Ron DeSantis has become an expert in driving Democrats up the wall.
Now he has thrown them one curveball that they never saw coming.
And Ron DeSantis issued one veto that caused a widespread Democrat meltdown.
Ron DeSantis signs a budget that cuts funding for the arts
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed the budget for the 2024-2025 fiscal year into law after negotiations with the Florida Legislature.
The budget included a surplus of $17 billion and was several million dollars less than the state’s budget from the previous fiscal year.
“I thought it was important,” DeSantis said. “I want to hold the line.”
The Florida Governor has the power of the line-item veto to cancel specific sections of the state’s budget.
DeSantis was able to axe about one billion dollars from the budget that lawmakers sent him using his line-item veto power.
That allowed the state to spend less money than it did during the previous fiscal year budget.
“This budget delivers historic support for education, infrastructure, and conservation, yet spends less than the year before and includes major tax relief,” DeSantis said. “We have paid down 36% of the state’s entire tax-supported debt over the course of my term, and the state maintains a AAA credit rating, one of the lowest tax burdens in America, and more than $17 billion in reserve.”
He eliminated $32 billion in taxpayer funding for the arts in Florida through line-item vetoes.
This sent Democrats and their media allies into a fit of rage that taxpayer money was not going to go to funding their pet projects.
Former State Representative Carlos Guillermo Smith (D-FL) fumed that DeSantis eliminated all taxpayer funding for the arts in the state budget.
“The veto of all cultural and museum grants from the budget is unprecedented,” Smith whined. “I’m not aware of any Governor who has ever vetoed that line item because of how devastating it would be to the hundreds of organizations who rely on that funding. It’s never happened.”
Artists believe they’re entitled to taxpayer money
Tampa Museum of Art executive director Michael Tomor complained that DeSantis’ budget sent a signal “that taxpayer dollars should not be used in support of arts and culture.”
DeSantis’ Deputy Press Secretary Julia Friedland said that eliminating taxpayer funding for the arts was in the best interest of Florida.
“The governor reviews every bill and appropriation that comes across his desk and uses his authority under the Florida Constitution to make veto decisions that are in the best interest of the State of Florida,” Friedland said in a statement.
Florida Cultural Alliance executive director Jennifer Jones said that the arts vetoes were about saving the state money.
“My understanding is the governor wanted to have a budget that was fiscally conservative, even more so than the year before,” Jone said. “Obviously, we can internalize and can take these things personally. Anyone could think the nature and content of funded programs would be a factor in the decision.”
The Left thinks that the arts are entitled to taxpayer money after years of benefiting from the government gravy train.
Ron DeSantis stood up for taxpayers and fiscal responsibility by cutting them off from the public’s money.
DeSantis Daily will keep you up-to-date on any new developments in this ongoing story.
