Senate appropriations panel hears governor’s $117.4 billion budget; pay raises, education and reserves highlighted
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Summary
Lita Kelly, from the governor’s Office of Policy and Budget, presented a $117.4 billion recommended state budget to the Senate Appropriations Committee, emphasizing reserves, targeted pay increases for public employees and continued investment in education, health and infrastructure.
Lita Kelly of the governor’s Office of Policy and Budget presented the governor’s recommended $117.4 billion budget to the Senate Appropriations Committee, telling senators the proposal leaves roughly $1 billion in recurring general revenue unallocated and about $6.6 billion in nonrecurring general revenue.
The presentation focused on three broad priorities: reserves and fiscal strength, investments in education and health care, and targeted pay increases. Kelly said the administration recommends general revenue of about $53.2 billion and “leaves right around $1,000,000,000 in recurring GR on the table, and $6,600,000,000 in nonrecurring GR still on the table.” She also described combined reserves of about $16.75 billion, including the budget stabilization fund and an emergency response fund.
Education and health care remain the largest drivers of the proposal. The budget would fund the FEFP at $30.6 billion, propose a per-student increase of about $250 (bringing per-student funding to just over $9,400), and add $201 million in teacher salary allocation — bringing that component to roughly $1.5 billion. Kelly said the administration also recommends a $100 increase in the base student allocation to $5,472 and increases of $10 million each for mental health and safe-schools categoricals.
On compensation, the package would provide a 2% across‑the‑board raise for state employees and a total 5% increase for law enforcement (the 2% plus an additional 3%). Targeted increases include a new minimum salary for agency general counsel positions, recommended at $65,000 with a 5% uplift, 5% for state IT personnel and a 5% increase for judges following a Florida Supreme Court recommendation.
The administration proposed position reductions and other efficiencies intended to save roughly $850 million overall — about $200 million from general revenue and nearly $650 million from trust funds — and suggested agencies review empty FTEs and organizational needs.
Significant program and capital recommendations include roughly $370 million and 500 FTE for the Department of Corrections (to address pay competitiveness and staffing), a $14.3 billion nonrecurring transportation work program, continued funding for Everglades restoration that brings the governor’s tenure total to about $9.4 billion, $500 million for the Emergency Preparedness and Response Fund, and full funding of the Sadowski Trust Fund to support affordable housing.
Kelly told the committee that many agencies will provide more detailed presentations in subcommittees and offered to follow up on specific line items when senators requested additional detail. The committee did not take final action on the governor’s budget during the hearing; a series of subcommittee hearings and follow-up requests were scheduled.
