DeSantis vetoes $30M in South Florida projects from largest state budget in history
Flush with cash from robust state revenues and federal funds, South Florida legislators packed the state budget with a record amount of local projects, and on Thursday Gov. Ron DeSantis erased tens of millions of dollars of them as he slashed a record $3.1 billion in line-item vetoes.
In total, the governor cut about $30 million that would have supported at least 43 South Florida projects — including a new South Miami police station, funding for Miami-Dade County’s Ludlam Trail for walking and cycling, $1 million for Little Havana senior services and a Broward Health program that helps front-line workers prevent healthcare-associated infections.
The local vetoes came on the same day the governor signed a record $109.9 billion spending plan for the fiscal year that starts July 1 while touting how the state’s in good financial shape. That juxtaposition has already drawn some criticism.
“The governor vetoed a significant number of public safety, infrastructure and quality-of-life projects. Exacerbating the significance of these vetoes is the objective reality that future funding requests for the same initiatives will be introduced at much higher amounts because of inflation,” said Sen. Jason Pizzo, D-Miami. “This demonstrates, yet again, the governor chooses petty partisanship over sound fiscal policy.”
READ MORE: Florida lawmakers approve $112 billion budget, largest in state history
The budget is packed with nearly all of DeSantis’ spending priorities, including $200 million in federal relief dollars to supplement a month-long cut to the state’s gas tax in October, $12 million to relocate migrants in Florida to other parts of the country, $10 million to reactivate the Florida State Guard with a force of up to 400 volunteers, and $50 million for a job growth grant fund.
Many of the big-ticket budget items that were left intact will also have an impact in South Florida.
For instance, the budget includes 5.38% pay raises for all state workers and a commitment that no state workers will earn less than $15 an hour. It includes additional pay raises for prosecutors and public defenders that will range from $5,000 to $10,000. The pay raises will take effect July 1.
Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle urged lawmakers to include the additional funds in the budget to remedy what she called “shamefully low salaries” for prosecutors and public defenders across the state.
What local projects didn’t make it onto the budget?
▪ Pinecrest Water Line Extension Project, $3.9 million
▪ City of South Miami New Police Station, $3.5 million
▪ Ludlam Trail Corridor, $2 million
▪ Miami Springs Erosion Control and Stabilization of Drainage, $2 million
▪ Miami Roadway Reconstruction & Installation of Traffic Calming Devices, $1.5 million
▪ Broward Health — Healthcare Associated Infections Reduction Pilot Program, $1 million
▪ Museum of Discovery and Science Pathways to Resilience, $1 million
▪ Little Havana Activities and Nutrition Centers — Homemaking and Companion Services for the Elderly, $1 million
▪ Coral Gables Mobility Hub, $975,000
▪ Aventura 213th Seawall Repair, $850,000
▪ Coral Springs — Public Safety/Public Works Building Hardening Project, $800,000
▪ Golden Beach Landfall Bunker, $750,000
▪ Bay Harbor Islands Emergency Generator Backup, $725,000
▪ Village of Virginia Gardens — City Hall ADA Upgrades and Emergency Shelter, $600,000
▪ Crandon Boulevard Intersection Improvements, $600,000
▪ Medley NW 78th St & NW 77th St. Water Distribution System Upgrades, $500,000
▪ The ARC Broward — Culinary Emergency Food Safety and Security, $500,000
▪ Homestead Law Enforcement Technology Upgrades: Community Oriented Policing Services, $500,000
▪ Florida Memorial University Cyber Innovation Hub, $500,000
▪ Miami Zoo fixed capital outlay, $500,000
▪ City of Hallandale Beach — Mental Health Wrap Around Services, $469,024
▪ Bal Harbour Village ADA Compliant Park Enhancements, $425,000
▪ Lauderdale Lakes Greenway Trail, $402,995
▪ Town of Golden Beach Wellness Center, $400,000
▪ West Park Cultural Facilities Development, $400,000
▪ Sunrise Community Regional Policing — Crime Prevention Program, $375,000
▪ Tamarac ADA Compatible and Smart Park Enhancements Caporella Park, $300,000
▪ West Park Neighborhood Traffic Calming Plan Phase 1, $300,000
▪ Sunrise Senior, Veteran and Children’s Educational and Wellness Center, $300,000
▪ Nova Southeastern University — Enhanced Funding to Support Individuals with Autism/DD, $300,000
▪ Senator Howard C. Forman Human Services Campus — Compass Place Independent Living Expansion, $294,145
▪ Barry University Nursing and Health Professional Simulation Program, $276,483
▪ Seniors are not Alone — Miami-Dade County, $250,000
▪ Florida International University — Washington Center Scholarship, $250,000
▪ Downtown Flagler Street Lighting Project, $200,000
▪ Pembroke Park Bicycle/Pedestrian Infrastructure Improvements, $195,000
▪ Miami River Commission, $150,000
▪ Miramar Parkway LED Streetlight Improvement, $150,000
▪ Cooper City Comprehensive Traffic Calming Study and Implementation, $125,000
▪ K-9 Behavioral Enrichment & Training to Enhance Rehoming — K-9 Better Miami-Dade, $100,000
▪ Fort Lauderdale Tarpon River Environmental/Maintenance Dredging, $100,000
▪ 2023 Miami International Agricultural, Horse and Cattle Show, $98,850
▪ Miami Gardens High Education Initiative Scholarship Program, $75,000
This story was originally published June 2, 2022 at 7:47 PM.