Florida TaxWatch 'Turkey List' Flags $829.7M in State Budget

Florida TaxWatch is urging Gov. Ron DeSantis to veto $829.7 million in the state's $114.5 billion budget, and Treasure Coast residents should check whether local projects made the watchdog group's annual cut list before the spending plan takes effect July 1.

The Tallahassee-based nonprofit released its 2025 "turkey" list this week, identifying 621 line items it says lack sufficient justification or transparency. The list targets everything from a $50 million appropriation tied to a proposed new stadium for the Tampa Bay Rays to scores of member projects inserted by individual legislators — the kind of spending critics call stealth earmarks.

DeSantis holds line-item veto power over the budget, and Florida TaxWatch has delivered its list as a roadmap for the governor to exercise that authority. Whether he acts on the recommendations — and how deeply he cuts — will directly affect which state-funded projects survive into the new fiscal year.

For Treasure Coast residents, the stakes are real. State budget line items have historically funded road and bridge work in Martin, St. Lucie, and Indian River counties, environmental restoration along the St. Lucie River, affordable housing programs, and local agency operations. Any project funded through a member appropriation is potentially vulnerable to a veto if TaxWatch flagged it.

The $50 million stadium item drew the most attention in this year's release. Critics have long questioned whether taxpayer funds should subsidize professional sports venues, and TaxWatch's decision to target it signals the group's continued scrutiny of major one-time appropriations.

The group's annual turkey list dates to 1983 and carries weight in Tallahassee, though DeSantis is not bound by its recommendations. In recent budget cycles, governors have vetoed hundreds of millions in spending after reviewing similar lists.

The budget takes effect July 1. DeSantis has not publicly indicated how many of the 621 flagged items he intends to veto. Residents with questions about specific Treasure Coast appropriations can search the Florida Legislature's budget database at flsenate.gov or review the full TaxWatch turkey list at floridataxwatch.org.

This article was generated with AI assistance using publicly available information. It was reviewed and approved by a human editor before publication. TC Sentinel uses AI writing tools in accordance with FTC guidelines.