TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — As Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Legislature continue their feud over immigration, the governor proposed a $115.6 billion budget for next fiscal year, along with a recommendation to add $505 million to the current budget for state and local law enforcement agencies to help federal officials deport unauthorized immigrants.

The governor’s proposal delivers $2.2 billion in tax breaks, including a two-year repeal of the business rent tax and a new “Second Amendment” tax break on guns and ammunition. He also wants to reduce the state government workforce by 741 positions and spend millions of dollars for raises for teachers, law enforcement offices and fire fighters.

DeSantis touted the state’s economic growth, low unemployment and healthy revenues as indications of the success of the policies he and the Legislature have followed since he took office in 2019.

“Now’s the time to build on that success. We’re showing that you can be fiscally responsible, respect taxpayers and still deliver on your budget priorities and needs,” DeSantis told reporters at the Capitol Monday.

The governor’s budget is a recommendation to the Legislature, which will craft the state spending plan in its regular upcoming 60-day session that begins March 4. The Legislature may incorporate some or none of the governor’s recommendations.

“The Governor’s budget proposal focuses on grabbing headlines and trying to keep him relevant in the national spotlight while leaving Florida’s families behind,” said House Democratic Leader Fentrice Driskell of Tampa. “Florida is becoming too expensive for many Floridians, with the cost of insurance, groceries, and health care skyrocketing faster our wages.”

Last week, in a rare act of defiance, the Legislature rejected a raft of immigration bills backed by the governor in favor of its own bill, which carries $515 million to support law enforcement efforts combatting illegal immigration. Upset that the bill would strip his authority over immigration enforcement and place it with the Commissioner of Agriculture, an elected statewide cabinet position, DeSantis had promi sed to veto the bill.

DeSantis also last week launched a social media campaign denouncing the legislature’s bill as weak, saying his was much stronger more in line with President Donald Trump’s vision for immigration enforcement.

But Monday he confirmed that he and legislative leaders have been discussing a compromise on the immigration bill.

“We’ve had great discussions and I think we’re going to be able to land the plane,” DeSantis told reporters, reminding them that he endorsed many current sitting senators when they ran for office.

“They’re listening to the voters and hearing from them on what they expect,” DeSantis said. “I think last week was an aberration.”

The Legislature’s action marked the end of six years of friendly cooperation between the executive and legislative branches, which saw the Legislature giving DeSantis most of what he asked for.

Lawmakers further exerted their independence from the governor by overriding $57 million in vetoes that targeted legislative support services and could override additional vetoes even while preparing next year’s budget.

“Everything is on the table,” House Speaker Danny Perez, R-Miami, told Jim DeFede of CBS Miami’s “Facing South Florida” Sunday morning.

DeSantis did not answer a question about the budget veto.

DeSantis’ $115.6 billion “Focus on Fiscal Responsibility” budget request is $3 billion less than the current budget and also offers a slew of tax breaks and debt reduction proposals to help achieve his goal of reducing state debt by 50% by 2027-28. His plan calls for maintaining a budget reserve of $14.6 billion — more than 12.5 % of the total budget.

He also noted the state’s rainy fund has grown from $1.5 billion to nearly $5 billion during his time in office.

“DeSantis is so out of touch that he brags about ballooning the ‘rainy day fund’ … while so many needs are going unmet,” Driskell said. “Ask any teacher in Florida and they’ll tell you that money is desperately needed to help our kids get the best education possible.”

DeSantis proposed $118 million in raises for 4,700 state law enforcement officers and more than 730 firefighters. He also wants to spend $246 million more on public school teacher salaries and increase the per-student spending on K-12 education $22 per student, to $9,205 per student. Despite those gains, Florida still has among the lowest average teacher pay and per-student spending in the nation.

Many of DeSantis’ budget proposals are focused on immigration enforcement. He proposes giving the Division of Emergency Management $505 million in the current year to help with federal enforcement efforts. And he proposes giving the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission $4.4 million to create a special immigration enforcement unit consisting of wildlife and marine patrol officers.

The governor’s Budget also provides $1.7 million to establish the Office of SecureFlorida at the Department of Commerce to enforce E-Verify compliance, which is used to make sure employers hire workers legally allowed to be employed in the United States. Last week, lawmakers criticized the DeSantis administration for failing to warn any businesses for failing to comply with E-Verify in the last three years, which prompted the department to send out 40 notices last week.

DeSantis proposed $2.2 billion in tax breaks, including a repeal of the $1.6 billion business rent tax, $296 million in temporary tax holidays for consumers, the tax break on guns and ammunition, and $170 million in savings for first-time home buyers.

In addition to continuing popular sales tax holidays for disaster preparation, back to school and summer recreation, he also proposed a new two-month marine fuel tax break for boaters.

He also said his budget funds residents on the the waiting list for the popular My Safe Florida Homes renovation program, in addition to the $100 million in recurring funds from last year.

“All in all, this is a really good place for Florida to be in,” DeSantis said.

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