Governor DeSantis proposed a $115.6 billion state budget for the next fiscal year, including initiatives to combat illegal immigration and offer tax holidays on gun and ammunition purchases. He also plans to continue home-hardening programs and tax holidays for back-to-school and disaster preparedness. Additionally, a fuel tax holiday for boaters, a repeal of the business rent tax, and a pay increase for state police and firefighters are included. The budget would also increase education funding, teacher pay, and state park infrastructure improvements.
DeSantis’ budget, named the “Focus on Fiscal Responsibility Budget,” is $900 million less than the previous year, with 741 vacant state government positions proposed for elimination. Despite criticism from some lawmakers, DeSantis aims to address issues like E-Verify enforcement and illegal immigration with additional resources for the Department of Commerce. The budget includes funds for state park maintenance, arts and culture grants, and debt reduction efforts.
The proposed budget also allocates funds for investigations into petition fraud allegations related to citizen initiatives, following recent controversies over proposed constitutional amendments. DeSantis has been vocal about cracking down on fraud in the petition process. The budget would allocate $1 million for voter signature verification and $2.5 million for upgrading the state’s voter registration system.
DeSantis’ budget proposal will be subject to review and approval by the Republican-controlled Legislature during the upcoming legislative session. Despite disagreements in the past, DeSantis expressed readiness to work with lawmakers to reach a consensus on budget priorities.
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