Orlando-area Senators call on Gov. DeSantis not to veto stormwater projects

ed lee road, flooded, trees, wet, flood flood flood flood flood, floods floods floods floods water, rescue, emergency, high water, road, street, van, home, submerged, creek, flooding, emerald coast florida, inland, bear creek, bay county, panama city, florida, weather, sally, sky, tropical, background, landscape, view, outdoor, nature, season, forecast, damage, hurricane, storm, water, disaster, wind, flood, danger, climate, destruction, usa, break, rain, dirty, washout, construction, catastrophe

Two Orlando-area Senators want Gov. Ron DeSantis to spare stormwater projects when he takes his veto pen to the budget.

Democratic Sens. Linda Stewart of Orlando and Victor Torres of Kissimmee cited recent floods and the decision by the Orlando City Council last week to hike stormwater fees in calling on DeSantis to keep their stormwater projects.

“Homeowners are getting hit from all sides right now, for years we have proposed appropriation projects to help our Central Florida communities deal with storm water and sewer issues,” Torres said in a released statement. “We have walked through knee deep water in our communities, and seen firsthand how our population growth has affected our water system.”

Stormwater fees in Orlando will jump 52%-131% over the next four years.

Torres specifically named the Whitted Neighborhood Water System, which is set to receive $1.45 million in the budget passed by lawmakers in March — if DeSantis doesn’t erase it. The funds will buttress the $850,000 federal funds to extend St. Cloud’s potable water system to an African American neighborhood, which will “provide safe drinking water and fire fighting water” to the area, according to the Senate request form for the project.

Stewart wants DeSantis to keep $750,000 for upgrades to the Belle Isle stormwater system, which will add to the $2.5 million in local funding for the project.

“Securing funding for sewer and storm water projects for our communities has been an important priority of our Central Florida delegation,” Stewart said in a released statement. “Having the state fund much needed renovations to our water systems will help reduce the financial burden placed on residents for these kinds of upgrades.”

The request form for the project says it is needed to improve Belle Isle’s “antiquated” system following flooding brought by Hurricane Ian in 2022.

DeSantis hasn’t formally received the budget (HB 5001) from the Legislature yet. When he does, he’ll have 14 days to act on it.