Staff Reports
After Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday dropped his first proposed state spending plan, participants in The Process reacted with restrained praise.
Senate President Bill Galvano, a Bradenton Republican, released a statement saying DeSantis’ proposed spending plan “reflect(s) many of our shared priorities not only in terms of state spending, but also with regard to setting aside ample reserves.”
“Over the next few weeks my Senate colleagues and I will evaluate Governor DeSantis’ recommendations in greater detail in our Senate Committees as we work to develop a 2019-20 General Appropriations Act for consideration in the Senate,” he added.
“We are closely monitoring the next round of consensus estimating conferences, which will provide important updates in terms of anticipated needs in each area of the budget, and looking forward to a new general revenue estimate later this month that will indicate if there has been a change in the amount of revenue available to meet those needs.
“Developing a comprehensive budget recommendation within the limited time following the election was certainly not an easy task, and I commend the Governor and his staff for completing this critical component of our state budget process.”
Senate Democratic Leader Audrey Gibson of Jacksonville said she was “encouraged to see the Governor’s commitment to priorities Democrats have long-embraced, especially the clean-up of our water, and increased funding for public education.
“The Senate Democratic Caucus and I look forward to delving into the details, and working with our Senate colleagues as we craft a budget reflecting the hopes, dreams and desires of the diverse people of the state of Florida.”
Sen. Janet Cruz, a Tampa Democrat, tweeted she was “pleased to see @GovRonDeSantis prioritizing education, the environment and infrastructure in his budget proposal today. I look forward to working with my colleagues to pass a budget that works for all Floridians.”
House Speaker Jose Oliva said the budget plan “points to his priorities in the environment and education and we will examine his request carefully over the next few weeks.
“The Constitution requires a balanced budget, but we have an additional responsibility to respect Florida’s taxpayers by spending each dollar wisely,” Oliva said. “To meet this goal, the House will craft a budget that reduces per capita spending. I am confident Florida’s economic success will continue under Governor DeSantis as long as we keep taxes low and spending in check.”
Jaimie Ross, CEO of the Florida Housing Coalition, tweeted: “FULL SADOWSKI FUNDING IN GOVERNOR’S BUDGET! By fully funding the #Sadowski housing programs in his budget, Governor DeSantis is providing great leadership for Florida by proposing to finally end the sweeps of housing trust funds…”
In a statement, Jonathan Webber — Deputy Director of Florida Conservation Voters — said “the health of all Floridians is dependent on our access to clean water and ample natural areas.
“Today’s commitment from Governor DeSantis to support the Florida Forever land conservation program shows that he is listening to the people of our state who are demanding action for our environment. Florida Conservation Voters applauds Governor DeSantis and looks forward to working with the Florida Legislature to see that we invest in our most precious natural lands before they are lost forever.”
Associated Industries of Florida President & CEO Tom Feeney pointed out $335 million in tax cuts “for Florida’s hardworking families.”
“Governor DeSantis campaigned on building a brighter future for Florida, and since the day he took office, he has set out to do just that,” he said. “Already, he has made vital efforts to strengthen our economy, address our environment and science-based water quality projects, fuel hurricane recovery efforts, broaden technical and STEM workforce development; and now with the release of the budget, he is continuing to prove he means business.
“We look forward to working with leadership in the Senate and House on behalf of the business community to ensure Florida’s employers and employees have a pro-business environment where they can flourish for years to come.”
This story will be updated as statements are received throughout the day.
