TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Lawmakers in Tallahassee have finally passed a state budget, wrapping up the legislative session late Monday night.
The more than $115 billion budget now heads to the desk of Gov. Ron DeSantis.
This legislative session lasted 45 days longer than expected because state lawmakers were in gridlock for weeks.
The House and Senate could not reach an agreement on a budget and tax cuts before the scheduled end of the 60-day session, so they returned this month to hash out their differences.
In March, DeSantis proposed providing a one-time $1,000 property tax rebate this year to homeowners.
The rebate proposal was seen as an initial step towards a longer-term goal of eliminating property taxes, which would require voter approval through a constitutional amendment.
House Speaker Daniel Perez wanted to reduce the state’s sales tax from 6% to 5.25%. He said the proposal would have saved taxpayers nearly $5 billion.
Once approved, the budget will take effect on July 1 for the 2025-26 fiscal year.
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