Nassau winners and losers in FY 2017-18 state budget

Submitted by Suanne Z. Thamm
Reporter – News Analyst
June 5, 2017 1:00 a.m.

Florida Governor Rick Scott on Friday, June 2, 2017, signed the $83 billion state budget into law, but not before vetoing $11.4 billion in education projects and $410 million in special legislative projects. Scott and the Legislature have been at odds over funding for Visit Florida, Enterprise Florida and primary education. The Legislature will reconvene on Wednesday through Friday this week to work out differences with the Governor.

Of the 24 Nassau County special legislative projects approved for the FY2017/18 Budget by the Florida Legislature, it appears that Governor Rick Scott has vetoed six, totaling $4,590,000:

• Town of Callahan’s Volunteer Fire Department Radios – $40,000
• Port of Fernandina- Multipurpose Dock Crane and Warehouse – $3,000,000
• Nassau Council on Aging – Feeding Seniors – $500,000
• Nassau County Courthouse Emergency Repairs – $300,000
• Nassau County Public Safety Training Center – $500,000
  Nassau Oaks Subdivision Roadway Improvements (HB 3089) – $250,000

Surviving Scott’s veto pen are 18 other special legislative projects, totaling $28,465,249:

• Fernandina Beach North Fletcher Basin Stormwater Treatment – $500,000
• Port of Fernandina Berth Dredging – $3,650,000
• Nassau County Veteran’s Treatment Court – $150,000
• Starting Point Behavioral Healthcare – Integrated Care Teams – $200,000
• Public Schools Workforce Education Program Funds – $592,368
• Northeast Florida Fair Association – $256,855

CULTURAL AND MUSEUM GRANTS

• Amelia Island Chamber Music Festival, Inc. – $11,178
• Amelia Island Museum of History – $11,489
• Les Demerle Amelia Island Jazz Festival – $2,316

EARLY LEARNING SERVICES

• School Readiness – $1,421,833
• Voluntary Prekindergarten Program – $1,596,284

HISTORIC PRESERVATION GRANTS

• Fernandina Beach Historic Resources Survey Update – $40,000
• Fernandina Beach Main Street Start-Up Funding Assistance – $25,000

ROAD PROJECTS

• Bailey & Simmons Rd from Sports Complex to Fletcher Avenue – $1,127,351
• SR 15 (US1) from Alligator Creek to Beginning of C&G (2 proj) – $12,245,450
• Pages Dairy Rd from Felmor Rd to Chester Rd – $1,250,000
• SR A1A (SR 200) from Amelia River Bridge to Centre Street – $5,385,125

Many had speculated that Governor Scott would veto the entire budget, but that did not happen. The short Special Session that Scott has convened for June 7-9 will produce some revisions to the budget, but the action on special legislative projects appears final.