As Florida braces for warnings of a very dangerous hurricane season, who could possibly be against spending money for generators in public buildings?
Gov. Ron DeSantis, that’s who.
The governor vetoed nearly $1 billion in legislative discretionary spending in the new state budget Wednesday. No region of the state was spared.
There are many needed reforms to Florida’s budget process, which allows the most powerful lawmakers to featherbed local projects. Reform groups like Florida Taxwatch have pushed for a less politically weighted, merit- and need-driven allocation of funds for local projects, but at least they go through the legislative process. DeSantis’ line-item vetoes, determined in secret and released without explanation, perpetuate the perception that his vetoes are arbitrary and petty, motivated only by a desire to hit a statistical target that’s important to him politically.
With this budget, he wanted to be able to boast that spending next year will be less than the current year. In a letter accompanying his veto list, DeSantis showed his hand by twice highlighting that the budget he signed reflects “less overall spending” than the current budget.
Nothing to brag about
Big deal. In a state that keeps growing as much as Florida, and with so many massive unmet needs — such as thousands of Floridians on a waiting list for in-home disabilities service, e — the governor’s stinginess is nothing to brag about. It’s evidence of neglect.
To reach his numerical target, DeSantis wiped out modest spending initiatives for local athletic fields, community centers, fire-rescue equipment, flood control, food banks, foster care, homeless children, opioid prevention, pedestrian crosswalks, wellness and workforce housing.
On his 16-page veto list, the governor’s vetoes wiped out tens of millions of dollars in funding for initiatives at state colleges and universities as well as K-12 public schools. The kill list included efforts to expand tech and science education along with supportive programs for disadvantaged students.
He also showed a particular disdain for generators meant to help get critical public infrastructure through Florida’s increasingly intense storms. There were 22 generator projects in the final budget; DeSantis axed more than a dozen while leaving others alone,, with no explanation of how those decisions were made.
He boasted of how his vetoes reflect “fiscal soundness.” That claim lacks all credibility after the DeSantis administration supported two no-bid contracts with a politically connected vendor, The company, LifeScience Logistics of Dallas, previously landed an $82 million state contract for a warehouse to store Canadian prescription drugs as part of a DeSantis administration effort to lower drug costs. It has sat empty for more than two years, the Orlando Sentinel revealed last week.
On Wednesday the Florida Cabinet (with no discussion) steered a second warehouse contract to the firm, this one fo to build and manage a $116 million warehouse on Interstate 4 for hurricane preparedness.
The Orlando Sentinel reports that the Texas vendor, LifeScience Logistics, contributed more than $300,000 to the Republican Party of Florida and to lawmakers’ leadership funds. The firm is represented by Ballard Partners, the largest lobbying firm in Florida, which has ties to DeSantis.
How’s that for “fiscal soundness”?
We’d like to tell you, but as usual, DeSantis offers no justification or logic for his veto decisions, if there was any. Here’s just a taste of what his vetoes killed.
The art of damage
Incredibly, he wiped out the full $26 million list of approved arts and cultural projects for next year — also without a word of explanation. Those cuts will be devastating to small but much-loved community organizations, and there is simply no justification for it. The grant program is something that has been funded nearly every year. The list lawmakres included in the budget represents a small fraction of the original recommendations for funding. But groups had time to brace for that. Programs like the Winter Park Playhouse, the Orlando Symphony Youth Orchestra..local Black History Month events and the Ritz Theater in Sanford will have scant time to make up the gap, and leaders of these critical cultural resources are wondering if they can stay afloat. State Rep. Anna Eskamani, D-Orlando, says she hopes local support can fill some of these gaps but it will take a concentrated effort.
Vetos, on drugs
And while the budget includes considerable funding for substance abuse and mental health projects. DeSantis also axed money to support innovative programs such as $625,000 for the Orlando-based Project Opioid. The funds were to expand the innovative organization’s overdose crisis pilot.
Why? The cuts seem almost random..
How these projects got into the budget isn’t always pretty.It’s often the product of raw political power and the hidden influence of lobbyists. But that’s a separate debate. The vast majority of legislators in both parties approved this budget.
DeSantis said his line-item vetoes will boost the state’s budget surplus to $17 billion, money the state will need if there’s a killer storm this season. But with all that money lying around, you would think DeSantis could help pay for a few more emergency generators.
The Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board includes Editor-in-Chief Julie Anderson, Opinion Editor Krys Fluker and Viewpoints Editor Jay Reddick. The Sun Sentinel Editorial Board consists of Editorial Page Editor Steve Bousquet, Deputy Editorial Page Editor Dan Sweeney, editorial writer Martin Dyckman and Anderson. Send letters to insight@orlandosentinel.com.
