Gov. DeSantis cuts nearly $7.5M in Tampa Bay appropriation projects

Gov. Ron DeSantis cut about $7.57 million in appropriation projects for the Tampa Bay area in his veto list Wednesday.

The Tampa Bay Area Regional Transit Authority suffered the region’s biggest cut, with DeSantis vetoing the $1.5 million approved appropriation request (HB 2037, SF 2127), filed by Tampa Bay Republicans Sen. Jim Boyd and Rep. Jackie Toledo. DeSantis vetoed a similar appropriation for the agency last year, too.

He also slashed a $1 million appropriation for Pasco-Hernando State College’s Instructional and Performing Arts Center.

DeSantis also cut a project filed by Republican Rep. Linda Chaney that sought to fund Gulfport’s Linear Breakwater Park Project, worth $735,000. The project is part of a multi-year city-wide effort to redevelop its Waterfront Marina District, promote eco-tourism, beautify, educate and provide access to its living shoreline, according to the request. The state approved $250,000 in funding last year for the project.

An appropriation request from this year’s sprinkle list for St. Petersburg College’s Midtown Campus digital enhancements also got cut. DeSantis cut the $674,484 in funding for the appropriations project filed by Sen. Darryl Rouson (SF 1419) and Rep. Chris Latvala (HB 2481).

The $400,000 Feeding Tampa Bay FRESHforce Program appropriation was also cut. Sen. Janet Cruz and Toledo filed the requests (SF 1303, HB 2163) for the program, seeking money to increase funding for the workforce training program, especially amid COVID-19 woes. Last year, lawmakers successfully secured $255,000 for the program. 

Another $550,000 for John Hopkins All Children’s Hospital Academic Orthodontic Care was included in DeSantis’ vetoes. The funding sought to provide aid to orthodontic care for complex pediatric patients in the Tampa Bay Area, according to the funding request.

All Tampa Bay projects on DeSantis’ veto list include: 

— Tampa Bay Area Regional Transit Authority, $1.5 million

— Feeding Tampa Bay FRESHforce Program, $400,000

— Summer Bridge Program in Hillsborough County Public Schools, $500,000

— Pasco-Hernando State College – Instructional and Performing Arts Center, $1 million

— St. Petersburg College – Midtown Campus Digital Inclusion and Enhancements, $674,484

— John Hopkins All Children ‘s Hospital Academic Orthodontic Care for Complex Pediatric Patients in the Tampa Bay Area, $550,000

— Baycare Behavioral Health Remote Patient Monitoring Program, $100,000

— St. Pete Urban Youth Farm, $370,000

— Gulfport Linear Breakwater Park Project, $735,000

— Zootampa Panther Medical and Habitat Facility, $200,000

— Crosswalks to Classrooms Tampa, $350,000

— Lois Avenue Complete Streets Project Tampa, $350,000

— Great Explorations Children’s Museum Guest Experience Improvement Pinellas County, $242,260

— The Florida Orchestra: Music Education for All, $600,000