Corrective Note: The article was updated to reflect several corrections, especially in the chart below. An earlier version Friday evening had based reported numbers on what by then had been an outdated bill that was supplanted by the final conference report. The previous version had reported a total haul of $129 million for Flagler and its cities. In fact, the total is $151 million, pending approval (or vetoes) by the governor.
After a flurry of last-minute votes on bills, Florida lawmakers Friday passed a $117.46 billion state budget and ended the 2024 legislative session.
House Speaker Paul Renner, R-Palm Coast, and Senate President Kathleen Passidomo, R-Naples, gaveled the 60-day session to a close at 2:25 p.m., before going to the rotunda between the House and Senate for a traditional hanky-drop ceremony.
The budget includes $151.13 million in appropriations for Flagler County, Palm Coast, Flagler Beach and Bunnell, a record besting last year’s haul by about $45 million. Local governments had requested a combined half a billion dollars. (See the full chart at the foot of the article.)
Palm Coast’s future, western expansion drew $80 million for the loop road the city is planning, connecting Matanzas Woods Parkway with Palm Coast Parkway, a generous amount in state dollars, if well short of the rather greedy $187 million original ask. But while Palm Coast got plenty of funding for a western road through vacant land, it got zero dollars for existing arteries: the city had requested money for the widening of Old Kings Road North and South, both heavily traveled. It got neither. Several of its other requests were also unfilled, including a $25 million request for an emergency operations center of its own.
Palm Coast had requested $6 million for a planned YMCA in Town Center–and got all $6 million, in addition to last year’s appropriation.
Flagler County got no money for beach restoration, at least not through special appropriations, no money for the road improvements to County Road 304, but got $10 million for a planned emergency shelter and vast improvements at Cattleman’s Hall at the County Fairgrounds. Flagler County got the full $5 million it requested for other projects for the future general aviation terminal at the county airport, $10 million for septic-to-sewer conversion plans, $10 million in conservation land acquisition on the west side, and $5 million of the $10 million it requested for the regional eco-tourism visitor center at the foot of the State Road 100 bridge.
Flagler Beach and Bunnell also got several projects funded. In some cases, lawmakers cut in half what special appropriations survived the conferencing between House and Senate in the waning days of the session.
Flagler officials were obviously exploiting as much as they could the unprecedented alignment in the legislature of the top leadership in Flagler County’s favor, with Renner and Sen. Travis Hutson both ending their tenures in leadership posts, Renner in the highest leadership next to the governor. But Flagler County is facing a funding cliff next year.
Renner and Passidomo touted the Legislature’s accomplishments as they prepare to end two-year terms leading the House and Senate.
“Again and again, we have looked at the real needs of real Floridians and delivered time and time again because of the men and women behind me who chose collaboration over competition,” Renner, flanked by lawmakers, said after the hanky drop. “I am very proud of what we’ve accomplished, and we have accomplished it together. We delivered for Florida.”
But House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell, D-Tampa, described this year’s session as being about “missed opportunities.”
“It really seems to me like the Republicans are turning a blind eye and a deaf ear to Floridians who are in crisis right now,” Driskell said.
The budget, which remains subject to line-item vetoes by Gov. Ron DeSantis, will take effect with the July 1 start of the 2024-2025 fiscal year. The Senate voted 39-0 to approve the budget, after the House passed it in a 105-3 vote. The budget for the current fiscal year, which started July 1, totaled $119.1 billion.
Speaking on the House floor Friday, House Appropriations Chairman Tom Leek, R-Ormond Beach, cited issues such as the budget including a $1.8 billion increase in the Florida Education Finance Program, the key funding source for public schools. Also, he gave examples such as an 8 percent increase in Medicaid funding for nursing homes and no tuition increases for state college and university students.
“This budget is on time, it’s balanced and it’s lean, and it supports every Floridian that we’ve got,” Leek said.
Leek and Senate Appropriations Chairman Doug Broxson, R-Gulf Breeze, finished budget negotiations Monday, readying the spending plan for Friday’s vote. One late addition to the plan was a proposal, backed by DeSantis, that will bring back a bill-credit program for frequent toll-road users.
The program, which was in place in 2023, would begin again April 1 and provide 50 percent credits to motorists who make 35 or more toll-road trips a month. It could cut state revenue by about $450 million.
“The tolls was something I was really fighting for, just because I got a lot of good feedback on it,” DeSantis said during a news conference with Renner and Passidomo after the session ended. “People appreciated it, especially if you’re spending $50 to $100 a month.”
