By STAFF REPORTS
Gov. Ron DeSantis finalized the state’s 2026-2027 state budget at the end of June, vetoing more than $800 million in individual projects on top of roughly $900 million legislators placed in last year’s budget during the budgeting process to land on budget of $117.6 billion.
DeSantis’ reported budget is higher than the $114.5 billion budget lawmakers announced passing in May because that number didn’t account for items shifted between funds, supplemental funding items and money added to the 2025-2026 budget.
DeSantis’ actions come after the Florida House of Representatives and the Florida Senate voted to approve the budget on May 29. This followed the budget process halting in March at the end of the legislature’s annual legislative session without a deal because the two chambers were far apart on key budget items. After a break past Mother’s Day, lawmakers returned for a special session to finalize the budget.
On June 29, a day before the fiscal year ended, DeSantis announced the final budget with his veto items, touting years of budget cuts under his direction, including a state spending decline for four consecutive years and an increase in state reserves.
“We’ve delivered billions in tax relief to families while making historic investments in the priorities that matter most to Floridians,” he said in a news release. “The FY 2026-2027 Budget I signed today reflects the core priorities I laid out from the beginning. This budget protects taxpayers’ interests, cuts spending for the fourth year in a row and makes meaningful investments to build on Florida’s successes in education, public safety, environmental conservation, infrastructure, cancer research, and more.”
DeSantis spared several key environmental items this year. Among them:
- $15 million for oyster reefs, including $11 million in Apalachicola Bay
- $425 million for Rural and Family Lands conservation easements.
- $20 million to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services for land management
- $175 million for citrus research
- $160 million for resilience projects
- $63 million for state park infrastructure improvements
- $665 million for Everglades restoration
- Of the $665 million, $475 million is for the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan
- $79 million for the Northern Everglades and Estuaries Protection Program
- $50 million for St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee Estuaries protection
- $38.6 million for the Lower Kissimmee Basin Stormwater Treatment Area project
- $396 million identified as water quality improvement projects
- $301 million for wastewater facility upgrades
- $45 million for Indian River Lagoon and Biscayne Bay
- $20 million for Total Maximum Daily Load nutrient reduction goals
- $30 million for water quality improvement projects through the state’s water management districts
- $50 million for springs protection
- $23 million to improve water quality related to algal blooms and red tide
- $50 million for alternative water supply projects
- $64 million for beach projects
- $167 million for the petroleum tanks cleanup program
The budget contains additional grant programs, authority to spend various federal funding and other line items associated with FDACS, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and Florida Department of Citrus.
Everglades Trust CEO Anna Upton praised the continued Everglades funding.
“Wtih the signing of this budget, Governor DeSantis has secured nearly $9.5 billion for environmental efforts during his two terms. He made a funding pledge at the start of each of his terms and exceeded both,” she said. “This budget continues to move Everglades restoration forward so that Floridians – and those that visit our great state – can realize the ultimate benefits ahead of schedule.”
Following completion of the proposed budget by lawmakers in May, Senate President Ben Albritton touted several of these items, including agriculture and citrus programs.
“Research and new technologies offer renewed hope for the future of Florida citrus, and with this key funding, our state will lead the way in pursuing these opportunities. We’re on the edge of something special,” Albritton said in a news release after the special session on the budget. “Florida citrus is making a comeback, one tree at a time.”
House Speaker Daniel Perez spoke to the legislature’s fiscal restraint in a post-special session statement.
“Floridians expect their government to spend responsibly and prioritize the issues that matter most to families across our state,” he said in a news release. “For the second year in a row, the Florida House has led the charge in passing a budget that reduces spending while continuing to invest in public safety, education, environmental protection, health care and infrastructure. We’ve maintained strong reserves, protected taxpayers and ensured Florida remains in a strong financial position for the future.”
