Florida TaxWatch published its annual Budget Turkey Watch Report, laying out $598.7 million in projects that either were inserted into the budget late in negotiations between the House and Senate, bypassed existing grant processes, could be duplicative, taken from trust funds not dedicated to that project’s purpose or tied to a bill that didn’t pass.
- Florida TaxWatch doesn’t recommend Gov. Ron DeSantis veto them but does ask for additional scrutiny by the governor before signing off on the budget.
Why this matters: The 2023-24 state budget contains a record number of member projects—more than 1,540 projects worth approximately $3.2 billion. The amount is even more remarkable when one considers there are 160 legislators.
Dig Deeper
Local Projects – Total $26.475 million
Whiting Aviation Park Taxiway and Apron Construction $1.5 million
Historic Pensacola – three items totaling $1.3 million
Flight Adventure Deck, a STEM to STAY Education and Scholarship Program $1.675 million
UWF Critical Infrastructure- Satellite Utilities Plant Phase I $10 million
UWF Southside Residence Halls Demolition $5 million
PSC Career and Technical Charter Academy $7 million
- Download Budget Turkeys Final