The New Sunshine Deal budget launch was a big success in Tallahassee 

The New Sunshine Deal budget, the House Democrats alternative to Republicans budget, included a larger tax cut for working families than Governor Ron DeSantis’ proposal, calls for the expansion of Medicaid, a 13 percent pay raise for teachers and fully funded affordable-housing programs. You can read the full budget here and share these positive news stories below.

  • WFSU: “Governor DeSantis’ budget allocates $335 million in tax cuts for families. The Democrats raise this to $525 million for what Representative Amy Mercado calls a working families tax rebate program.”
  • GateHouse Media: “In their new deal, Democrats would use $524 million of this new money to finance a Working Families Tax Rebate program, similar to the federal earned income tax credit.”
  • News Service of Florida: “The plan seeks a tax-rebate program for working families, expansion of Medicaid, a 13 percent pay raise for teachers and fully funded affordable-housing programs. The measure also seeks to provide a cut in the sales tax on commercial leases, which has long been a red-meat item for business groups.”
  • Orlando Sentinel: “The ‘New Sunshine Deal’ would use about $524 million of those revenues to give low-income families an average $500 tax rebate. House Democratic Leader Kionne McGhee of Miami said the plan was designed to focus on working families that Republican leaders have ignored.”
  • Florida Phoenix: “McGhee and other Democrats will have a chance to advance some of their spending proposals in the form of separate bills and amendments to other legislation. For instance, McGhee has a bill (HB 1411) that would create a state tax rebate program for low- to moderate-income working families. If the families meet the eligibility requirements of the federal Earned Income Tax Credit program, they would qualify for a state rebate in the range of $500 per year, he said.”

You can find the Spanish version of the budget HERE and if you haven’t followed the Florida Democratic Party’s new Spanish language twitter account CLICK HERE and follow us!