagmeester contributed to this report.
Florida Phoenix is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Contact Michael Moline for questions: info@floridaphoenix.com. Follow Florida Phoenix on Facebook and Twitter.
Subscribe to Orlando Weekly newsletters.
Follow us: Apple News | Google News | NewsBreak | Reddit | Instagram | Facebook | Bluesky | Or sign up for our RSS Feed
Related Stories
Kevin Rodriguez Zavala’s father told deputies his “mother always told him not to ride the roller coasters, but he would never listen.”
A city attorney previously warned that failing to comply with Trump’s anti-DEI policy would place at risk their federal funding assistance
According to Starbucks Workers United, nearly 4,000 baristas across 34 cities are now on strike amid continued efforts to secure a union contract
Related
Christine Sexton, Florida Phoenix and Liv Caputo, Florida Phoenix
Source link