DeSantis this week held events across the state where he touted $1,000 checks that will be sent to first responders, including police officers, firefighters and paramedics.
Teachers are also in line to get bonuses that will be paid from nearly $7 billion in federal stimulus money included in the state budget passed last week by the Legislature.
“Now he’s hiding his Grinch costume in the closet so he can play Santa Claus with American Rescue Plan funds that Democrats fought alone to secure with zero Republican support,” said U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, a Broward County Democrat, referring to the stimulus plan that President Joe Biden signed in March. “It’s shameless and pathetic. Don’t be fooled, Florida.”
Some want to defund the police.
In Florida, we’re funding them & then some by providing all of our heroes $1,000 bonuses. This represents more than 174,000 first responders across the state!
🚔🚒🚑 pic.twitter.com/ZMcB9T620g
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) May 5, 2021
State lawmakers approved a $101.5 billion budget late last week that, along with the bonuses, included using stimulus money to bolster state reserves and to create an emergency response fund.
“You look at the state budget they just passed out last week, and it's a true 'wow' moment," said U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor, a Hillsborough County Democrat. "The ability of the American Rescue Plan … everything Joe Biden and congressional Democrats worked for is apparent in that state budget.”
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This article appears in May 6-12, 2021.