With over one billion dollars in new revenue this year, Florida’s Republican-controlled legislature scrambled to pack the state budget with pork projects for wealthy special interests and top campaign donors. Many of these pet projects with cost Florida taxpayers millions, while public schools struggle with funding that remains below 2007 levels. Instead of making health care and college more affordable, raising the minimum wage, or protecting the environment, legislators lined the pockets of special interests at taxpayer expense.

That is unacceptable and Florida’s students, seniors, and middle class deserve better.

Today, Florida Democratic Party Chair Allison Tant called on Rick Scott to veto the pork in the state budget that just landed on his desk — and send that money to help our public schools. 

Florida Democratic Party Chair Allison Tant said, “Rick Scott left far to much business unfinished in Tallahassee this legislative session. Funding for Florida’s public schools is still seven years behind. It’s long past time Rick Scott made investing in Florida’s children a priority.”

“Rick Scott should use his veto pen and cut every pork-barrel project in the budget — and he should direct the Republican legislature to invest that money in education. With over a billion dollars in new revenue this year, there’s no excuse for public schools not to be fully funded. Florida’s kids must come first,” said Tant.