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Ron DeSantis Inaugurated as Florida’s 46th Governor
Ron DeSantis has just taken the oath of office to become Florida’s 46th Governor. Before a standing room only audience on the steps of the Historic Old Capitol, Governor DeSantis shared his vision to secure Florida’s future.
Governor DeSantis’ inaugural address (excerpts below) focused on a stronger, safer and cleaner Florida, and emphasized Florida should not veer off course – that we must continue to make Florida competitive.
“Let’s promote a virtuous cycle whereby low taxes, a reasonable regulatory climate, a sensible legal system and a healthy environment attract jobs, business and investment – particularly in the areas of technology, manufacturing and finance. An expanding economic base will yield more high-paying jobs for our citizens and is the best way to generate the revenue needed for public priorities like education, protecting our natural resources and infrastructure.” – Governor DeSantis on the Economy.
Echoing much of the Florida Chamber’s pro-business focused position, DeSantis talked about how Florida is leading the country in attracting businesses from other states with burdensome regulatory environments, giving Florida the competitive advantage.
“Too many states have sought to match runaway public expenditures with ever-increasing levels of taxation. This creates a vicious cycle that leads productive citizens to flee, repels investment and leaves their people overburdened, with less opportunity to prosper, and badly damages the fiscal health of these states.” – Governor DeSantis on the Economy.
To further improve educational opportunities, Governor DeSantis called for placing a greater emphasis on vocational and technical training, and on empowering parents to choose the best education for their children
“In a large and diverse state, our education system needs to empower parents to choose the best possible school for their children. One size does not fit all. No family should be denied the opportunity for their child to succeed due to insufficient income or to living in the wrong zip code.” – Governor DeSantis on Education.
Governor DeSantis also highlighted the need for convenient, accessible healthcare and doing away with red tape while continuing to focus on quality outcomes and care.
“The escalating cost of medical care, prescription drugs and health insurance has wreaked havoc on family budgets, priced many out of the market entirely, and has put significant stress on our state budget. The current system is riddled with perverse incentives, intrudes on the doctor-patient relationship and is mired in bureaucracy and red tape. The people of Florida deserve relief.” – Governor DeSantis on Healthcare
And with an eye toward the Florida Supreme Court, Governor DeSantis promised to end judicial activism – a move that will help reform Florida’s “judicial hellhole” status.
“…Judicial activism ends, right here and right now. I will only appoint judges who understand the proper role of the courts is to apply the law and Constitution as written, not to legislate from the bench. The Constitution, not the judiciary, is supreme.” – Governor DeSantis on the Judiciary.
Also during inaugural ceremonies, Ashley Moody was sworn in as Attorney General, Nikki Fried took the oath to serve as Commissioner of Agriculture, and Jimmy Patronis received his oath for a full four-year term as Chief Financial Officer.
The Florida Chamber proudly welcomed Governor DeSantis and Lt. Governor Nuñez and their bold vision to secure Florida’s future via a billboard just blocks from inaugural festivities. Stay tuned for news updates on the DeSantis/Nuñez administration, including anticipated Supreme Court picks.