Gov. Ron DeSantis said Monday he will request $25 million in next year’s state budget to restore the Freedom Tower in Miami.
Now an art museum and tied to Miami Dade College, the building on Biscayne Boulevard was used in the 1960s to process Cuban refugees.
“It's getting close to being 100 years old, and it does need some major repairs, and some restoration needs are needed to ensure that it'll continue to stand here as a symbol of freedom and opportunity for decades to come,” DeSantis said while at the Freedom Tower.
DeSantis also used the appearance to continue criticizing the Biden administration for inaction after a July 11 uprising in Cuba.
“I think that they're missing a historic opportunity to be able to make common cause with people who just want to be able to live in freedom, want to be able to have a voice in the public affairs of their country, and want to move beyond this communist dictatorship,” DeSantis said.
Lt. Gov. Jeanette Núñez called the tower “the embodiment of the American dream.”
DeSantis described the funding proposal as “a layup” for the Legislature and said he will likely roll out his entire budget proposal for the 2022-2023 fiscal year in early December. DeSantis’ proposal will be a starting point as lawmakers negotiate a budget during the legislative session that starts in January.