State Rep. Javonte Edmonds briefs Royal Palm Beach on extended legislative session, business tax repeal and homeowner aid

Representative Javonte Edmonds told the Royal Palm Beach Village Council on July 17 that the 2025 Florida legislative session stretched to 105 days and produced major tax and budget changes that will affect local services and residents.

Edmonds, who represents House District 88, said the Legislature produced what he called a historic budget and a tax package that phases out the state business tax while increasing reserve funds and leaving health care as the only spending silo that rose this year. “Usually, when we go to Tallahassee, we are supposed to spend 60 days in session, and our constitutional duty is to pass the budget. This year instead of spending 60 days in Tallahassee, we spent a 105,” Edmonds said.

He said the final budget totaled about $115 billion before vetoes and rose to roughly $117 billion after vetoes, and that the Legislature has increased reserves to nearly $15 billion. Edmonds said the state business tax, currently about 2 percent, will drop to 1 percent at the start of 2026 and be eliminated by January 2027, reducing state revenue and likely producing…