Governor Ron DeSantis signs Fiscal Year 2024-2025 “Focus on Florida’s Future” budget, vetoes significant local projects

Photo courtesy of the Office of Governor Ron DeSantis

Based on press release from the Office of Governor Ron DeSantis, with local vetoes added

TAMPA, Fla.—Today, Governor Ron DeSantis signed the ‘Focus on Florida’s Future’ Budget for Fiscal Year 2024-2025. The Focus on Florida’s Future Budget totals $116.5 billion—less than the previous fiscal year—which reflects a reduction in overall state spending. This year’s budget features significant investments for Florida’s top needs, and thanks to the Governor’s line-item actions, this budget will also result in $17 billion remaining for budgetary reserves. This funding will continue Florida’s important work in providing tax relief for its citizens; investing in our #1-in-the-nation education system; and supporting law and order, disaster preparedness, continued economic development, environmental conservation, and more. To view more information on the 2024-2025 budget, click here.

LOCAL VETOES

Funding for the following local projects was vetoed by the Governor:

  • Santa Fe College, Renovate/Remodel M Building – $6.5 million
  • Florida School for Competitive Academics – $3.3 million
  • UF Water Institute Science and Economic Report – $500,000
  • IFAS Soil Regeneration and Conservation – $2 million
  • NW Boys and Girls Club Gainesville remodel – $3 million
  • High Springs Police Department station – $1 million
  • Newberry Regional Advanced Wastewater Treatment Facility – $500,000
  • 2025 World Masters Athletics Indoor Championships – $2.75 million
  • City of Alachua Cleather H. Hathcock Community Center – $475,000
  • Newberry Veterans Memorial – $250,000
  • Gainesville Regional Mobile Command/HazMat Asset – $350,000

Since Governor Ron DeSantis took office, the State of Florida has paid down over 36% of its overall outstanding tax-supported state debt.

Additionally, Florida’s taxpayers are in store for $1.5 billion in tax relief in the coming year, including $450 million in toll relief.

For budget highlights, click here.

To read the veto list, click here.

To read the veto message, click here.

“This budget delivers historic support for education, infrastructure, and conservation, yet spends less than the year before and includes major tax relief,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “We have paid down 36% of the state’s entire tax-supported debt over the course of my term, and the state maintains a AAA credit rating, one of the lowest tax burdens in America, and more than $17 billion in reserve.”

TAX AND TOLL RELIEF

Since taking office, Governor DeSantis has signed over $6 billion in total tax cuts for Florida’s families and businesses. The Focus on Florida’s Future Budget provides $1.5 billion in additional tax relief for Florida families in Fiscal Year 2024-25, including permanent tax cuts to keep more money in the pockets of Floridians.

The budget also includes $450 million in toll relief to frequent Florida commuters, discounting tolls by 50 percent for frequent drivers utilizing SunPass with 35 or more monthly transactions.

Additionally, the budget includes a one-year exemption on taxes, fees, and assessments for Homeowners Insurance Policies, saving taxpayers $502 million.

The budget will also feature a tax credit for businesses that employ Floridians with unique abilities, saving these businesses $5 million annually for each of the next three years.

The Focus on Florida’s Future Budget will save Florida families more than $289 million through four sales tax holidays, including:

  • A Freedom Month sales tax holiday, saving Florida families on outdoor recreation equipment and events to entertain the kids during the summer.
  • A 14-day “Back-to-School” sales tax holiday, saving Florida families millions on school supplies, clothing, and computers.
  • A one-week skilled workers sales tax holiday, saving skilled workers on tools and equipment they need for work.
  • Two 14-day Disaster Preparedness Holidays, saving money on disaster preparedness supplies. 

