Gov. Ron DeSantis has vetoed at least $49.9 million in projects benefiting the Tampa Bay region, including millions in water, transportation and other infrastructure needs.
The vetoes came as DeSantis signed the state’s $116.5 billion budget, which is down about $1 billion from what lawmakers had approved before the Governor’s line-item vetoes.
DeSantis’ largest veto in the region was $5 million for transportation safety improvements in Bradenton, followed by $3.9 million that had been allocated to the University of South Florida for its Incident Response Simulation Modeling and Healthcare Professionals Training Program.
DeSantis also took out his red pen to slash $3 million each for a Pinellas and Pasco County affordable homeownership program and STEM program enhancements for Florida Polytechnic University in Lakeland.
In another blow to Bradenton, DeSantis also axed $2.2 million for a sanitary sewer lining program.
Losing out on $2 million each are a workforce and attainable housing initiative in Sarasota; a complete streets program in Plant City; and a transportation project on Lithia-Pinecrest Road in Hillsborough County.
Enhancements to the Little Manatee River South Fork Bridge lost out on $1.5 million in state funding, while DeSantis vetoed $1.1 million to replace the Willow Marsh boardwalk in St. Petersburg.
Vetoes also hitting seven-figures included $1 million vetoes for emergency generators replacement in Pinellas County; a water main replacement in Safety Harbor; living shoreline enhancements in the Palmetto Beach neighborhood of Tampa; water quality and living shoreline improvements for Tampa Bay Watch; infrastructure renovation in Oldsmar; intersection improvements at East Lake Road and Keystone Road in north Pinellas County; street milling and resurfacing in Madeira Beach; and road improvements and ADA compliance in Safety Harbor.
“Some of the stuff I don’t think was appropriate for state tax dollars. Some of the stuff are things that I support but that we have state programs for,” DeSantis said at a budget signing ceremony Wednesday.
The budget year begins July 1.
Other Tampa Bay area funding that didn’t survive DeSantis’ veto pen include:
— $850,000 for Phase II of the Dunedin EOC and North County Fire Training Center.
— $820,000 for hurricane response and preparedness at Ruth Eckerd Hall.
— $800,000 for the Pinellas Park rehabilitating master station No. 30 and replacing its force main.
— $750,000 for the Live Tampa Bay Bridges 2 Recovery program.
— $750,000 for road improvements as part of the Rainbow Village redevelopment.
— $750,000 for the Pebble Beach bridge.
— $714,000 for Clearwater Armory site revitalization.
— $680,000 for AMPLIFY Clearwater’s IGNITE Entrepreneurship Center.
— $650,000 for water quality improvements in the Ridgecrest neighborhood of Pinellas County.
— $625,000 for seagrass protection and boating access at Bradenton Beach.
— $600,000 for the Land’s End pedestrian walkway at Blind Pass and Sunset Beach.
— $550,000 for North Shore Park Shoreline revitalization in St. Petersburg.
— $540,000 for portable radio replacement for Pasco Fire.
— $500,000 for the Dali Museum for expanding education, innovation and community outreach.
— $500,000 for the ZeroEyes School Safety program in Hillsborough County.
— $500,000 for the Hillsborough County East Energy Resiliency Project.
— $500,000 for roadway and drainage improvements in Treasure Island.
— $500,000 for West Tampa fire rescue station upgrades.
— $500,000 for a St. Petersburg public safety training complex.
— $500,000 for a bandshell at Perry Harvey Park in Tampa.
— $375,000 for stormwater replacement in Dunedin.
— $375,000 for road improvements in Plant City’s Turkey Creek.
— $373,000 for a multiuse emergency operations and community policing complex in Kenneth City.
— $350,000 for the Police Athletic League of St. Petersburg.
— $312,000 for Harbour Island access improvements in Tampa.
— $200,000 for Pinellas Park water quality improvements.
— $200,000 for a Temple Beth-El St. Petersburg security initiative.
— $200,000 for emergency generators for Palm Harbor Fire Rescue.
— $150,000 for a Largo stormwater quality improvement project.
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