TALLAHASSEE — Gov. Ron DeSantis and state administrators have rejected at least $11 billion in federal funds in the past few years, saying there were strings attached, they “politicized” roads or fought climate change.
The programs affected include an expansion of Medicaid, rebates for energy-saving appliances and upgrades, a program to cut motor vehicle emissions, and summer lunches for children from low-income families. Millions of mostly low-income Floridians could have benefited from the funding, the governor’s critics say.
As the Legislature convenes on Tuesday to build next year’s state budget, federal COVID-19 recovery funds that have fueled tax cuts, road projects and padded the state’s $10 billion rainy day fund are drying up. State economists warn of a slowdown in tax revenue over the next few years.
At the same time, DeSantis continues campaigning for the Republican nomination for president by railing against the federal government’s spending. He also says he wants to plow several billion more dollars into the state’s ample reserves, despite no recession in sight.
Democrats say they believe the governor’s main goal is to target President Joe Biden.
“It’s so painful to watch as DeSantis turns people into political talking points against the Biden administration,” House Democratic Leader Fentrice Driskell said. “He’ll do it regardless of how it hurts his constituents in Florida. And since he has no logical reason for rejecting those funds, it must be political.”
But DeSantis does take federal funding for the programs he wants. About one of every three dollars in the $114 billion budget he recommended to the Legislature comes from federal coffers.
“He’s happy to take federal funds for police officer bonuses or … to score political points,” Driskell said. “But there is no real nuance to why he rejects so many funds that would help Floridians and take credit for that, too. He just wants to draw a distinction…
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