Updated Apr. 30
TALLAHASSEE â Eight months ago, state lawmakers were fretting about the stateâs budget. With millions of Floridians out of work, sales tax revenues dried up and state agencies were facing deep cuts.
But in a dramatic turnaround, sales tax revenues rebounded and Congress sent Florida billions in stimulus dollars, allowing lawmakers to go on a spending spree this year.
State lawmakers on Friday signed off on a record $101.5 billion on the state budget that has left both Republicans and Democrats happy â mostly.
Flush with $10.2 billion American Rescue Plan funding from Congress, Republicans are using it to cross off longstanding issues and plug holes in the budget created by the pandemic.