Senate releases leaner $117B budget proposal

The Senate Appropriations Committee has released a proposed $117.36 billion spending plan, which lawmakers said is leaner than last year’s budget while still prioritizing funding for major infrastructure and environmental projects.

The Senate plan would be $1.3 billion less than the Fiscal Year 2024-25 budget. It proposes eliminating 967 vacant state positions and paying off $600 million in state debt early.

“On the heels of historic state revenue balances and influxes of time-limited federal stimulus funds related to the pandemic, our revenue forecasts, while still growing, have stabilized,” Senate President Ben Albritton said in a statement. “This year we are right-sizing our budget for the long-term, spending less, while setting aside robust rainy-day funds, and accounting for meaningful, broad-based tax relief.”

Other priorities included giving 4% raises to all state employees, with a minimum of at least $1,500, while state firefighters and veteran state law enforcement officers could get up to 15% pay increases.

“We want to maintain a lean and efficient state workforce and not grow a bureaucratic administrative state that stands as a barrier to innovation and prosperity. Florida already has the smallest state workforce per capita in the country. Our budget reduces the growth in state government by eliminating long-term vacant positions,” said Sen. Ed Hooper, a Clearwater Republican who chairs the appropriations committee.

“At the same time, we are working to retain the talented and dedicated workers who serve in state government with an across-the-board salary increase to address inflation, and targeted raises for some of the most difficult jobs in state government, including state law enforcement and firefighters.”

Other major projects include $750 million for Everglades restoration and $209 million for citrus protection and research. 

“We are continuing our longstanding efforts to preserve Florida’s unique natural resources and making critical improvements to our environment and clean water infrastructure,” said President Pro Tempore Jason Brodeur, a Sanford Republican.

“These investments benefit current and future generations of Floridians, while also safeguarding Florida’s economy as our pristine natural features continue to attract visitors from across the country and around the world.”

The proposed Education Capital Outlay budgeted for $963 million in total with the state university’s system projects making up about $208 million of that funding. Charter schools’ repair and maintenance is budgeted at $249 million, while small school districts would get $318 million for their special facilities.