Governor Ron DeSantis signed Florida’s $115 billion Florida budget Monday, but not before he vetoed $1.35 billion overall, including nearly $600 million in line-item vetoes.
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The governor’s veto list included about $8.5 million in projects from Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.
Local projects to be vetoed included more than $1.6 million for the expansion of a new Educational Research Center for Child Development at the University of West Florida.
Elsewhere in Escambia County, DeSantis eliminated $1 million from a funding request for property acquisition for the Carpenter Creek and Bayou Texar stream restoration projects in Escambia County.
Also, a $1 million request from the Emerald Coast Utilities Authority for compost improvements was cut.
RELATED: DeSantis cuts recurring state funding for Florida public media
A request for $350,000 to support Escambia County’s use of Shot Spotter as part of its gun violence reduction plan also was rejected.
In Santa Rosa County, the governor vetoed an $850,000 request for the extension of the taxiway at Whiting Aviation Industrial Park. Additionally, an $850,000 request to preserve 27 acres of wetlands in Santa Rosa County was vetoed.
The vast majority of the local items vetoed, totaling more around $7 million, were put forth by Pensacola Rep. Alex Andrade, who has fallen out of favor with DeSantis. As chairman of the Health Care Budget subcommittee, Andrade led a House investigation into $10 million in state Medicaid settlement funds sent to Hope Florida. The nonprofit organization was started by First Lady Casey DeSantis.
Just over $1 million in items sponsored by Pensacola Rep. Michelle Salzman, who also had a temporary rift with the governor over HB 1321, which would require State University System presidential searches be public.
Among her projects to be cut, $375,000 for the Havens of Hope Foundation to improve critical infrastructure for senior care facilities, $350,000 for mental health rural outreach, and $250,000 for the Florida Lighthouse At-Risk Youth Mentorship Program operated by the Omega Lamplighters.
The governor vetoed about $780,000 in funding requests in Okaloosa County, including $750,000 for traffic improvements to Hollywood Boulevard in Fort Walton Beach.
Just one project from Walton County, $5,000 for the Paxton Medical Clinic, was on the veto list.
More than $15 million in Northwest Florida projects will be funded. Among the local projects that did make it through, most were sponsored by Senator Don Gaetz. The District 1 Senator sponsored $14 million for local projects, including $3.5 million for Andrews Institute Research for regenerative medicine, $3.5 million for the Connecting the Collectors Environmental Impact Statement to alleviate congestion on Highway 98 in Navarre, and $1.5 million for the Blues Angels Foundation for veterans services.
Gaetz and Andrade also sponsored $646,000 for the Pensacola Little Theatre Family Arts Education Expansion.
Rep. Salzman and Gaetz sponsored $125,000 for Historic Pensacola.
A handful of projects sponsored by Andrade did make it into the budget, including $400,000 for the Jay Business Park stormwater pond and $975,000 for the Pensacola and Perdido Bays Estuary Program.
Local projects vetoed:
See the full list here
ESCAMBIA COUNTY
- $1,667,400 for a new Education Research Center for Child Development at UWF (Andrade) $3,334,800 was requested
- $1M – Escambia County Carpenter Creek/Bayou Texar Stream Restoration Property Acquisition (Andrade) $2M was requested
- $1M Emerald Coast Utilities Authority Compost Improvements (Andrade)
- $375,000 Havens of Hope Foundation – Senior Services Critical Infrastructure Improvements (Salzman). $750,000 was requested
- $350,000 Boys Town Florida: Lift with Boys Town School Initiative (Andrade) $450K requested
- $350,000 for Escambia County Gun Violence Reduction (ShotSpotter Pens/Esc) (Andrade). $840,000 was requested
- $350,000 NAMI FL –Rural Outreach for Mental Health (Salzman) $500K requested.
- $250,000 Florida Lighthouse At-Risk Youth Mentorship Program (Omega Lamplighters). (Salzman)
- $145,000 1 Brain Bag Early Literacy Program (Studer Community Institute program) (Andrade)
- $75,000 for Palafox Market Restrooms (Andrade). Full request was $150,000.
- $62,500 OnBikes (to provide new bikes, helmets, etc. to underprivileged & foster children in Esc & SR counties (Andrade)
- $50,000 Pouring Foundations - Transitional Housing Project (Salzman). $300K was requested.
SANTA ROSA COUNTY
- $850,000 Extension of the Taxiway at the Whiting Aviation Industrial Park (Andrade)
- $850,000 Soundside Land Conservation and Preservation (to preserve 27 acres of wetlands in Santa Rosa County (Andrade)
- $375,000 Jay Emergency Generator Replacement – Andrade (HF 2710)
- $275,000 Traffic Improvements at the entrance to NAS Whiting Field (Andrade). $550K was requested
- $150,000 Veterans Treatment Court in Santa Rosa County (Andrade)
OKALOOSA COUNTY:
- $750,000 for Fort Walton Beach Hollywood Blvd Traffic Improvements - Maney
- $15,000 Bridgeway Center (Pre-Trial Unit Kitchen) – Maney
- $15,000 Bridgeway Center (Medication Assisted Treatment) – Maney
WALTON COUNTY:
- $5,000 Paxton Medical Clinic (Abbott). $205,000 was requested.