PRIORITIZING FLORIDA’S POLICYHOLDERS

Since passing record reforms to aid Florida’s property insurance market, conditions continue to improve. In addition to providing tax relief to reduce the cost of homeowners insurance, the Focus on Florida’s Future Budget invests over $237 million to support residential home mitigation programs and additional oversight of the property insurance market, including:

  • $200 million for the My Safe Florida Home Grant Program to continue assisting Florida homeowners through home inspections and cost-sharing for approved home hardening and wind mitigation programs to reduce premiums and make properties less vulnerable to hurricane damage. This investment follows additional funding provided during the recent Special Session and is especially important as Floridians are recovering following hurricanes Ian, Nicole, and Idalia;
  • $1.1 million to bolster the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation’s (OIR) ability to curate data related to Florida’s property insurance market; and $675,000 to contract for independent reinsurance and mitigation research experts to bolster OIR’s ability to review filings and recommend new tools to mitigate properties from hurricanes.

MAINTAINING EXCELLENCE IN FLORIDA’S K-12 EDUCATION SYSTEM

Florida has been ranked the number one state in the country in overall education for two years in a row. Under Governor DeSantis, Florida continues to increase teacher salaries, funding for early child education, school safety, and funding for the K-12 public school system. In addition, the Governor has approved continued increases for school choice programs and workforce education.

This year’s budget includes:

  • $1.25 billion (an increase of $201.8 million) in funding to provide salary increases for teachers and other instructional personnel;
  • $1.7 billion in funding for early child education, including $438 million for Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten (VPK); and
  • An historic $28.4 billion in funding for the K-12 public school system.

The Focus on Florida’s Future Budget incorporates crucial funding enhancements to support Florida’s Jewish communities and schools, including:

  • $20 million in funding to enhance safety measures for Florida Jewish Day Schools and Jewish preschools;
  • $5 million in funding for the Museum of Hope and Humanity in downtown Orlando, which will serve to honor those we lost in the Holocaust;
  • $3.5 million in funding for the Jewish Day School-Student Transportation Safety Initiative, which will assist Jewish students in South Florida by providing transportation to and from school while ensuring the safety and security of the students; and,
  • Over $7 million in funding to various Holocaust memorial and education centers around the state.

Our K-12 education will also be improved through investments in new and continued civics engagement initiatives, such as $1.5 million to support and expand the Florida Civics and Debate Initiative, over $6 million for civic literacy and civic professional development initiatives, and $10 million for the Florida Civics Seal of Excellence Program that will allow another 3,000 educators to receive a $3,000 stipend for completing the Florida Seal of Excellence endorsement coursework. The budget will also fund $10 million to provide bonuses to teachers who work to increase their knowledge through additional certifications in computer science courses.

MAINTAINING FLORIDA’S #1-IN-THE-NATION HIGHER EDUCATION SYSTEM 

Florida’s higher education system has been number one in the country for eight years in a row. This achievement is possible because Florida insists that its colleges and universities focus on academic excellence—not indoctrination—and offer tuition at an affordable price. Under Governor DeSantis, there have been no tuition increases at state colleges and universities for his entire term, resulting in the lowest in-state tuition in the nation.

  This year’s budget includes:

  • $1.7 billion in state operating funding for the Florida College System;
  • $4.1 billion in state operating funding for the State University System;
  • $100 million for the recruitment and retention of highly qualified faculty at state universities;
  • $130 million for the recruitment and retention of in total funding to reward quality nursing education programs to address nursing vacancies; and
  • $765 million to support workforce education programs to ensure Florida students are prepared to fill high-demand, high-wage jobs.


Additionally, the budget funds $35 million for the Open Door Grant Program, designed to create a demand-driven supply of credentialed workers for high-demand occupations and $10 million for Alzheimer’s and dementia research at state universities. This budget also invests over $173 million for Florida’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities, including $20 million for campus security at HBCUs.

Also, in an effort to retain high-achieving students at our great in-state colleges and universities, the budget fully funds the projected student enrollment for the Bright Futures Scholarship Program at $617 million.

