First Coast Connect: Breaking down the budget

After much bitterness, delay and a two-week extended special session, the state House and Senate finally coalesced around a $114.5 billion budget, including $30 billion for K-12 education, more than $500 million for Everglades restoration and $425 million for the Rural and Family Lands program. But what lies beneath? Investigative reporter Jason Garcia breaks down what he calls “the more interesting line items, tax breaks and policy changes embedded” in the 501-page document, including money for a Mike Huckabee-aligned anti-Communist school curriculum, tax cuts for casinos and a program to test wastewater for explosives and narcotics that some believe could be used to track the use of abortion medications as well. If you have a budget question, you can call us on air at 904-549-2937 or email [email protected]. Guest: Jason Garcia, investigative reporter, creator of Seeking Rents newsletter and podcast Change in sight A Jacksonville ophthalmologist who surgically restores sight for patients who can’t afford the procedure shares his vision for changing healthcare. Dr. Jeffrey Levenson founded the Gift of Sight more than three decades ago, a program providing free cataract surgeries to the uninsured or medically indigent. His work has become part of an ongoing partnership with Vision Is Priceless and, in 2023, a viral collaboration with YouTube megastar MrBeast, which restored vision to 1,000 people around the world. Levenson, who’s given two Ted Talks advocating for greater access to cataract treatments, notes, “Half of all blindness in the world is people who need a 10-minute surgery.” We talk about the eye opening nature of his work in indigent healthcare. Guest: Dr. Jeffrey Levenson, ophthalmologist, board member/partner physician, Vision Is Priceless Peace and poetry A local event honoring the legacy of one of Jacksonville’s most preeminent writers offers a chance for young, budding poets to amplify their voices and stories. The 2026 James Weldon Johnson Young Writers Festival invites students in grades 3-12 to attend three days of workshops and activities centered around poetry, creative writing, book design and more. This year’s theme is “Our Voices Matter — What Peace Looks Like To Me,” with students asked to submit a poem or monologue to perform for a chance to qualify for scholarships and prizes. The festival also showcases local luminaries, including Action News Jax anchor Tenikka Hughes and award-winning filmmaker and author Nola D. Oracle. The festival will be held from 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. June 10-13 at the Jacksonville Main Library. The deadline for students to register is Tuesday. Guests: Sharon Coon, founder, Friends of Brentwood Public Library Inc. and James Weldon Johnson Young Writers Festival Nehemiah Cooper, elementary winner, JWJ Young Writers Festival See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.