Recap and analysis of the week in state government and politics

Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks about tax relief during a press conference in Ocala on Feb. 8, 2023. [File photo by Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette]

Budget talks blew up Friday after Gov. Ron DeSantis threatened to nix a key part of a “framework” reached by House and Senate leaders, leaving lawmakers in the lurch heading into an extended legislative session that was supposed to resume today.

House Speaker Daniel Perez and Senate President Ben Albritton a week ago announced they had reached agreement on an overall state spending plan for the 2025-2026 fiscal year. The leaders said lawmakers would return to Tallahassee the week of May 12 to finalize the budget deal. But Albritton and Perez issued memos to their respective chambers Friday saying the deal was off.

Perez, R-Miami, accused Albritton of backing out of a “historic tax proposal” that the pair outlined last week as they extended the annual legislative session to reach a budget agreement. DeSantis, who wants to reduce property taxes, threatened this week to veto Perez’s priority of cutting sales taxes.

“The Senate president informed me this week that he is breaking his commitment to the House that he publicly announced from the Senate rostrum,” Perez wrote, referring to comments Albritton made May 2 as they extended the session.

The speaker’s memo said the House will hold a largely procedural meeting Tuesday to extend the potential end date of the session until June 30 and that a select committee on property taxes will meet. But otherwise, formal budget conference negotiations will not start this week as had been expected.

Albritton’s missive noted that DeSantis last week said the proposed $2.8 billion tax proposal would be “dead on arrival.” The memo also indicated that at least some senators didn’t support the plan.

“From speaking with senators, I know many of you share concerns with both the number and the policy of that framework and instead favor targeted tax relief that benefits growing families and seniors aging with dignity,” Albritton, R-Wauchula, wrote.

BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD
Expanding a months-long feud with Perez, DeSantis held roundtables in Tampa on May 7 and in Jacksonville on May 9, where he asserted that “nobody is asking for” the speaker’s proposed state sales-tax rate reduction, which the governor has said would benefit foreigners and tourists.

DeSantis also maintained that the House effort would “effectively kill any opportunity to do property-tax reform” that would help Florida homeowners.

“I look forward to working with the Senate and relevant House members to have a good Florida-first tax package,” DeSantis said during an appearance in Tampa.

DeSantis is proposing a one-time, $1,000 property-tax rebate this year, which would serve as a prelude to asking voters in 2026 to cut property taxes.

Indicating DeSantis might be “confused,” Perez on Wednesday said the state can cut the sales-tax rate and ask voters to reduce property taxes in 2026.

“I give the governor credit for starting this debate, but he’s had months to produce an actual plan to lower property tax rates and we’re still waiting,” Perez said in a statement.

Albritton has expressed concerns for weeks about passing tax cuts that might need to be revisited in the coming years because of budget shortfalls.

In Friday’s memo, Albritton said senators raised concerns that a large “recurring” tax cut “may constrain options for the major property tax reform the governor, House and Senate, and most importantly—the Floridians we represent—are asking us to put forward.”

ALL BY MYSELF
Former Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nuñez, who was appointed interim president of Florida International University in February, is the sole finalist to become president of the Miami-based school, the chairman of a search committee announced May 8.

Four days earlier, Santa Ono, who has led the University of Michigan since 2022, was the only candidate put forward to become president of the University of Florida.

Ono’s selection drew attention amid criticism from some conservatives that the scholar is too “woke” because he has praised diversity, equity and inclusion programs.

U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds, a Naples Republican who is running for governor next year, appeared on Fox Business News and said the UF presidential search process should be restarted.

“We have been clear about DEI not being a pillar of our educational systems in Florida,” Donalds said in a statement. “It does not comport with the values of the state of Florida.”

DeSantis sought to defuse the issue Wednesday by giving support to the University of Florida Board of Trustees, who must still vote on the hire.

“I will say this, there can be no ambiguity, I don’t think anybody is unclear about what the expectations are in the state of Florida with respect to higher education. We reject woke indoctrination,” DeSantis said while in Tampa.
In a column initially published by “Inside Higher Ed,” Ono said he put his name forward for the UF job because he agreed “with the state leadership’s vision and values for public higher education.”

“My alignment is rooted in principles—like the renewed emphasis on merit, the strengthening of civics and foundational learning, and the belief that our universities should prepare students not just for careers, but for informed citizenship in a free society,” Ono wrote.

BATTLE OVER BALLOT INITIATIVES
Backers of a ballot proposal aimed at expanding Medicaid coverage in Florida filed a lawsuit challenging changes to the citizens-initiative process approved by the Republican-controlled Legislature and quickly signed by DeSantis.

Attorneys for Florida Decides Healthcare, a political committee behind the proposed Medicaid expansion, contend in their federal lawsuit that the new law (HB 1205) erects “unconstitutional barriers to political engagement and public discourse.”

The law, effective July 1, includes changes that make it harder for paid and volunteer signature gatherers to collect petitions, creates new crimes with increased penalties and shortens the time frame for petitions to be returned to supervisors of elections’ offices.

The changes were created after hard-fought battles last fall over proposed ballot initiatives seeking to allow recreational marijuana and ensure abortion rights. DeSantis led successful crusades to defeat the measures and pushed state lawmakers to impose stricter regulations on the ballot-initiative process.