FUNDING HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

The Focus on Florida’s Future Budget underscores Florida’s unwavering commitment to enhancing the well-being of its citizens. This steadfast dedication is evident through its increased support for cancer research and innovation, substantial investment in the health of Floridians through all stages of life, aid for individuals grappling with behavioral health and substance use challenges, support for seniors and their caretakers, assistance for individuals with unique abilities, assistance for survivors of human trafficking, and support for our veterans.

In addition, the budget places a premium on life by funding foster and adoptive families.

The Focus on Florida’s Future Budget is making significant strides in the battle against cancer, with an allocation of over $232 million for cancer research funding. This includes $127.5 million for the Casey DeSantis Cancer Research Program and $60 million for the Florida Cancer Innovation Fund, a testament to our commitment to supporting groundbreaking cancer research.

The Focus on Florida’s Future Budget, including funding provided in the Live Healthy legislation, includes an additional $456.5 million to support the health and development of pregnant women, new moms, and children. This funding will be used to enhance prenatal and postnatal care, expand access to pediatric healthcare services, and support early childhood development.

Additionally, the budget and recent legislation provide more than $442 million in funding to support behavioral health services. These resources will improve access to mobile response services, increase provider rates, help expand the behavioral health workforce, and support collaboration between primary care and behavioral health providers.

The Focus on Florida’s Future Budget also allocates over $93.2 million in additional funds to support those served or in danger of entering the child welfare system and nearly $10 million to expand adoption incentives to assist in finding forever homes for more foster children. This funding will significantly benefit foster parents and caregivers and enhance access to post-adoption resources for young adults.

To continue our mission of prioritizing care for seniors, the Focus on Florida’s Future Budget provides nearly $70 million for our efforts to support caregivers and individuals diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and other related memory disorders.

Additionally, we are allocating $115 million to support seniors through the Community Care for the Elderly Program and the Home Care for the Elderly Program.

This year, the Focus on Florida’s Future Budget and the recent Live Healthy legislation appropriated more than $2.2 billion to the Agency for Persons with Disabilities for services through the iBudget waiver. This historic level of funding demonstrates Florida’s unwavering commitment to improving services for individuals with unique abilities.

To support our veterans, the Focus on Florida’s Future Budget will invest $4.9 million in improvements to the State’s Veterans’ Nursing Homes and an additional $10 million to assist in constructing the ninth State Veterans’ Nursing Home in Collier County. Once completed, Florida will proudly have the most and best state-funded veterans’ nursing homes in the nation.

The budget also includes a $2 million investment to assist veterans in securing meaningful skills-based employment. This investment will provide veterans with job training and placement services, as well as support for entrepreneurship and small business development. These initiatives aim to provide veterans with the tools they need to succeed in the civilian workforce, contribute to the economy, and lead fulfilling lives post-service.

SUPPORTING FLORIDA’S ROBUST ECONOMY

Florida, currently home to over 22 million residents and welcoming millions of visitors each year, is the nation’s fastest-growing state. This rapid growth is fueled by Governor DeSantis’ freedom-first policies that create thriving opportunities for Florida families. The Focus on Florida’s Future Budget continues to strategically invest in Florida’s infrastructure, workforce, and economy to meet the demands of the state’s expansion.

The Focus on Florida’s Future Budget includes $15.5 billion for the Florida Department of Transportation. Of this total, $14.5 billion is provided for the state transportation work program to construct and maintain Florida’s transportation network.

To support Florida’s heavily utilized infrastructure, the Focus on Florida’s Future Budget fully funds the Moving Florida Forward Initiative, expediting 20 projects to relieve traffic congestion and $109.6 million for Florida’s ports, logistics centers, and fuel pipelines, including vertiport development.

To help create new jobs and support business development throughout the state, the Focus on Florida’s Future Budget also invests $75 million for the Job Growth Grant Fund, which helps fund projects that support local public infrastructure and expand workforce education opportunities; $80 million to continue marketing efforts through VISIT FLORIDA; and $175.2 million for the State Small Business Credit Initiative, providing small businesses with access to capital to grow their business.

