Gov. DeSantis signs $114.5 billion Florida budget, vetoes hundreds of millions in local projects

Gov. Ron DeSantis signed Florida's $114.5 billion state budget for the 2026-27 fiscal year while exercising line-item veto power to cut hundreds of millions of dollars in local projects, according to the governor's office.

The Republican governor approved the spending plan while preserving most statewide priorities, including increased funding for education, transportation and public safety. However, the vetoes have drawn criticism from some lawmakers who say the cuts are politically motivated and will harm their districts.

The budget represents the state's spending authority for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026. While DeSantis approved the overall framework of the spending plan, he used his constitutional authority to veto specific line items totaling hundreds of millions of dollars.

The approved budget increases funding across several major policy areas. Education receives additional resources in the spending plan, along with enhanced funding for transportation infrastructure and public safety initiatives. State officials said these areas represent core priorities for the administration.

The line-item vetoes primarily targeted local projects that had been included in the budget by legislators. These project-specific appropriations, often referred to as "turkeys" or member projects, typically fund community initiatives in individual legislative districts.

Some lawmakers have publicly criticized the governor's veto decisions. According to lawmakers, the cuts will negatively impact their districts and may have been influenced by political considerations rather than purely fiscal concerns.

Florida's constitution grants the governor authority to veto specific appropriations within a budget bill while signing the remainder into law. This power allows the chief executive to reduce spending without rejecting the entire budget.

The $114.5 billion spending plan reflects Florida's continued population growth and economic expansion. The state budget funds operations of government agencies, public schools, universities, healthcare programs and infrastructure projects across Florida's 67 counties.

The 2026-27 fiscal year budget will take effect on July 1, 2026, marking the beginning of the state's fiscal cycle. State agencies and local governments will operate under the approved funding levels, minus the vetoed projects, throughout the fiscal year.

DeSantis, who has served as Florida's governor since 2019, regularly employs veto power when signing budget bills. The practice of cutting local projects through line-item vetoes has been common among Florida governors of both parties.