New budget year brings boost in Florida spending
TALLAHASSEE — Florida’s new $88.7 billion budget took effect Sunday, but that doesn’t tell the whole story about spending on education, health care, transportation and other state programs in the new fiscal year.
Projected spending in 2018-2019 is greater than the budget bottom line because lawmakers and Gov. Rick Scott approved 16 bills during the 2018 legislative session that included additional funding totaling nearly $610 million.
The $89.3 billion in spending is $4.36 billion higher than the 2017-2018 budget year that ended Saturday, representing more than a 5 percent increase. It is more than $20 billion higher than the $69 billion 2011-2012 spending plan, which was the first under Scott, who leaves office in January because of term limits.
The state’s largest expenditures in 2018-2019 will be on human services, which include Medicaid and other health-care programs, accounting for 43.3 percent of the spending. Education will be the second-largest component at 28.5 percent.
Read more: http://www.news-journalonline.com/news/20180701/new-budget-year-brings-boost-in-florida-spending
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The increased funding is a way to boost support
