Key investments in public safety, education and environmental infrastructure –
Historic per-student funding, $1 billion toward $15/hour wage
House Bill 5001, the General Appropriations Act, a balanced state budget for the upcoming fiscal year, was finalized this afternoon, beginning the constitutionally required 72-hour cooling off period before a vote on Monday, March 14. Appropriations Committee Chair Senator Stargel (R-Lakeland) and Senate President Wilton Simpson (R-Trilby) offered the following statements highlighting several components of the budget.
Statement from President Simpson:
“Florida has a job for everyone who wants one, and we remain the envy of the nation as a beacon of freedom. Our budget leverages these successes to focus not only on the critical needs of the day, but also to strategically plan for the future.
“This budget invests in the workers who serve our state and her people. We are investing $1 billion to ensure Floridians who work for, or contract with, the state, and spend each day educating, protecting and caring for others in our communities earn at least $15 per hour. Businesses are having to implement the $15 per hour wage in the midst of the highest inflation in a generation, so I think it’s only appropriate that state government do the same. This budget also gives every state employee a 5.38 percent raise to account for inflation. On top of that, we looked at areas where we have traditionally had problems with recruiting and retaining employees, and funded additional raises for law enforcement, fire fighters, and others. We also fund raises for teachers and ensure that every single employee in the school system, from the cafeteria workers to the bus drivers, is making at least $15 per hour.
“This budget makes good on our commitment to improving Florida’s Child Welfare System by enhancing benefits for caregivers who are relatives and increasing the child care subsidy for foster families. Ensuring Florida children have every opportunity to build successful lives begins with loving, permanent homes, which is the least we can do for some of our most vulnerable Floridians.
“We build on the efforts that began last year to infuse a steady stream of funds into affordable housing programs, wastewater projects, including septic-to-sewer conversions, and to mitigate sea-level rise. We provide more than $300 million for affordable housing, with $100 million to focus on down payment assistance for our hometown heroes – teachers, health care workers, law enforcement, and others.
“With a limited time to both appropriate and spend federal pandemic funding, we have worked to use these unanticipated funds in areas that will bolster our economy in the short term, while making tremendous infrastructure improvements that have a long-term benefit. We used these federal funds to augment our state commitment to environmental restoration and clean water resources with key investments in northern storage ASR wells, preservation and expansion of Florida’s iconic wildlife corridor and mitigating sea-level rise. We know that investing in infrastructure leads to job creation that further bolsters our strong and growing economy. This is a budget that will serve our state for generations to come.”
Statement from Senator Stargel:
“Our final budget reflects a responsible, balanced approach that funds key state needs with recurring state funds, while utilizing nonrecurring federal pandemic funds to make strategic investments in Florida’s infrastructure. We dedicate significant funding to broadband expansion as well as maintenance, repair, and construction at our educational institutions from K-12 to our colleges and universities. Floridians will see the impacts of these one-time, generational investments for years to come. This funding will not only create jobs in our local communities, but also help develop the educational, transportation, environmental, and public safety infrastructure our state needs as we continue to grow.
“To ensure every child in Florida can read by the third grade, our budget places an increased emphasis on early literacy and PreK-12 education, including the highest-ever rate per child in the history of the Voluntary Prekindergarten program. Additionally, our budget also includes a historic increase in per-student funding for K-12 education, raising per student funding to more than $8,000 for the first time in state history.
“This budget also has a tremendous focus on public safety. While Florida is experiencing a 40-year low crime rate and declining prison population, we have heard for years that Florida’s prison system is in dire need of support due to high staff turnover and deteriorating facilities. Our budget increases correctional officer salaries to a minimum of $20 per hour and provides retention pay. We make significant investments in salary increases for state law enforcement, probation and juvenile detention officers, and state fire fighters, as well as Assistant State Attorneys and Public Defenders in the court system. We also make a historic investment in a new 4,500-bed prison and a new prison hospital. These efficient, state-of-the-art facilities will be safer for both officers and inmates and will allow us to close older, less efficient facilities and save on maintenance and repair dollars.
“Floridians can be proud that we are living within our means and bolstering our rainy day fund – the state’s savings account – to historic levels. We are making sure that we remain prepared to tackle any future challenges that our state may face, but also, by spending less than we have, we can offer key tax relief that focuses on the needs of growing families with short and long-term tax savings on items like diapers, hurricane supplies, school supplies, and gas.”
