FLORIDA — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the $116.5 billion Framework for Freedom Budget on Thursday.
The budget continues DeSantis' “commitment to Florida’s K-12 students, parents and teachers, environmental resources and law enforcement, while including $46.1 billion in General Revenue.”
The governor also vetoed nearly $511 million items from the budget, including multiple water mitigation and storm-hardening projects.
The 2023-24 budget gives more than $7 billion toward the environment — a new state record — and includes nearly $800 million in sales tax relief.
In February, the governor proposed for the budget:
Two back-to-school sales tax holiday periods instead of one
Temporary tax breaks on pet food and over-the-counter pet medications
A permanent tax break on baby supplies like food, diapers, strollers and more
New sales holidays on household supplies that cost less than $25, including dental supplies, toiletries, toys and athletic equipment
An additional $12 million in migrant flights
“This is going to be really, really good for families in Florida,” DeSantis said. “If you do all this stuff — if a family commutes, if they have young kids and all this stuff — you’re talking potentially thousands of dollars in savings when all this is said and done.”
Some of the projects he vetoed are:
- $500,000 for The Bridge Homeless Shelter in DeLand
- $2 million to Orlando utilities for the Orlo Vista Integrated Water Resources Project
- $600,000 for a flood control study in the Theresa Basin near Deltona
- $16.2 million for the Northeast Ridge phase of Polk State College
- $1.5 million for Tampa Bay Watch Water quality improvements
- $2.5 million each for the Tampa Water System Morris Bridge Continuity of Operations Center and Morris Bridge Wellfield improvements
Read more on the state’s Framework for Freedom Budget:
Read the entire vetoed projects list: