Ron DeSantis to release budget Monday

Gov. Ron DeSantis.

Gov. Ron DeSantis is poised to introduce his 2020-2021 budget proposal Monday morning. This will be his second budget.

His first was the biggest in state history: $91.1 billion for the 2019-2020 fiscal year, an accord signed in June.

Environmental spending, to the tune of $682 million, was a big feature of the previous budget. DeSantis branded as a Teddy Roosevelt Republican, and Everglades and springs restoration has been key to that messaging.

DeSantis’ immediate predecessor was not heralded for environmentalism. Meanwhile, some key initiatives from the Scott era stuck around in that first budget, albeit in reduced circumstances.

Visit Florida took a haircut down to $50 million. The Job Growth Grant Fund likewise stuck around, but at a $40 million price tag.

DeSantis wants these in the budget again, along with educational spending.

On Thursday, DeSantis announced his $300 million proposal to replace the Best and Brightest Award Program teacher and principal bonuses, which totaled $285 million this year.  The Governor envisions $600 million for new teacher pay, pushing minimum salaries up to $47,500.

onuses would be doled out by a “tier” system that is already being panned by the Florida Education Association. Support from the House and Senate, leadership on down, is tepid at best, suggesting challenges ahead for the proposal.

Meanwhile, Florida faces a possible economic slowdown, according to the Legislature’s Office of Economic Demographics and Research. Amy Baker, who leads the office, said as much in a September join House and Senate budget panel.

The office’s Long-Range Financial Outlook report shows the state generating $867 million less in the next two years than previously thought. And Senate Appropriations Chairman Rob Bradley, a Fleming Island Republican, took notice.

“We’re going to have a very constrained, modest approach to budgeting this year,” Bradley told the News Service of Florida in September. “Having an economic uptick doesn’t last forever.”

And House Appropriations Chairman Rep. Travis Cummings, saw a small reduction in the works.

“Recommendations here about hurricanes … judicial reforms … is something you’ll continue to hear deliberated upon,” Cummings said.

House Speaker Jose Oliva has been quiet so far, but expect that DeSantis’ more free-spending proposals, should they be adopted at all, will come at a price.

DeSantis will announce his budget from the Capitol at 10 a.m. FloridaPolitics.com will have coverage all day.