Santa Rosa escaped governor's veto pen. All projects totaling $13.2M make final budget. (2024)

Santa Rosa County survived the governor's veto pen unscathed, with all $13.2 million worth of projects making the final budget. Escambia County wasn't as fortunate, but did come out with $52.5 million, the largest chunk of which is going to the University of West Florida.

The original $117 billion budget passed by the Florida Legislature included $77 million in one-time spending for projects, organizations and programs in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties. That was reduced to $71 million after the dust settled Thursday.

Across the state, $511 million was vetoed, bringing the final state budget to $116.5 billion. That's a far cry from 2022 when Gov. Ron DeSantis vetoed $4 billion.

Santa Rosa County - $13.2 million

Santa Rosa County is set to get several infrastructure projects from the state including $1 million for the Milton Riverwalk and $1.5 million for taxiway upgrades at Whiting Aviation Park.

The city of Gulf Breeze also picked up a win with $2.3 million approved for a new pedestrian overpass over U.S. Highway 98.

$2.5 million - Andrews Institute regenerative medicine research - sponsored by Rep. Alex Andrade, R-Pensacola and Sen. Doug Broxson, R-Gulf Breeze.
$150,000 - Re-Entry Alliance of Pensacola Inc. for Santa Rosa County - sponsored by Rudman and Broxson.
$1.5 million - District 1 Medical Examiners Facility Planning, Design and Construction - sponsored by Andrade and Broxson.
$1 million - Milton Riverwalk South - sponsored by Rudman and Broxson.
$500,000 - Milton Community Center expansion project - sponsored by Rudman and Broxson.
$500,000 - Milton Locklin Lake restoration project phase two - sponsored by Rudman and Broxson.
$1.5 million - Whiting Aviation Park taxiway and apron construction - sponsored by Rudman and Broxson.
$1 million - Woodbine Road and U.S. 90 intersection improvements - sponsored by Rudman and Broxson.
$141,476 - Navarre Beach Fire Rescue District fire vessel - sponsored by Rudman.
$2.3 million - Gulf Breeze shared-use overpass - sponsored by Broxson and Chaney.
$2.1 million - University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension West Florida student dorms in Jay - sponsored by Broxson.

Approved projects that serve both Santa Rosa and Escambia counties

Among the 44 local appropriation items passed in this year's budget, six projects provide services to both Escambia and Santa Rosa counties. All of the items made the final budget.

$1.9 million - Northwest Florida estuary water quality protection and restoration - sponsored by Broxson.
$1 million - Blue Angels Foundation; Funding for (post traumatic stress) protocol to reduce veteran suicide - sponsored by Andrade and Broxson.
$143,000 - Brain Bag Early Literacy Program - sponsored by Andrade and Broxson.
$1 million - Historic Pensacola preservation efforts in both counties - sponsored by Broxson and Rep. Joel Rudman, R-Navarre.
$1.3 million - Community Land Trust: affordable housing in Northwest Florida for the workforce and active duty military through Pensacola Habitat for Humanity - sponsored by Broxson and Rep. Linda Chaney, R-St. Pete Beach.

Escambia County projects vetoed by DeSantis

$5 million - UWF Southside Residence Halls demolition - sponsored by Rep. Michelle Salzman, R-Pensacola and Sen. Doug Broxson, R-Gulf Breeze.
$200,000 - Pensacola Beach northern gateway design - sponsored by Broxson and Rep. Linda Chaney, R-St. Pete Beach
$103,000 - Palafox Market Public Restrooms - sponsored by Chaney.
$593,000 - WUWF-FM Pensacola, replace obsolete backup generator - no listed sponsor.
$100,000 - WSRE-TV Pensacola, replace studio transmitter link - no listed sponsor.

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Escambia County projects included in final budget

Appropriations to construction projects at UWF make up the bulk of appropriation going to Escambia with $31.1 million going to the UWF campus. The funds include a new science and engineering research wing for $21.1 million and a new satellite utility plant for $10 million.

Here's a complete list:

$850,000 - Escambia County Gun Violence Reduction - sponsored by Rep. Alex Andrade, R-Pensacola and Broxson.
$1.6 million - Flight Adventure Deck, A STEM to STAY Education and Scholarship Program - sponsored by Andrade and Broxson.
$521,500 - National Flight Academy - sponsored by Andrade.
$500,000 - Re-Entry Alliance Pensacola Inc. for Escambia County - sponsored by Andrade and Broxson.
$975,000 - Institute for Human and Machine Cognition (IHMC) HVAC replacement - sponsored by Salzman and Broxson.
$440,000 - Escambia County Gulf Beach Highway drainage and outfall project - sponsored by Andrade and Broxson.
$7 million - PSC Career and Technical Charter Academy - sponsored by Andrade and Broxson.
$1 million - Escambia County Fire Regional Training Facility - sponsored by Salzman and Broxson.
$500,000 - Health and Hope Clinic Mental Health Wing - sponsored by Salzman and Broxson.
$500,000 - Capstone Adaptive Learning and Therapy Centers - sponsored by Salzman and Broxson.
$2.1 million - Lakeview Center Short-term Residential Treatment expansion - sponsored by Broxson
$15,500 - Escambia Search and Rescue response equipment - sponsored by Salzman and Broxson.
$10 million - UWF satellite utilities plan phase 1 - sponsored by Salzman and Broxson.
$21.1 million - UWF Science and Engineering Research Wing - sponsored by Broxson.
$500,000 - Pensacola Interstate Fair livestock barn restoration - sponsored by Salzman.
$130,626 - Lakeview Center Student Workforce Development Program - sponsored by Salzman.
$750,000 - Nonie's Place Children's Therapy Center pilot program - sponsored by Salzman and Broxson.
$628,500 - Century Well No. 3 replacement - sponsored by Salzman.
$1.3 million - Town of Century Freedom Road Bridge replacement - sponsored by Salzman and Broxson.
$1.2 million - Brent Affordable Housing for workforce and active duty military through Pensacola Habitat for Humanity - sponsored by Broxson and Chaney.
$700,000 - Gen. Daniel "Chappie" James Memorial Plaza - sponsored by Broxson.
$182,000 - NISSI Survivor Center - sponsored by Broxson.
$750,000 - Veterans Memorial Park Restroom and Education Center - sponsored by Chaney.