Florida’s rural communities are an important part of the success of our state, and the Governor continues to provide our rural communities with the resources they need to thrive. This includes $20 million for the Rural Infrastructure Fund to support local infrastructure projects that help attract jobs, $100 million to expand broadband internet access in rural communities, and $88.6 million for the Small County Outreach Program to assist small county governments in repairing infrastructure.

To support workforce housing, the Focus on Florida’s Future Budget includes $174 million for the State Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP) program, $234 million for the State Apartment Incentive Loan (SAIL) program, and $100 million for the third year of the Hometown Heroes Housing program to provide down payment and closing cost assistance for first time homebuyers.

SUPPORTING LAW ENFORCEMENT AND THE MILITARY

Governor DeSantis has consistently acknowledged the significant contributions of Florida’s law enforcement and military communities. To back these communities, the Focus on Florida’s Future Budget includes key investments such as $17 million for the third year of the Law Enforcement Recruitment Bonus Program, which provides a signing bonus of up to $5,000 for those hired as first-time law enforcement officers in Florida.

Additionally, the budget funds $7 million for the Defense Infrastructure Grant Program, which provides funding for infrastructure projects that make a positive impact on the military value of installations within the state.

The budget also includes $3 million for the Military Base Protection Program, which helps secure non-conservation lands to serve as a buffer protecting military installations from encroachment and supports local community efforts to engage in service partnerships with military installations.


CONSERVING FLORIDA’S NATURAL TREASURES

In 2019, Governor DeSantis called for $2.5 billion to be invested over four years for Florida’s environment. The Governor surpassed that goal by securing over $3.3 billion during his first term. In 2023, Governor DeSantis reinforced his commitment to prioritizing Florida’s natural resources in his second term by calling for an historic $3.5 billion investment for Everglades restoration and protection of water resources. The Focus on Florida’s Future Budget includes more than $1.5 billion for this initiative, bringing the total investment during the Governor’s first two years of his second term to $3.2 billion.

Governor DeSantis signed more than $850 million for Everglades restoration projects, including:

  • $550 million for the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP);
  • $64 million for the EAA Reservoir to continue this critical project to reduce harmful discharges and help send more clean water south of the Everglades;
  • $50 million for specific project components designed to achieve the greatest reductions in harmful discharges to the Caloosahatchee and St. Lucie Estuaries as identified in the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan Lake Okeechobee Watershed Restoration Project Draft Integrated Project Implementation Report and Environmental Impact Statement dated August 2020;
  • $100 million for phase 2 of the C-51 Reservoir; and
  • $86.7 million for the Northern Everglades and Estuaries Protection Program.

The Focus on Florida’s Future Budget also includes $535 million for targeted water quality improvements to achieve significant, meaningful, and measurable nutrient reductions in key waterbodies across the state and to implement the initial recommendations of the Blue-Green Algae Task Force.

On top of the investment in targeted water quality improvements, the budget includes $55 million to restore Florida’s world-renowned springs and a $40 million investment to improve water quality and combat the effects and impacts of harmful algal blooms, including blue-green algae and red tide.

The Focus on Florida’s Future Budget dedicates $15 million to infrastructure improvements and resource management, with the goal of maintaining Florida State Parks’ national gold medal standard. Senate Bill 1638 also provides $32 million for land management activities within the state park system and $4 million for implementing the Local Trail Management Grant Program.

Additionally, the budget funds more than $129 million to protect Florida’s conservation lands and waterways, including $100 million for the Florida Forever Program to support land conservation and recreation.

SUPPORTING DISASTER RESPONSE, RECOVERY, AND MITIGATION

Florida sets the gold standard for emergency response and preparation. Under Governor DeSantis, Florida will continue to invest the necessary resources to ensure our residents can properly prepare for a storm and get back on their feet quickly after it passes. This includes the ability to quickly respond to a disaster scenario and mitigate against future disasters or emergencies.

