Senate Appropriations Chairman Ed Hooper: Hits and Misses in Florida's 2026 Budget

Crafting a budget for a state of more than 23 million people means working with a dizzying number of stakeholders and trying to please some of Florida's most powerful political leaders. An even-tempered onetime fireman with nearly two decades of legislative experience, Senate Appropriations Chairman Ed Hooper might be the perfect person for the job. The senator joins "Between the Lines with Dara Kam" from State Affairs this week to discuss the hits and misses of the $114.5 billion state spending plan finalized just days ago. Hooper reflects on his time in the Legislature and digs into a perennially thorny issue that will bring lawmakers back for a sixth special session this year: property taxes. The senator and Dara give listeners a primer on the dramatic reduction in property taxes proposed by Gov. Ron DeSantis and dig into the plan's potential economic and political fallout. Plus, the Little White Chapel in Las Vegas! Visit pro.stateaffairs.com/florida for more.