JAXPORT, nursing programs among Northeast Florida budget cuts

Image via JAXPORT.

Northeast Florida wasn’t spared impact from roughly $950 million in line-item vetoes in the budget, but the impact was spread out across the region and project categories.

One of the area’s most prominent impacts comes from cuts of two nursing programs, each of which was slated for $2.8 million in funding.

Florida State College at Jacksonville was denied $2.8 million for the “renovation, remodel, and expansion” of Nursing Program Facilities, which was a bipartisan priority of Sen. Tracie Davis and Rep. Wyman Duggan.

Jacksonville University GROW Florida Nurses Program was denied $2.9 million for its “unique real-time workforce development approach to growing the nursing and healthcare workforce,” with a special focus on ” psychiatric, rehabilitative, and palliative care.” That request was a priority of Sen. Clay Yarborough and Duggan.

Meanwhile, money for JAXPORT crane rehabilitation, which has been a recurrent budget request, also was cut from the $3 million appropriation initially secured by Yarborough and Rep. Kim Daniels.

A trio of projects for the Nation’s Oldest City will wait another year, with $5 million for West Augustine Septic to Sewer, $3,863,128 for St. Augustine Beach Mickler Boulevard Ditch Erosion Mitigation, and $2 million for St. Augustine Beach Mizell Stormwater Treatment Facility Improvements all getting axed. These were priorities of term-limited Sen. Travis Hutson and Rep. Cyndi Stevenson, and their eventual replacements will have to pursue the money anew in future years.

Nassau County also took an infrastructure hit.

Hilliard’s Rural Water Supply Expansion was funded at $1.85 million, but the project championed by Yarborough and Rep. Dean Black got the veto.

The Governor axed a number of projects that would have cost $1 million or less, including intersection improvements in Jacksonville at Dunn Ave. and V.C. Johnson Rd. that were a priority of Davis.

The Delores Barr Weaver Policy Center likewise won’t end up getting half a million dollars for its “Girl Matters: Continuity of Care” program, a legislative priority of Rep. Kiyan Michael.

Meanwhile, students at First Coast High School will wait another year for $500,000 in state money for a new Pedestrian Signal, as the Davis ask did not compel Gov. Ron DeSantis.

The Governor also denied Neptune Beach $500,000 for Stormwater Improvements, disappointing Yarborough and Michael.

Another project not seeing green in 2024 has green in its name: the $482,500 ask for Growing Green Jobs Jacksonville carried by Davis and Duggan.

Two small-dollar Clay County environmental projects also were cut for a total savings of $800,000, with DeSantis axing Green Cove’s Spring Park Shoreline Resiliency Project and the Black Creek Bike Trail, priorities of Sen. Jennifer Bradley. Rep. Bobby Payne carried the Green Cove ask in the House and Rep. Sam Garrison led on the Black Creek piece.

Nassau County 911 Console Replacements likewise won’t get the $375,000 asked by Rep. Black.

Septic tank phaseout will be further delayed in Atlantic Beach, with the Governor cutting $312,000 for Marshside Septic Tank Elimination.

The Governor’s veto pen also knocked a former NFL Hall of Famer off the line, cutting $303,800 for The Boselli Foundation Mentorship Program despite the best blocking and tackling efforts of Yarborough and Duggan.

In Green Cove Springs, seniors will have to hope for the best this storm season, with $200,000 allocated for an emergency generator at the Senior Center getting chopped out of the budget, disappointing Bradley and Rep. Lauren Melo.

Likewise, $125,000 was cut for the Clay Behavioral Health Center Accessibility Project, which was prioritized by Hutson and Payne.

Meanwhile, the smallest cut for the region involved DeSantis declining to spend $15,500 for Light Up Amelia Bicentennial.