Florida watchdog proposes delay of teacher raises as DeSantis mulls major budget cuts

After officially receiving the $93-billion budget for next year, Governor Ron DeSantis now has the difficult task of deciding what stays and what goes as COVID-19 reduces state revenue.

EYEING WHAT STAYS AND WHATGOES IN NEXT YEARDOLLAR BUDGET.

HEAVY VETOS AREANTICIPATED AS THE LATESTNUMBERS SHOW FLORIDA IS NEARLY$680 MILLION BELOW WHAT WASFORECAST AND CONTINUES TO GODOWN.

CAPITOL REPORTER FORRESTSAUNDERS EXPLAINS HOW IT COULDMEAN BIG BUDGET ITEMS AREABOUT TO GET SLICED.PKG NORTH FLORIDA TEACHER SHAYSMITH IS HOPING THE CUTS DONINCLUDE $500 MILLION APPROVEDTO BOOST EDUCATOR SALARIESCUTS TO EDUCATION IN GENERAL(MISTEACHER)“TEACHERS WANT TOKNOW DO I HAVE A JOB NEXTYEAR?

WILL THE BUDGET SUSTAINTHE STAFF THAT WE HAVE” (SHAY4:33) THE ED APPROPRIATIONSWERE LONG FOUGHT THIS YEAR&COMING AFTER MONTHS OF PROTESTAND LAWMAKER LOBBYING.“SCHOOLS NEED TO BE AT THE TOPOF THE LIST” (1:27 SHAY) BUT,FINANCE EXPERTS AT FLORIDATAXWATCH TODAY PUSHING THEGOVERNOR TO POSTPONE PLANNEDTEACHER AND STATE WORKERRAISES, UNTIL NEXT YEARCONDITIONS DON(KURT WENNER, FLORIDA TAXWATCHRESEARCH VP)“THIS SHOULD ONLYBE DONE BY DELAYING THEM, NOTELIMINATING OR REDUCING THEM”(TAXWATCH00000 6:45) THE IDEAONE OF MANY FROM THE WATCHDOGGROUPFLORIDA TO SAVE$6-BILLION.THEY INCLUDE "ELIMINATINGALMOST EVERY PROJECT FORINDIVIDUAL LAWMAKERS "MAJORCUTS TO THE TEMPORARY STATEEMPLOYEE FUND "MORE USE OFBONDING "AND PLACING 5% OFFLORIDARESERVES (DOMINIC CALABRO,FLORIDA TAXWATCH CEO)“WE KNOWTHAT OUR STATE HAS DIFFICULTDECISIONS AHEAD”(TAXWATCH0000 2:45) THOUGHIT'S UNCLEAR HOW THEY CAN BEUSED, FLORIDAFEDERAL CARES ACT DOLLARS WILLHELPEARLIER THIS WEEK HEPLANNING TO MAKE HEAVY USE OFVETO POWERS.

(GOV.

RONDESANTIS, (R) FLORIDA)“ITBE A LOT OF RED.

ITTHE VETO EQUIVALENT OF THE REDWEDDING FROM GAME OF THRONES”(GOV 25:14 DUR) THE GOVERNORLATER SOFTENED THINGS, SAYINGHE WANTS TO DELIVER ON AS MANYPROMISES FROM THE LAST SESSIONAS POSSIBLEMEANS EDUCATION FUNDING.“ITAN INVESTMENT IN OUR FUTURE.ITSTUDENTS..” (SHAY 6:54)FORREST THERE HAS BEEN ANONGOING DISCUSSION ABOUTBRINGING LAWMAKERS BACK TO THECAPITAL EARLY TO DEAL WITH AVARIETY OF ISSUES, INCLUDINGTHE BUDGET.

DESANTISREITERATED THIS WEEK HEDOESNNECESSARY.THE MIAMI-DADE COUNTY SCHOOLBOARD HAS VOTED TO FIND