TALLAHASSEE — Lower gas prices and rising consumer confidence prompted state economists on Monday to boost revenue estimates for next year’s budget by $622 million.
The calculations improved the odds that Gov. Rick Scott will deliver on his campaign promise to cut taxes and fees, which lawmakers must approve. When Scott first announced a plan in late August to slash taxes and fees by $1 billion over the next two years, state economists were projecting next year’s budget to have a surplus of only $336 million.
But after a daylong conference Monday, economists upped the projected surplus to $958 million.
“I look forward to working with the Legislature to cut taxes by $1 billion over the next two years and increase K-12 per-pupil funding to the highest level in our state’s history this coming year,” Scott said in a statement.
