Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis hints that the 2024-2025 fiscal year budget will be done soon during a June 4, 2024, press conference in Fort Myers. (Screenshot from Florida Channel)
Quality Journalism for Critical Times
Gov. Ron DeSantis expects to sign the state budget for the 2024-2025 fiscal year into law very soon, he said during a press conference Tuesday morning.
The Florida Legislature passed the $117.5 billion budget on March 8, but hasn’t formally sent it to the governor yet, although DeSantis aides have been studying the bill. The fiscal year starts on July 1, and the governor said spending would be “basically static” compared to $116.5 billion for the current fiscal year.
“You’re gonna have a state budget done very soon. You guys are going to be happy. Well, not all our colleagues are going to be happy with everything. But, you know, you got to make choices,” DeSantis said during a hurricane preparedness press conference in Fort Myers.
He referred to his authority to veto individual line items in the budget.
Since the Legislature passed the budget, DeSantis has said he would support provisions including funding for school safety, Everglades restoration, and water quality improvements, among others.
Senate President Kathleen Passidomo was there and took the opportunity to highlight items related to hurricane relief in Southwest Florida, her home turf.
“Since you did bring up the budget, let me put it in a little plug for Southwest Florida. We actually have some really important items in the budget that are related to repair after the hurricanes, so the sooner you sign it, the better for us,” Passidomo said. “You brought it up. I didn’t.”
The post DeSantis hints next fiscal year’s state budget will be done ‘very soon’ appeared first on Florida Phoenix.