Nick DiCeglie seeks $100M+ in state budget for local projects, including nearly $42M for USF

a lot of money - a million US dollars in cash

Sen. Nick DiCeglie is asking his colleagues to include more than $100 million in the state budget for fiscal year 2024-25, including higher education priorities and local projects.

DiCeglie has filed a total of 59 appropriations requests (61 are listed, but two are duplicates) totaling $101,895,665.

His top ask is for the University of South Florida St. Petersburg Campus — a higher education anchor in DiCeglie’s Pinellas County-based District 18 — for the Environmental and Oceanographic Sciences Research and Training Facility.

DiCeglie requested $35.9 million for the facility, to be used to complete the remodel and construction of the facility, which will house the Florida Flood Hub for Applied Research and Innovation and “allow faculty, researchers, students and staff to work collaboratively on degree programs and research in environmental and oceanographic sciences, including on flood mitigation and coastal resiliency.”

Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Legislature appropriated last year $24.34 million for the project. But in May of 2022, DeSantis vetoed $75 million that had been approved through the legislative budget process.

DiCeglie also requested $6 million for the USF Florida Institute of Oceanography to remodel and modernize a 117-foot marine research vessel that was donated to the program.

Other top requests include $7 million for the demolition of Pinellas Suncoast Fire and Rescue Station No. 27 and construction of a new station. The current building is 58 years old and is not in compliance with Americans with Disabilities Act requirements, has mold problems and is not built to modern hurricane codes. Nevertheless, the building still serves as an administrative headquarters for Fire and Rescue.

Another top-dollar request is for a 75-acre land acquisition in Pinellas County that would provide land and water conservation through the Southwest Florida Water Management District. DiCeglie requests $4 million, which does not include any local or federal matches.

Other top funding priorities from DiCeglie include $2.5 million for a multipurpose immersive theater at the Florida Holocaust museum; $2.5 million for the FLUFF Animal Rescue for its shelter facility; $2 million for Friends of Strays shelter renovations; and $2 million for workforce housing.

DiCeglie’s district covers most Pinellas beaches and his funding requests reflect that, with several funding requests for infrastructure needs along the Gulf beaches.

That includes $2 million for street resurfacing in Madeira Beach; $1.2 million for a water main in St. Pete Beach; $1.1 million for North Shore Park shoreline revitalization, which is on Tampa Bay; $1 million for roadway and drainage improvements in Treasure Island; $800,000 for stabilization and hardening at Treasure Island’s Kingfish Park; and more.

Other requested funds include:

— $2 million for the city of Gulfport Multipurpose Senior Center.

— $2 million to reduce the Meals on Wheels of Pinellas County waitlist.

— $2 million for ARK Innovation Center at Pinellas County Schools.

— $1.8 million for psychosocial rehabilitation and work readiness program improvements.

— $1.5 million for road improvements at Rainbow Village.

— $1.3 million for water quality improvements in the Ridgecrest neighborhood.

— $1.1 million for water quality improvements in neighborhoods from 133rd Ave. N. to 126th Ave. N.

— $1.06 million for AMIkids family-centric services.

— $1 million for a Cross Bay Ferry Dock.

— $1 million for phase II of a Pinellas County water transportation project.

— $1 million for Tampa Bay Thrives youth mental wellness support.

— $1 million for a public safety training complex.

— $950,000 for YMCA early childhood education expansion.

— $850,000 for Operation PAR’s integrated care project.

— $800,000 for Pinellas Park Rehabilitating Master Station No. 30.

— $800,000 for Learning Independence for Tomorrow, Inc.

— $750,000 for the Police Athletic League of St. Petersburg for a pre-teen room.

— $750,000 for The Florida Holocaust Museum for the preservation of testimonies and artifacts.

— $750,000 for SPCA of Tampa Bay for shelter renovation.

— $750,000 for a PARC commercial kitchen renovation.

— $747,000 for a multiuse emergency operations and community policing complex in Kenneth City.

— $680,000 for the AMPLIFY Clearwater Chamber Foundation’s IGNITE Entrepreneurship Center.

— $599,087 for a pedestrian walkway in Sunset Beach.

— $590,500 for the Ocean Conservancy to improve water quality in Tampa Bay.

— $550,000 for Temple Beth-El St. Petersburg for security.

— $510,000 for a Largo Public Library renovation project.

— $500,000 for 211 Tampa Bay Cares for disaster support services.

— $500,000 for a Redington Beach stormwater valve project.

— $499,247 for mentoring and wraparound services for fatherless youths.

— $475,000 for Friends of the Children in high schools.

— $445,000 for a 3D/augmented reality lab at the Tampa Bay Innovation Center.

— $438,000 for the Law Veterans Institute and Veterans Advocacy Clinic at Stetson University College of Law.

— $425,000 for resilient stormwater outfall structures in St. Pete Beach.

— $400,000 roadway and intersection improvements at the intersection of 60th St. and Park Blvd. in Pinellas Park.

— $400,000 for the Best Buddies jobs project.

— $400,000 for Pinellas Park water quality improvements.

— $360,000 for emergency response, security and school hardening.

— $358,936 for Eckerd College Search and Rescue.

— $300,000 for a Largo stormwater quality improvement project.

— $300,000 for High School High Tech 2.0.

— $300,000 for STEPS for Success.

— $250,000 for the American Legion national convention.

— $244,525 for correctional officer electronic tablets.

— $225,000 for the Operation PAR administrative services building roof replacement.

— $200,000 for seawall replacement in Madeira Beach.

— $20,000 for Hand Up Pinellas.