TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the first budget of his term Friday, an almost $91 billion blueprint passed by the Legislature to fund government services for the next year.
- Bill includes over $500 million in environmental funding
- Gov. Ron DeSantis vetoed $131.2 million
- Funding for UCF Downtown campus vetoed
He also used his veto pen for the first time, taking out about $131.2 million in funding for a variety of programs, which he said will increase reserve funds for the state.
"While there are a lot of good projects in this budget, it is important to recognize that we should prepare for economic declines and build reserves to higher levels," DeSantis said.
DeSantis's top priority in his original budget proposal was environmental funding. The budget provides $400 million for Everglades restoration, $100 million for springs restoration, $50 million for water quality improvements, and $25 million to fight red tide and blue-green algae.
The budget has $21.8 billion for education, which increased spending by $242 per student. That's the highest year-over-year increase since the 2013-2014 school year. The budget also provided funding for the school voucher expansion.
There is also $2.9 billion for hurricanes Irma and Michael recovery, and $9.7 billion for transportation needs.
The full budget is available on the governor's website.
What was vetoed
Two major Central Florida projects lost state funding.
DeSantis vetoed almost $1.7 million for the UCF Downtown campus, which is opening in August.
UCF released this statement regarding that veto:
“While the loss of these operating funds is disappointing, we will welcome nearly 8,000 UCF and Valencia College students on August 26, and we are committed to ensuring this veto will not impact our students and faculty."
The governor also vetoed more than $6 million in federal funds for BRIDG, a nanotechnology manufacturing facility in Kissimmee.
Half a million dollars for the Seminole County Juvenile Detention Center was vetoed.
Funding for a STEM program in Volusia County's elementary schools was also vetoed.
Some $50,000 for Leesburg Regional Medical Center was cut from the budget.
In the Tampa Bay area, the governor vetoed $1 million for the Hernando County School District for school hardening, along with funds for a vocational program.
A USF Medical Center initiative lost more than $1.7 million in funding.
A quarter of a million dollars in funds to expand the SPCA Tampa Bay animal shelter was vetoed. So was a quarter of a million dollars for the Carter G. Woodson African American Museum in St. Petersburg.
The full list of funding allocations that were vetoed is available on the governor's website.
Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.