DeSantis Proposes $115.6B Budget with Tax Cuts and Pay Raises

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has unveiled a $115.6 billion budget proposal for the 2025-2026 fiscal year, featuring pay raises for law enforcement and firefighters, major tax cuts, and a new sales-tax holiday on guns and ammunition.

The plan includes $118.3 million in salary increases, with 20% raises for entry-level officers and 25% for veterans and firefighters. Additionally, $2.2 billion in tax cuts would phase out the long-standing commercial-lease tax by 2027, a move backed by business groups.

DeSantis also proposes sales-tax holidays for school supplies, disaster prep, and recreational goods, along with a “Second Amendment Summer” tax break from Memorial Day to July 4, saving shoppers $8 million on firearms and ammunition.

Other key highlights include $805 million for Everglades restoration, $3 million for python removal, and funding for new shooting and archery facilities. The plan maintains Bright Futures scholarships at $632 million and raises K-12 per-student funding to $9,205.

With the legislative session starting March 4, lawmakers will negotiate the final budget while clashing over immigration policies. The new fiscal year begins July 1.