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4 takeaways from DeSantis’ budget plan

By KIMBERLY LEONARD

Gov. Ron DeSantis’ proposed budget is the first look in a while at how he plans to govern while juggling the demands of a presidential primary.

First, a look at the numbers: The “Focus on Florida’s Future Budget” that DeSantis unveiled during a press conference in Marco Island, Florida, Tuesday is $114.4 billion, which is $4.6 billion lower than the current budget.

The Republican-supermajority Legislature will next consider his plan, with the session set to start Jan. 9. Here are some of the biggest takeaways from the governor’s proposal:

1. DeSantis wasn’t just thinking about Florida. The governor unveiled his budget plan the night before the Tuscaloosa, Alabama, debate happening this evening — and it shows.

One of the most notable proposals highlights how he’s leaning into agriculture policy with less than six weeks until the caucuses in Iowa, one of the U.S.’ top agriculture states. DeSantis proposes spending $100 million on the state’s rural and family protection program even though he line-item vetoed a similar provision this past spring.

Because DeSantis’ campaign is struggling, it’s not clear whether he’ll carry the same weight he has with the Legislature in the past. But several other priorities appear to line up with his principles on the campaign trail — and in some cases he was direct about why. For instance, he proposed lowering the state debt by $455 million and, in a summary document, he said the move stood in contrast with “federal fiscal mismanagement. ”

He’s also leaning into issues of immigration, expanding his pro-Israel bona fides and pushing conservative education policies. He wants $5 million to go toward his controversial migrant relocation program and has recommended $10 million in state spending to help make Jewish Day Schools safer. He also is pushing for the state to pay 15,000 teachers $3,000 when they undergo a civics training created by conservative scholars.

2. He wants to nix 1,000 state jobs. The proposal would mostly do so by leaving positions unfilled in corrections and health care.

Other areas are getting a boost in funding, including education and teacher pay, as well as Everglades restoration funding.

“This is a budget that I think is respecting the taxpayers of this state. We are living within our means; we’re even paring back expenses,” he said, per POLITICO’s Gary Fineout. “We’re reducing the size of government, we’re cutting taxes, we’re eliminating more of our state debt.”

Left unmentioned is that Florida, like other states, doesn’t have an infusion of federal cash this year that came as part of the coronavirus pandemic response.

3. He’s following through on promised tax cuts, of $1.1 billion largely through five different tax holidays that include back-to-school tax relief and a suspension of taxes on items that help with hurricane preparedness.

Under his plan, the state would permanently cut taxes for pet medicines.

4. He aimed to show he isn’t ignoring Florida’s property insurance crisis, despite criticisms from Democrats. The budget recommends setting aside $409 million so that people can get relief from taxes, fees and assessments on property insurance for a year. The provision would only apply to people whose homes are worth up to $750,000.

Another part of the plan would create a premium tax exemption on flood insurance policies starting in July and would bolster the My Safe Florida Home program, which gives grants for making homes more resilient, by $107 million.