Jason Delgado
Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis applauded Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday for his handling of the state’s budget amid the COVID-19 pandemic and slighted the tri-states for not making “bold decisions” like DeSantis.
“Governor DeSantis has shown tremendous leadership in his budget action today,” Patronis said. “He put his own priorities on the chopping block during a time when many Florida families are having to do the same thing. We know many Floridians have been hurt by the economic shutdown from the coronavirus pandemic, but we are not defined by the obstacles that we face but by our shared strengths to overcome them. I am confident Florida’s economy will recover and we are not going to stop working until every Floridian who wants a job has one and an opportunity to pursue their dreams in our state.”
DeSantis unveiled a slimmer budget Monday to help balance revenue shortfalls brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.
In total, the state budget was slashed by $1 billion to lower the budget from $93.2 billion to $92.2 billion.
The cuts come as a bitter pill to DeSantis and some lawmakers, who both saw sacrifices to several respective agenda items.
Patronis added that the tri-state leaders would never do the same.
“States like New York, New Jersey and Connecticut would never had made bold decisions like this to live within their means, which is why they have continued losing their citizens and investments to Florida.”
Patronis has not shied from the tri-state leaders and refers the area as the “Haven of High Taxes.”
