NAPLES, Fla. – Today, Governor Rick Scott signed the Securing Florida’s Future budget for Fiscal Year 2018-2019. Click HERE and HERE for the transmittal letter and details on the budget. To view the veto list, click HERE.

The Securing Florida’s Future budget:

• Cuts Taxes for Florida Families and Job Creators

  The Securing Florida’s Future budget cuts taxes by nearly $550 million – bringing the total tax cut savings for Florida families since 2011 to more than $10 billion. This legislative session, Governor Scott proposed, and the legislature approved, Amendment 5 to be placed on the November ballot which will give Floridians the opportunity to vote to amend the Florida Constitution, making it harder for politicians to raise taxes.

   

• Invests Record Funding for Education

  For the sixth straight year, the Securing Florida’s Future budget invests record funding for K-12 and state universities. Since Governor Scott has been in office, state funding for K-12 public schools has increased by $3.2 billion, 37 percent. State funding for state colleges and universities has also significantly increased by nearly $200 million and $1.1 billion, respectively, since 2011. Additionally, the budget keeps higher education affordable with NO tuition increases for the fifth consecutive year.

   

• Keeps Florida Schools and Communities Safe

  The Securing Florida’s Future budget invests more than $400 million in funding to increase the safety and security of Florida’s schools and provide significantly more resources for mental health. Following the tragedy in Parkland where 17 died, Governor Scott also signed the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act to keep students and communities safe. The budget also invests $34 million in pay raises for state law enforcement officers, firefighters and juvenile detention and juvenile probation officers.

   

• Encourages Long-Term Economic Growth

  The Securing Florida’s Future budget provides critical funding, including $85 million for the Florida Job Growth Grant Fund, so Florida can keep aggressively fighting to be the best destination for businesses to succeed. Since December 2010, Florida businesses have created nearly 1.5 million new jobs. The budget also builds on Florida’s six-straight years of record breaking tourism and funds VISIT FLORIDA at $76 million to successfully market Florida to the world as the premier tourism destination and support the 1.4 million tourism-related jobs in our state.

   

• Provides Record Funding for Florida Transportation

  The Securing Florida’s Future budget invests a record $10.1 billion in transportation infrastructure to keep up with Florida’s continued growth and booming economy. Since Governor Scott took office in 2011, investments in transportation have increased by $3.3 billion, more than 48 percent.

   

• Protects Florida’s Environment

  The Securing Florida’s Future budget includes $4 billion to protect Florida’s environment and agriculture. Since 2011, investments to preserve Florida’s environment and protect the state’s iconic beaches, pristine springs and the Florida Everglades have increased by nearly $1 billion. The budget also provides $50 million of state funds to further expedite repairs to the federally-operated Herbert Hoover Dike – growing the state’s total investment to $100 million.

   

• Combats the National Opioid Epidemic in Florida

  The Securing Florida’s Future budget invests more than $65 million to combat opioid abuse in Florida. Governor Scott also proposed, and the legislature passed, significant policy changes to address the national opioid epidemic in Florida.

   

• Supports Hurricane Preparedness and Recovery

The Securing Florida’s Future budget provides more than $1.7 billion in disaster assistance for state and local governments and federal funding to assist in meeting the educational needs of affected Florida students, as well as students displaced from Puerto Rico.

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