Despite the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, Gov. Ron DeSantis proposed a $99.7 billion state budget and recommendations for where to spend the money during a Dec. 9 press conference in Tallahassee.

DeSantis called it his Freedom First Budget, which is about $4.3 billion more than the current spending plan, bolstered by federal money to address the COVID-19 pandemic.

"I am proud to say that Florida is clicking on all cylinders when it comes to the economy and our budget," DeSantis said. "Our budget for next year clocks in at $99.7 billion but also provides record funding for key priorities like education, our environmental resources as well as support for law enforcement."

DeSantis said the state is maintaining an historic amount of reserves at $15 billion to combat any major problems.

"And that is really strong and it puts Florida in a position as you can see economically, on the horizon with what’s going on nationally, we would be in an excellent position to be able to weather those storms," he said.

DeSantis budgeted $8 million to create a program to remove illegal immigrants from the state to protect the border, but would need approval from the state Senate and House of Representatives during the 2022 Legislative Session in Tallahassee. The session begins on Jan. 11.

DeSantis, a Republican who is seeking reelection next year, found himself in a series of legal battles with school districts over mask mandates for students and covid restrictions placed on the cruise industry by President Biden and the Centers for Disease Control. DeSantis and the Florida Department of Education clashed with Miami-Dade and Broward counties and six other school districts when they defied his executive order banning mask mandates for students, and his administration withheld the salaries of school board members for months.

DeSantis and the department last week paid the school board members but not before the issue escalated in court and the 1st District Court of Appeal overturned a Tallahassee judge’s decision to allow school districts to impose mask mandates and ruled DeSantis and his administration can dock board members’ salaries.

DeSantis then took his fight to the cruise industry when his law prevented cruise lines from requiring passengers to show proof that they are fully vaccinated before they can board the ships.

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings filed a lawsuit in federal court that challenged DeSantis law, saying it was unconstitutional.

DeSantis then challenged the Biden administration, the Department of Health and Human Services and the CDC by filing a lawsuit to fight for fewer health restrictions on cruise ships.

In the lawsuit, DeSantis and Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody said Biden and the CDC overstepped their authority.

It was a follow-up lawsuit to force the Biden administration to reopen the cruise industry, which had been shut down for more than a year amid the pandemic.

PARENTS’ RIGHTS

During a special legislative session in November, DeSantis signed legislation to protect Floridians from losing their jobs with the vaccine mandates and protect parents’ rights to make decisions for health for students.

Nevertheless, DeSantis said Florida is on track for record breaking funding including the state offering $1 billion in gas tax relief amid rising gas prices.

DeSantis said he blames Washington for the rising gas prices.

"We understand when inflation takes off various sectors of our economy and Floridians need relief from that," he said. "But we can’t change the policies in Washington that’s driving that. We can do our best by stepping up and providing relief for Florida families who need it. So our budget will include a recommendation of $1 billion in state gas tax relief which will be a cushion and a buffer against rising gas prices we have seen in the last year."

Regarding healthcare, DeSantis said he is proposing $100 million for an issue that hits personally. His wife Casey DeSantis, 41, was diagnosed with breast cancer in October. DeSantis said that’s the most money Florida has spent to fight the deadly disease. "That’s a huge, huge increase from last year," he said.

For education, he said teachers and principals throughout the state of Florida will receive pay raises and other incentives. He said 175,000 educators will each get a second round of the $1,000 retention payment, and $600 million was earmarked to continue to boost teachers’ salaries, which is $15 million more than the current budget.

"We are proud of that and the momentum we have there," he said. "Our education budget is very, very strong," he said. "I am proud to say we were able to secure for the fiscal year thousand dollars contention payment to every public school teacher and principal in the entire state of Florida."

He said $23 billion for K-12 schools and $8,000 per student are a spending record for the state. He also said the budget finances the Bright Future Scholarship Program. "We are not going to support any cuts to the program."

DeSantis added that he’s "also happy to report for all the parents out there of high school age kids, we will not allow tuition increases," he said. "These colleges and universities throughout the country are way too expensive. You shouldn’t have to mortgage your entire future to be able to get a two-year or four-year degree."

“HUGE INCREASES”

DeSantis said his budget offers support for law enforcement and state employees, with $453 million allocated for compensation increases for law enforcement officials.

DeSantis said a seasoned law enforcement officer will be getting a 25 percent salary increase and a new police officer starting salary will be increased to 20 percent at the current rate.

"Those are huge increases for state law enforcement," he said.

The budget also offers a $5,000 signing bonus for experienced police officers who move to Florida from another agency or new law enforcement officials who make Florida their new home as well.

For state employees, $225 million was earmarked for salaries increases.

"Every state employee will see a salary increase," DeSantis said. "We have a lot of them who worked very hard over the last year."

DeSantis said the budget is fully funding a trust fund to address the affordable housing crisis in Florida.

"People want to come to Florida but things are getting more expensive," he said. "Rent has gone up because the CDC policy was misguided for so long. Nevertheless, we are doing the full funding there."

DeSantis said about $500 million has been set aside for workforce initiatives for programs and apprenticeships, the first step in making Florida the top state for workforce education in nine years.

"Things that really, really provides opportunity not only for folks in the state of Florida but also to continue to support our economy, and make Florida a great place particularly for logistics and manufacturing which we are starting to do very well in," DeSantis said. "And that’s a big commitment and part of our commitment to make Florida No. 1 for workforce education by 2030."

DeSantis also said he’s requesting $100 million for Florida’s Job Growth Fund. He said he had to veto the funding last year due to the pandemic but was able to fit it in the budget for next year.

"We have been able to apply that to some significant infrastructure project across the state of Florida that will have a profound impact on our ability to continue to expand our manufacturing base and logistics, but also using some of that money for workforce education for which we have done for things like expanding people with commercial vehicle licenses and diesel technicians these all really important things and a great opportunity for people in our state," DeSantis said.

The governor said $15 million will go to Alzheimer’s research and $10 million earmarked to help provide various services for seniors suffering from the disease. "We know that will continue to be an important issue throughout the state of Florida," he said.

With the shortage of healthcare workers, DeSantis is requesting a $225 million increase in reimbursement rates that will be dedicated to increase pay for staff for community-based settings.

""Across the country we are seeing a shortage of health care workers of all sorts," he said. "This is something that these facilities need to be properly staffed otherwise our seniors and other vulnerable populations will not be able to be served well."

For the environment, DeSantis said budget recommendations include $980 million for Everglades Restoration and Protection for Florida’s Water resources. He said his goal was to spend $2.5 billion over four years when he became governor.

"With this budget recommendation and legislative support not only we would have achieved that, we will be over $3 billion in a four-year period," he said. "That is a huge progress."

One local education leader praised the governor’s proposed budget but said continuing to boost teachers’ salaries is a major factor in the quality of students’ education.