TAMPA — Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a $117.6 billion spending plan for fiscal year 2026-2027, wielding nearly $810 million in line-item vetoes and marking the fourth consecutive year of declining state spending under his administration.
“Over the last seven and a half years, Florida has set the national standard for conservative governance, while breaking record after record in economic strength, education, and environmental stewardship,” DeSantis said. “We’ve delivered billions in tax relief to families while making historic investments in the priorities that matter most to Floridians.”
The budget caps eight years of DeSantis’ tenure during which total state reserves have grown to nearly $18 billion and the Rainy Day fund has been maxed at its constitutional limit of $5.0 billion — up from $1.5 billion in 2019. More than 50 percent of all state debt accumulated since statehood has been repaid ahead of schedule, with Florida now on track to retire approximately 52 percent. The state has maintained AAA credit ratings from every major credit rating agency throughout.
DeSantis pointed to nearly $9.7 billion in cumulative tax relief during his tenure, including the full repeal of the commercial rent tax, which saves businesses approximately $2.7 billion annually. The budget makes the Back-to-School sales tax holiday permanent and includes a second consecutive Second Amendment Sales Tax Holiday running from Sept. 1, 2026, through Dec. 31, 2026, covering firearms, ammunition, accessories, crossbows, camping supplies and fishing supplies. The holiday is expanded from its 2025 launch to include additional firearm accessories and doubles the price threshold for eligible fishing bait and tackle, projected to save hunters, anglers and campers $40 million.
“The FY 2026-2027 Budget I signed today reflects the core priorities I laid out from the beginning,” DeSantis said. “This budget protects taxpayers’ interests, cuts spending for the fourth year in a row, and makes meaningful investments to build on Florida’s successes in education, public safety, environmental conservation, infrastructure, cancer research, and more.”
K-12 education funding has risen to a record $30 billion, with per-student funding reaching $9,338 — the highest in state history — after the Florida Education Finance Program received more than $8 billion in additional funding since 2019. The administration has invested $7.1 billion toward teacher salary increases. Florida’s economy has grown to nearly $1.8 trillion, representing approximately 65 percent growth since 2019, with more than 3.8 million new businesses created during DeSantis’ tenure.
On the environmental front, the administration has secured nearly $9.5 billion for Everglades restoration and water quality improvements, which DeSantis called the largest environmental investment in Florida history. The state has tripled South Florida’s water storage capacity. In public safety, Florida became the first state to recruit law enforcement officers through signing bonuses, attracting more than 10,000 officers. State government has reduced more than 1,300 positions while Florida’s population grew by more than 10 percent, maintaining the lowest number of state employees per capita among the nation’s largest states.
The permanent sales tax exemptions now cover baby and toddler products, diapers, sunscreen, insect repellent and admissions to Florida State Parks. The budget also continues disaster preparedness tax exemptions year-round, giving families additional time to prepare for hurricane season.