Lawmakers on Friday also passed a related tax package that would provide about $439.6 million in tax breaks during the upcoming year. The package includes such things as a series of sales-tax “holidays” and providing tax credits on property-insurance policies.
As happens at the end of virtually every legislative session, the House and Senate spent the final days — and hours — of this year’s session lobbing bills and amendments back and forth.
For example, the Senate this week amended a human-trafficking bill (HB 7063) to prevent strippers under age 21 from working in adult-entertainment establishments. That sparked a debate Friday morning when the amended bill came back to the House for final consideration.
Rep. David Borrero, R-Sweetwater, said sex trafficking can take place in strip clubs.
“It’s common sense,” Borrero said. “We ought to be on the side of young girls who are barely legal.”
But Rep. Michele Rayner, D-St. Petersburg, said lawmakers should not “legislate values” and that young women would be pulled into working at private parties if they are barred from strip clubs.
“This is just another way for women to be controlled,” said Rayner, who nevertheless voted for the bill, which passed 104-3.
–FlaglerLive and Jim Saunders, News Service of Florida
News Service of Florida Assignment Manager Tom Urban and staff writers Jim Turner and Ryan Dailey contributed to this report.
Funding Initiative Requests and Appropriations: 2024 Session
Source: Florida Senate's Local Funding Initiative Requests page for 2024-25. Click on each funding request for details.(*) The figures are from the appropriations bill engrossed on March 8, 2024.
(**) Appropriation for the multi-agency facility is funded through the State Guard's budget.
Been there says
Almost $500k per home for sewer hookups was requested? ($20MM for 44 homes). Who is politically connected to request that? That much is ridiculous. Whatever happened to the Counth using ARPA funds to offset sewer hookups on the beachside? Now it is $25-$35k to hookup with FGuA – it used to be $5k-$10k – but those 44 politically connected residences are $500k each? Wow, the BOCC just keeps getting better. This is ridiculous.
jim lang says
Lets see how fast they waste it…
Joe says
Here is the final budget if you need it.
https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2024/5001/Amendment/128545/PDF
TREEMAN says
The Flagler SWAMP helping it’s RINO Comrades!
Ed P says
Key take away in my eyes- Balanced and lean.
How many blue states with state income taxes reaching upwards of 14% can say that?
Reflect back on this when posting “Florididuh” or any of the other 10-15 derogatory names that any Republican caught in the cross hairs of an article are called.
Any praise from my liberal neighbors? No deficit, not mortgaging our children’s future.
Holly Albanese says
Been there I need to correct some misinformation in your statement. The $20 million request was for a septic to sewer conversion and water distribution project along US 1 in the unserved portion of Flagler County heading to Ormond. Currently only $10.1 million is in the legislative budget but we still need to wait for the Governor’s veto list. These funds will allow FGUA to expand current capacity and make improvements to the plant and bring the necessary infrastructure for both sewer and water down US 1. It is expected that this infrastructure will open up this area to affordable housing and commercial and industrial development not just for 44 homes.
Also, the county is working with the City of Palm Coast on a septic to sewer conversion project on the Barrier Island along A1A. There was a prior legislative request of $8 million along with some ARPA funds that are being used towards this project. If you want to learn more about Flagler County Government I would suggest you join the Citizens Academy in the future.
Nephew Of Uncle Sam says
“…the city had requested money for the widening of Old Kings Road North and South, both heavily traveled. It got neither.”
Both worthy yet they appropriated money for dream projects and a christian gym, next time ask for worthy projects instead that the citizenry needs now. Then again the “governors” expression says it all, DUH.
(also how much Federal money is being doled out that was Voted against by Rubio, Scott and Waltz)
dave says
A lot of fluff in some of those Flagler County want’s. Old Kings Road, I can agree on that one. The beach restoration is laughable since its basically wasting $$ for a sand replacement that has been done over and over since Matthew left us and dunes get taken away by nor’easters. NOT a wise spend of money.
Ed P says
Many homes along the shoreline pay annual real estate tax bills ranging from $10,000-$25,000. Beach re-nourishment is the answer. The process of dredging and extending the shoreline out 100-300 feet is quite effective by slowing wave action prior to reaching the shore or the dunes. The widened beach is good for tourism and the 1000-1400 turtle nests annually would not be negatively impacted.
Sea walls would never be approved by the federal government, nor would rocky boulders as an alternative.
The Hammock as a whole contributes many more tax dollars to Palm Coast city and Flagler county then you might expect. They do pay more than their fair share.
Deborah Coffey says
My thought exactly.