DeSantis touts 'Floridians First' budget plan in Orlando

Skyler Swisher, Orlando Sentinel on Dec 10, 2025

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

ORLANDO, Fla. — Gov. Ron DeSantis rolled out his “Floridians First” budget proposal Wednesday in Orlando, calling for more than $1.5 billion in funding for teacher pay increases and a continuation of his key environmental and law enforcement initiatives.

As he approaches his final year in office, DeSantis said he wants a $117 billion spending plan, about the same as the current year’s budget.

“What the budget does is it builds off the success that we’ve had,” he said at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. “This budget is entitled Floridians First because that is the focus of it. It is putting our people first and making sure we are good stewards but also making sure the needs that we have are being addressed.”

DeSantis said his budget proposal continues many of his top objectives, including $5,000 law enforcement recruitment bonuses, springs and Everglades restoration and expedited roadwork to alleviate traffic bottlenecks near Walt Disney World and elsewhere in the state.

The proposal, which covers the fiscal year starting July 1, is a recommendation to the state Legislature. The Legislature may incorporate some or none of the governor’s recommendations during its 60-day session that starts Jan. 13.

This year, the Legislature had to go into overtime before it resolved its clashes over state spending priorities.

The governor last year requested a $115.6 billion budget. He signed a $117.4 billion budget in June, after vetoing $567 million from the Legislative budget bill.

His budget request this year is $117.36 billion

DeSantis highlighted his administration’s efforts to boost teacher pay and recruit college faculty. His proposal includes $30.6 billion for K-12 public schools, nearly $6 billion in operating funds for state colleges and universities, and $1.7 billion for early childhood education. It sets aside $1.56 billion for teacher pay increases and $100 million for recruitment and retention of university faculty.

The teacher pay money DeSantis has pushed has boosted starting pay for Florida’s public school teachers but left school districts with little money to hike salaries for veteran instructors. As a result, Florida’s average starting teacher salary of $48,639 ranks 17th in the nation, but its overall average teacher salary of $54,785 ranks 50th, according to the National Education Association.

The Florida Education Association, the statewide teachers union, slammed DeSantis’ budget proposal soon after it was released, saying it continues to support policies that divert money from public schools to school voucher programs and private schools.

“While the Governor continues to tout ‘record’ investments in educator pay, the lived experiences of educators tell a different story,” the union’s statement reads. “Eight years of broken promises have left them in a financial crisis, struggling to afford rent, homeowners’ insurance, groceries, healthcare, childcare, and other basic day-to-day expenses.”

Other highlights include nearly $30 billion for the Florida Department of Transportation and the state’s transportation work program; $13.5 million in pay raises for state law enforcement; $25 million for law enforcement recruitment bonuses; and $1.4 billion for Everglades and water quality projects.

DeSantis said the rainy day fund tripled since he took office with the state’s total reserves nearing $17 billion.

The first budget DeSantis signed as governor in 2019 totaled $91 billion in overall spending.

At the Orlando event, DeSantis also reiterated his support for a push to eliminate property taxes on Floridians’ primary residences. He said his budget proposal includes funding to help offset any property tax losses for rural, fiscally constrained counties.

A package of resolutions is moving through the Florida House that could lead to amendments on the 2026 ballot that would modify property taxes, including providing an additional exemption for homesteaded properties that have property insurance to totally eliminating non-school property taxes for all homesteaded properties.

Ballot items would need the support of at least 60% of voters to pass.

_____

(Orlando Sentinel staff writer Jeffrey Schweers contributed to this report.)

_____