The Budget provides $1.2 billion in state and federal funding for disaster recovery, mitigation, and emergency management to continue helping Floridians impacted by a disaster while preparing for future disasters.

Additionally, the Focus on Florida’s Future Budget includes $396 million in additional federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds for local hurricane recovery and hardening efforts throughout the state, including the CDBG Disaster Recovery Program and the CDBG Mitigation Program.

  • VETO: 2025 World Masters Athletics Indoor Championships – $2.75 million

    Thank you Gov for not funding this subsidy for bankrupt Celebration Pointe, who owes Alachua County $780,000 in back property taxes.

    • But will West End still be a public park, without the WMAIC? There’s a ton of decent taxpayers out there that deserve a public park, regardless of where the revenues come from.

      • The Commission clearly stated that West End is being purchased and that a major park project will happen regardless of the World Masters event.

      • There are parks within 2-3miles, in either direction from west end!

  • One might conclude some resemblance to the Palestinians who elected Hamas as their government.
    The collateral damage, many in Gainesville and Alachua County, because of the far-left politics implemented by those elected to office locally. I’ve often believed local leaders would sacrifice it’s populace to save themselves.

    • Yeah, like Celebration Pointe was a left wing plan.

      By the way, Hamas was last “elected” in 2004, and has partly stayed in power with the help of Netanyahu who – opposing the decades long US policy of a two state solution – propped them up so the more responsible Palestinian Authority, a more likely partner in that 2 state solution, couldn’t control Gaza and thereby gain power and acceptance. In fact, northern Gaza, which Israel overran months ago is under no official control by anyone now and is once again being run by Hamas. Netanyahu – the criminal now invited to speak to our gullible Congress – is responsible for Hamas’s continuing power and presence.

      “For years, the various governments led by Benjamin Netanyahu took an approach that divided power between the Gaza Strip and the West Bank — bringing Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to his knees while making moves that propped up the Hamas terror group.

      The idea was to prevent Abbas — or anyone else in the Palestinian Authority’s West Bank government — from advancing toward the establishment of a Palestinian state.

      Thus, amid this bid to impair Abbas, Hamas was upgraded from a mere terror group to an organization with which Israel held indirect negotiations via Egypt, and one that was allowed to receive infusions of cash from abroad.

      Hamas was also included in discussions about increasing the number of work permits Israel granted to Gazan laborers, which kept money flowing into Gaza, meaning food for families and the ability to purchase basic products….”

      https://www.timesofisrael.com/for-years-netanyahu-propped-up-hamas-now-its-blown-up-in-our-faces/

      “Just weeks before Hamas launched the deadly Oct. 7 attacks on Israel, the head of Mossad arrived in Doha, Qatar, for a meeting with Qatari officials.

      For years, the Qatari government had been sending millions of dollars a month into the Gaza Strip — money that helped prop up the Hamas government there. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel not only tolerated those payments, he had encouraged them.

      During his meetings in September with the Qatari officials, according to several people familiar with the secret discussions, the Mossad chief, David Barnea, was asked a question that had not been on the agenda: Did Israel want the payments to continue?

      Mr. Netanyahu’s government had recently decided to continue the policy, so Mr. Barnea said yes. The Israeli government still welcomed the money from Doha….”

      https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/10/world/middleeast/israel-qatar-money-prop-up-hamas.html

      • Celebration Pointe WAS a left wing socialist plan.

        Alachua County BOCC created a special taxing district “Celebration Pointe Community Development District No. 1” in 2012, Ordinance 2012-17. The district collects an extra 1 cent sales tax within the district, making it an expensive place to shop.

        The CDD has issued three bonds to develop Celebration Pointe roads and such.
        Series 2014 is for $33,730,000.
        Series 2017 is for $30,245,000
        Series 2021 is for $30,245,000.
        Total bond debt $67,255,000 plus interest.

        In 2014 Celebration Pointe received a $12,000,000 (may be more) State Infrastructure Bank low interest loan through the Florida Department of Transportation to build the bridge over I-75 connecting to Butler Plaza.

