TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WFLA) — State lawmakers met at the capitol this week for “legislature university” where they touched on hurricane recovery, the state’s insurance market, and of course, the annual budget.
Passing a balanced budget will be a big priority, and News Channel 8 met one-on-one with House Speaker Daniel Perez (R-Miami) to hear more on his approach when balancing the budget next session.
Perez shared that he plans to not only take a deep dive into government spending, but to hold those accountable who are not spending taxpayer dollars properly.
“Making sure that we’re not just spending it properly on the front end, but that the accountability is there on the back end,” Perez said.
When balancing the state’s budget, lawmakers remind each other that they need to take a note from everyday Floridians who budget their money daily.
When asked how the house speaker felt about the way the state previously budgeted, Perez shared, “When I first came into the legislature, which was seven years ago, the budget was around $85 billion. Today, we’re hovering at about $115 billion, so that’s a significant increase in only seven years.”
One way Speaker Perez acted on the states spending concerns was by making a committee name change, going from “Appropriations committee” to the “Budget committee.”
“Although insignificant in the grand scheme of things, to me it was important because it was a signal to Florida and to our constituents that we’re not just worried about appropriating, but we’re worried about budgeting money and making sure that we’re spending it and holding it accountable,” Perez said.
Besides the state’s budget, across the aisle, Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell (D-Tampa) says her constituents want to see insurance rates drop, more affordable housing, and access to healthcare.
Driskell shared that while they will continue to fight for those matters, she has concerns with working with the majority party on social issues.
“One thing that I’ve seen in Florida, particularly since DeSantis has been governor, is that those issues are starting to have outsized impact, and it makes it more difficult for parties to work across the aisle,” Driskell said. “But I still have hope and optimism based on past legislative sessions. I’ve been in the legislature for six years, I know that when it comes to those economic issues, we’ll find a pathway.”
State lawmakers will meet for committee meetings next week for a total of six weeks before session begins in March. Speaker Perez says the House is ready, the Senate is ready and hopes for the best ahead.
