Gov. Ron DeSantis is accusing Delray Beach of “malicious compliance” after the city announced it would stop funding and hosting its signature St. Patrick’s Day parade because of Florida’s new anti-DEI law. In a Nov. 13 post on X, DeSantis said the city’s move was not required by state law and was instead an attempt to make a political point that “legacy media will no doubt try to amplify.” He concluded: “We’ve seen these stunts throughout the years. Rinse and repeat.”
Delray Beach officials were not receptive to the criticism. They said both the DEI law and the governor’s broadside are further examples of Tallahassee eroding home rule, and they argued the criticism conflicts with Republican lawmakers’ push for municipalities to cut back after voters passed the Amendment 3 property tax cut on Nov. 3. The city announced on Nov. 10 that it would no longer host the parade, though officials said they hope private businesses and other sources will fund it. The decision drew national attention, and DeSantis weighed in after ABC’s “Good Morning America” posted about it on social media.
At issue is Senate Bill 1134, which takes effect Jan. 1 and prohibits counties and municipalities from funding, promoting, organizing, or taking official action on activities defined as diversity, equity, and inclusion. That includes programs and heritage events designed or implemented with reference to ethnicity, sexual orientation, or gender. When he signed the bill in April, DeSantis said Floridians should not have to pay for “identity politics with their hard-earned tax dollars.”
Democratic state Rep. Rob Long, whose District 90 includes Delray Beach, rejected the governor’s characterization. “So he can call it malicious compliance all he wants, but I would say this is malicious legislation in the first place,” Long said. He noted that SB 1134 restricts taxpayer-funded programming involving ethnicity while exempting federal and state holidays such as Christmas and Martin Luther King celebrations. Long added that the penalties include removal from office for elected officials. “So if you have the governor ridiculing the city that this city law harms and calling them malicious for being cautious because literally the penalties are for the removal of office of the elected officials,” he said.
Long also pointed to the parade’s economic and cultural significance. By the last estimate, it brought up to 100,000 people to the Palm Beach County tourist and restaurant hub. He noted that Delray Beach Mayor Tom Carney is a Republican of Irish descent who has said his family helped start the parade by underwriting it. The city has also stopped funding its LGBTQ pride festival. “Compliance to make a political point with an event that’s been going on for decades and brings millions of dollars into our city? Of course not,” Long said. “No one wanted to cancel this.”
Delray Beach Commissioner Judy Mollica said the city acted on the advice of its attorney, not out of malice. “The frightening thing about SB 1134 is that it gives any citizen the right to sue its municipality,” she said. Mollica also said the controversy is a distraction from larger problems Floridians face. “Everybody is losing their mind over this. We’ve got ICE raids, affordability issues, people losing their insurance, and by God, we’re upset about St. Patrick’s Day parade.”
The dispute is not DeSantis’ first clash with Delray Beach. The city was among those that refused to paint over a rainbow LGBTQ intersection when ordered to do so; the state Department of Transportation later painted it black overnight. DeSantis’ campaign against rainbow crosswalks ultimately led to the elimination of decorative crosswalks in several cities, including the checkered-flag crosswalk in Daytona Beach.