        In 2021 Alachua County gave Viking Companies, LLC, $30,000,000 tax dollars ($38M with interest) to build a Sports Center in Celebration Pointe.
        In 2021 the State Legislature gave CP $2,320,000 towards the Sports Center.

        $2.75 million more have been requested for the 2025 World Masters Track Meet. Thankfully the Governor vetoed it.

        On May 28, 2024 Alachua County proposes to pay $3.8 million plus plus to buy the pesticide contaminated West End golf course, and give the Gainesville Sports Organizing Committee $355,000 (on the consent agenda) to “promote” the World Master Track Meet. The tax money cash flow knows no end.

        The Free Market Capitalist Development (sic) of Celebration Pointe has received to date at least $111,575,000 of socialist/communist style taxpayer money subsidies yet it was such a misconceived idea it still went bankrupt March 14, 2024.

        • Dude, that’s crony capitalism who’s main beneficiaries are the businessmen – and women – who gain from it.

          Maybe you need to buy the program.

          • PS It is also an intended competitor on downtown Gainesville with it’s Friday concerts, Farmer’s Market, and restaurants for those in the far west suburbs. Why the county aided in that is a good question.

      • Thanks for making my point.

        Another conclusion, it can be fairly difficult to determine the lesser of two evils.

        • Perhaps I missed your point, but you definitely missed the point of the facts presented in both of my links. It is not picking the lesser of two evils, it is Netanyahu supporting a purely evil group of terrorists who have now murdered and raped women and children in the worst attack on Jews since WWII because he want’s to avoid – without a viable option – the two state solution that every US president except Trump – who doesn’t know or care – has supported since 1967, including Reagan and the Bush’s, and by support I mean multi billions in aid and weapons, including Biden’s gift after Oct 7.

          Netanyahu is a Hamas supporter – like the campus protesters, only he facilitated their receipt of millions of dollars

  • Freedom and fiscal responsibility – thank you, Gov. DeSantis for continuing to make Florida such a wonderful place to live!

    • I’m not sure how taking away reproductive freedom from women, medical freedom from families, freedom of speech from teachers, freedom of information from schools, the freedom of citizens to elect local officers, the freedom of business owners and officers to free speech, and the freedom of business owners to set work place health rules qualifies as “freedom”. Tally Daddy in the Go-go boots is a tyrant at war with 1/2 of the state.

      • Women still have the ability to kill their baby.
        Medical freedom? You mad because he the Governor refuses to make someone else pay for your healthcare? Move to a blue dump!
        No one has freedom of speech in their workplace!
        No you thugs don’t have the right to force chemical injection!
        Businesses have freedom of speech, just not freedom of consequences!
        No, you people are not half the state! A left wing turd hasn’t won election since the late 90s! You leftists should consider a state that is run by authoritarian thugs… you know, like the turds elected in Gainesville and alachua county, only because of Gainesville!

        • Most Americans don’t agree with you that abortion is murdering children, the governor and legislature have outlawed medical decisions that should be family/doctor decisions, the governor used the full power of the state to punish a company because it’s CEO criticized his legislative program, no one is forcing chemical injections, and the governor has removed locally elected officials over policy differences, not malfeasance, replaced other locally elected officials with members of a differing party, and restricted my business – and others – in how we could deal with our clients who were rightly concerned with covid exposure,

          Obama won Florida twice and DeSantis’ opponent in his 1st election lost to him by 30k votes.

