Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ move to distribute a one-time bonus of $1000 to first responders and teachers via a private contractor received backlash, Fox News reported.
The Florida Departments of Education and Economic Opportunity signed contracts worth a total of $3.6 million with Fidelity to distribute the checks on behalf of the state. The governor was accused of using the bonuses to score political points.
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“They could have just sent the money to school districts at no cost to taxpayers,” Andrew Spar, president of the Florida Education Association told Tampa Bay Times. “It sounds like the governor’s wasting money.”
State Rep. Anna Eskamani, a Democrat, called the political move “a joke” in a tweet on Thursday. “Gov. Ron DeSantis wants his name on these $1000 bonuses which not only costs extra money but also takes more time AND it’s not Florida money. It’s money from the American Rescue Plan.” she tweeted.
According to Fox News, DeSantis, in a May statement, called the bonuses for first-responders “a small token of appreciation,” adding that “we can never go far enough to express our gratitude for their selflessness.”
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