DeSantis Signs $115B Florida Budget With Tax Relief

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed a $115 billion state budget for the 2025-2026 fiscal year, about $3 billion less than the previous year's budget and including nearly $600 million in vetoed line items. The budget provides significant tax relief, including the elimination of the sales tax on business rentals and permanent sales tax holidays for back-to-school and hurricane preparedness items. Targeted pay increases will benefit state employees, including teachers and law enforcement officers, while over 1,000 vacant government positions will be cut. $750 million is set aside in reserves to bolster the state's fiscal position. The budget process faced delays due to disagreements over the scale of tax cuts, with the final version prioritizing fiscal responsibility and broad-based relief. DeSantis noted that property tax relief would require voter approval in the future, and the full list of vetoed projects was released after the signing.