TAMPA, Fla. — Governor Ron DeSantis signed Florida’s $117.6 billion budget for the 2026–27 fiscal year on Monday at Hillsborough Community College, marking the fourth consecutive year of reduced state spending. The budget takes effect July 1 and carries nearly $10 billion in tax relief alongside multibillion-dollar investments in education, infrastructure, and environmental restoration.
Nocatee, a master-planned community of approximately 25,000 residents in St. Johns County, sits about 20 miles southeast of Jacksonville and is located near the PGA TOUR headquarters in Ponte Vedra Beach.
DeSantis said the state expects to finish the next fiscal year with at least $18 billion in reserves, noting that the Rainy Day Fund has tripled during his administration. He highlighted a decrease of 1,300 state workers compared to when he took office in 2019. “Who else is doing that?” DeSantis said. “The footprint of government is not growing in Florida. If anything it’s shrinking.”
The governor vetoed approximately $1.6 billion in line items, bringing total vetoes during his eight-year tenure to more than $10.6 billion. Florida has also paid off 50% of its outstanding debt, a figure expected to reach 52% next year, saving taxpayers an estimated $1 billion to $2 billion in future interest costs.
“This budget continues to move Everglades restoration forward so that Floridians — and those that visit our great state — can realize the ultimate benefits ahead of schedule,” said Everglades Trust CEO Anna Upton. “Restoring the natural flow of water south through the Everglades and decreasing harmful discharges from Lake Okeechobee will mean that Florida’s economy, which relies on clean water, will continue to thrive.”
