DeSantis signs $116.5 billion state budget in downtown Tampa

TAMPA, Fla. - Governor Ron DeSantis touted his own thriftiness on Wednesday as he signed an approximately $116.5 billion budget for the 2024-2025 fiscal year, which will start July 1.

Lawmakers passed a nearly $117.5 billion spending plan in March, but the governor, who has line-item veto power, cut nearly one billion dollars' worth of various projects from the budget.

The budget includes such things as increased funding for public schools and pay raises for state employees. A related tax package includes a series of sales-tax "holidays." 

READ: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis reacts to Donald Trump guilty verdict in New York case

Speaking at a bill signing ceremony in downtown Tampa, DeSantis said his veto action puts spending below the total for the current fiscal year, while still funding programs in education, conservation, transportation and infrastructure. 

"We are providing historic support for education, historic support for conservation and environment, and protecting natural resources, historic support for transportation and infrastructure, and major tax relief. All the while, the budget is actually spending less than we did last year," DeSantis said.

The state budget was unanimously approved by the Florida Senate, and only had three ‘no’ votes in the House when it was passed in March.

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