Education & Nutrition Funding (ENUF) for Floridians Act (2026)

Purpose

This plan:

• Invests in kids, teachers, and workers
• Protects small businesses and families
• Asks large corporations and luxury markets to contribute more
• Is budget-balanced, with a surplus
• Focuses on long-term economic strength, not short-term politics
  

In short: This policy feeds kids, pays teachers fairly, supports working families, and strengthens Florida’s economy—without raising taxes on most Floridians.

Strengthening Florida’s Future:

• Making sure kids aren’t hungry at school
• Paying teachers competitively
• Supporting Florida’s working families and small businesses
• The plan raises slightly more than it spends, leaving a small surplus.
• Paying for it responsibly—without raising taxes on most Floridians

• No new taxes for most Floridians
• 98% of Florida businesses are NOT affected by these taxes.

Revenue Sources:

• Large corporations only

• Corporate tax applies only to companies with 125+ employees
• Professional service tax applies only to very large firms (200+)

• Luxury tourism

• Small surcharge on high-end hotels and vacation rentals

• Closing corporate tax loopholes used by multi-state companies
• Cannabis sales tax (adult-use only)

• Sales to minors remain illegal with strong penalties

Key Benefits

1. Better Pay for Teachers

• Sets a clear minimum salary tied to inflation, not politics

• About $45,000–$47,000 depending on experience
• Helps retain experienced teachers and keep classrooms stable

2. School Meals That Help Families

• Free lunch for every public school student (about 2.9 million kids)
• Free breakfast for lower- and middle-income students
• Free meals for school staff, helping districts retain workers

• Reduces family grocery bills and improves student focus and health

3. Stronger Local Economies

• Higher teacher pay leads to nearly $1 billion in local spending
• Small businesses benefit without paying higher taxes
  

4. Tourism Helps Pay for Schools

• Visitors cover about 12% of education costs, easing pressure on residents
  

5. Job Growth

• Legal cannabis market expected to create 25,000+ jobs

6. Long-Term Economic Gains

• Better nutrition and bilingual education raise lifetime earnings
• Kids grow into healthier, more productive adults
• Lower healthcare costs over time
• Positions Florida as a stronger international trade and tourism hub

7. Responsible Budgeting

• The plan is fully funded
• Produces a $100 million annual surplus
• Surplus is reinvested in:

• Science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM)
• Language, arts, and creative programs—especially in high-need schools

More Details

​Annual Costs:

$4.95 Billion

• ​$1.40 Billion — Teacher Salaries (min 1.45x min wage adjusted for inflation):

• Minimums of $45,240 (Years 1–3)
• $46,800 (Years 4+)

• ​$2.60 Billion — Universal Student Lunch: Free for all 2.9 million students.
• ​$0.65 Billion — Targeted Student Breakfast: Free for the lowest 50% of earners.
• ​$0.30 Billion — Staff Meals: Free breakfast and lunch for 350,000 employees.

​Annual Revenue:

$5.05 Billion

• ​$1.60 Billion — Cannabis Tax: 30% total excise tax on adult-use sales.  Maintain ban on under 18 years old sales.  Heavy fines for under 18 sales or distribution (person and/or company: misdemeanor).
• ​$1.35 Billion — Large-Firm Service Tax: Professional services (firms with 200+ employees).
• ​$1.05 Billion — Corporate Income Tax: 7% rate for companies with 125+ employees.
• ​$0.60 Billion — Luxury Lodging Surcharge: 3% fee on high-end rentals and hotels.
• ​$0.45 Billion — Combined Reporting: Closing multi-state corporate tax loopholes.

​Equity & STEAM Excellence Fund ($100M Surplus)

• ​$70 Million — Title 1 "STEAM-Plus" Initiative: Priority for Foreign Language Arts, Performing Arts, and Creative Arts hubs.
• ​$30 Million — Statewide STEAM Grants: Professional development for multilingual and art-integrated instruction across all districts.

Projected Economic Impact Table

Net Annual Surplus: $100 Million (Allocated to Equity & STEAM Fund) when surplus is netted.

Addendum 1: VPK Workforce Wage Stabilization

• ​Mandatory Wage Floor: All Lead and Assistant VPK Instructors shall receive a minimum hourly wage increase of $1.45.
• ​Salary Parity: Establishes a state-funded supplement of $32 million annually to ensure no VPK staff member earns less than the projected adjusted cost-of-living floor.
• ​Section 2: Provider Reimbursement Adjustments

• ​Base Student Allocation (BSA) Hike: To offset the $1.45 wage mandate for private and public providers, the VPK BSA is hereby increased from $3,029 to $3,219 per student.
• ​Operational Protection: Prohibits providers from reducing instructional hours or student seats to cover mandated wage increases.

• ​Section 3: Fiscal Impact Summary

• Total Addendum Appropriation: $466,199,644

• Direct Wage Supplements:  $32,000,000
• BSA Increase: +$190 per student

• Derive from additional taxable income increases and/or adjustment of state budgets to provide cap with rollup over a 5-10 year period to fund.