NAPLES, Fla. – Gov. Ron DeSantis on Tuesday announced more of his budget priorities for next year including a pledge to dedicate over $1 billion for resiliency efforts in Florida.
DeSantis said the money will be available through Resilient Florida, a program put in place by the governor earlier this year that aims to prepare communities for the impacts of climate change. The $1 billion price tag is a $550 million increase when compared to this year’s spending, DeSantis said.
“I think that will make us more able to handle some extreme weather events and help to handle flooding, all these other things I think are really, really important,” DeSantis said during a news conference in Naples.
Other environmental budget priorities announced by DeSantis include:
- $660 million for Everglades restoration projects
- $50 million restore Florida springs
- $35 million to combat harmful algal blooms
- Money for water quality improvements, alternative water supplies
Last week, DeSantis unveiled sweeping education proposals for next year’s budget that would include millions of dollars for teacher raises along with $1,000 bonuses for Florida’s teachers and principals.
The Republican governor will present his budget priorities to the Republican-led legislature when the regular session begins next year.
He plans to release the rest of his budget proposals in December.
