Gillespie and Littlejohn Discuss Florida's State Budget and Vetoes on Florida Specifier Podcast

Adams & Reese Tallahassee Government Relations Advisor Patrick Gillespie and Senior Policy Advisor Jeff Littlejohn recently appeared on the Florida Specifier Podcast alongside hosts Brett Cyphers and Ryan Matthews to discuss Florida's newly finalized state budget and Governor Ron DeSantis's line-item vetoes.

The episode unpacks the roughly $1.7 billion in vetoes the governor issued this year, among the largest of his eight-year tenure, and what they mean for land conservation, water quality funding, and local governments.

Topics include the $425 million allocated to Rural and Family Lands for a third consecutive year, the continued lack of funding for the Water Quality Improvement Grant despite $2 billion in prior applications, and a notable shift in this year's vetoes toward municipal projects. The discussion with Gillespie and Littlejohn also addresses a pending ballot initiative regarding Florida's homestead exemption and its potential effects on local environmental funding, as well as previews of the July/August Florida Specifier edition and the upcoming 40th Annual Environmental Permitting Summer School. 

The Florida Specifier is among the first state-based news sources in the country published for environmental professionals. The podcast, produced by the editorial board on which both Gillespie and Littlejohn serve, covers policy insights and industry updates and is a must-listen for environmental professionals, policymakers, and anyone invested in Florida's natural resources.

Listen to the full episode, "Meet the Board: July/August Specifier Edition Preview," on the Florida Specifier Podcast.