          • Don’t care what they agree with, it’s a fact!
            Parents don’t have the ability to decide their kids should be tattooed or to cut off their left arm because some degenerate at school says it’s cool!
            ceo probably would have been left alone had the pos not lied, typical of left wing trash that disagree with conservative policies!
            Pos46 did all he could to force that useless shot as did leftist scum everywhere at the time!
            Elected prosecutors REFUSING to PROSECUTE should be removed! Good for him!
            You wouldn’t have a business to complain about if you had lived in your preferred left wing schiffhole! The authoritarian wanna be scum in those states locked down their constituents like pathetic peasants! Freedom loving Americans would not tolerate that!
            Obama? 2012 was 12 years ago, only reason he won, well we all know! A thousand plus people unfortunately, move into this state everyday!
            Thank God that drug addicted pos didn’t beat DeSantis, he would have be using taxpayer money to buy crack! He proves just how stupid leftists are in voting for color of skin only!

          • Gee., you present such cool headed and reasonable arguments, one imagines you’re probably on your meds. Anyway, you like being told what to do by Tallahassee, and you bring up such strong points about racism – one look at a Trump rally or a GOP convention and you can see there’s none with your party. Tim Scott is there!

          • I couldn’t care less what you leftists think of me! I feel the same disgust for you leftists as you do me!
            Lbj was a democrat… we all know what he said about people of color! Dam shame so many folks of color fell for that hook, line and sinker! If they ever figure out that left wing scum only care about them when it comes to elections, you would never win another election!
            We are all well aware leftists need a permanent underclass, without poor people dependent on other peoples income… democrats would never win anything!

        • Your definition of children is not accepted by most Americans, and some fetuses endanger their mother’s life while having zero chance of surviving long and under miserable to horrible conditions. This difficult decision should belong to the woman, her family, and medical professionals, not the Florida legislature.

          “LAKELAND, Fla. — Deborah Dorbert gave birth to baby Milo in March of 2023 knowing he wouldn’t survive. A year later, she and her family are still mourning.

          “The grief comes in waves,” she said.

          Milo’s face was blue. He didn’t cry and his eyes were shut, but Deborah said he could be heard gasping for air….

          Deborah was about 23 weeks pregnant when medical staff noticed something was wrong. Doctors would soon diagnose Milo with Potter Syndrome.

          “It’s a sound that I will never forget,” she said. “Your heart shatters because you feel so helpless as a mom. Just holding your child, and they are suffering.”…

          The Dorbert family felt an abortion was the best option for them. However, that wasn’t an option given Florida’s then-15-week abortion restrictions….”

          https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/polkcounty/florida-abortion-law-lakeland/67-6720dcfa-c733-4406-a4b8-63fd802e039a

  • My wife is a second grade teacher, and like many in her position (24 years exp as an educator), expressed dismay at the lack of payroll enhancement for teachers over a certain threshold in tenure. Is there a chance that experienced educators will see a bump from this? Many of the educators I have become acquainted with, are very dissatisfied with the Alachua County School Board, but more importantly, the profession as a whole. More and more is asked of our teachers, and they receive little, to no, approbation or support from our communities in their workaday lives. It is a sad state of affairs, when the people who are tasked with helping to RAISE our youth, still have side jobs to make ends meet. The endless pointless paperwork, and lack of support from administrators is becoming untenable for many. More and more educators are leaving the profession, just to live without the constant stress of trying to do their duty for our community without appreciation for their outstanding work, and sometimes total lack of support while doing it. I am an idiot, so if someone could enlighten me in this regard, I would be very grateful.

  • Very nice Ronnie. Now, where in all this dog & pony show legislation is the tax relief for the working folk of Florida?
    Maybe I missed it?

      • I see money for the fattest of the fat cats. $39 million to build a new golf course for UF fat cats to play on. With lodging.

        Unfortunately, when a new one is built, I have a prediction.
        The current golf course is not owned by UF it is owned by a private corporation the UF Athletic Association. They can sell it tomorrow and the state has no input. I predict that once a new course is built, the current site, being prime real estate, will be clear cut and sold to a connected buddy developer (like Viking?) and Gainesville will have a huge new solid block of six story apartment towers. How will that look?

  • While I love the Governor and, all of his most excellent achievements, our interstate’s are much over-crowded, maybe we need to do something to discourage all this people from moving here, we hardly have room to BREATHE, now.

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