Jacksonville-area lawmakers are seeking millions of dollars in state money for projects ranging from teen centers to roadwork, hospital beds and a naval museum in Downtown Jacksonville.
House members from the First Coast filed 60 proposals for Local Support Grants, unassigned money in the state budget for local projects and programs. Together, the Jacksonville-area proposals amount to more than $34 million.
The proposals are among 747 statewide seeking a share of $634.5 million. In many cases, they are projects that Gov. Ron DeSantis vetoed from the state budget last month.
These proposals were submitted in Northeast Florida:
Rep. Robert Charles Brannan III, R-Maccleny
- Crossroad Fire Station, $400,000.
- Suwannee County Catalyst Site Wastewater Collection Lines, $2.6 million.
- Baker County Senior Life Enrichment Center, kitchen equipment, $100,000.
- NE Bell Road Extension from U.S. 41 to County Road 25, $1 million.
Rep. Tracie Davis, D-Jacksonville
- Breaking Da Cycle Reentry Education and Employment Program, $627,000.
- Edward Waters University Preserving Centennial Hall, $1 million.
- Housing for Disabled Elders, $500,000.
- Habitat for Humanity of Jacksonville, down payment and land acquisition costs, $400,000.
- Jacksonville Urban League Economic and Community Development Foundation Community and Veterans Empowerment Center, $1.9 million.
Rep. Wyman Duggan, R-Jacksonville
- USS Orleck naval museum, $1 million.
- Wolfson Children's Hospital, Pediatric Behavioral Health Unit (psychiatric inpatient beds), $2.6 million.
- READ USA Teen Tutoring and Workforce Development, $250,000.
- Emerald Trail, Segment Three, $1.4 million.
- KIPP Capacity Building, Science Lab, Bold City High School, $250,000.
- Veteran Supportive Services for Untreated Mental Health and Opioid Addiction, $503,104.
- Endocarditis and Substance Abuse Treatment, $646,803.
- The Veteran Transformational Community Base Training, $300,000.
- Jacksonville Association of Fire Fighters Historic Training Tower Restoration, $327,000.
- Florida Teacher Recruitment, Teach for America, $250,000.
- Maritime Industry Virtual Training Program — Capt. Sandy's Charities, $225,000.
- Jacksonville University College of Law, $1.5 million.
- Jacksonville Farmers Market and Resource Center, $1 million.
- Child Guidance Center — Failing Drain Field and Physical Site Concerns, $300,000.
Rep. Sam Garrison, R-Fleming Island
- Clay County Animal Services Shelter and Care Facility, $500,000.
- Ready4Work + Diversion, training for low-level offenders, $525,000.
- Clay County Regional Sports Complex, $500,000.
- Clay County Substance Abuse Recovery Center, $1 million.
- Florida Senior Veterans Assistance Fund, $250,000.
Rep. Angie Nixon, D-Jacksonville
- Juvenile Culinary Apprenticeship Program, $398,000.
- Teen Leaders Teen Centers, $123,000.
- Molding Minds Street Outreach Program, $150,000.
- Treating Trauma Now, behavioral health needs of at-risk youth, young adults, veterans and their families, $100,000.
Rep. Cyndi Stevenson, R-St. Johns
- Hurricane Shelter Storage and Performing Arts Center, $250,000.
- St. Johns County Prince Road Drainage Project, $750,000.
- St. Johns County Summer Haven River Study, $400,000.
- Field of Dreams Accessibility Expansion, $600,000.
- West Augustine Community Gardens, $150,000.
- tag! Children s Museum Infrastructure, $952,000.
- Near Peer Coaching for Postsecondary Success, $500,000.
- Habitat for Humanity of St. Augustine / St. Johns, Volusia Woods affordable housing, $1.4 million.
- St. Johns County Medication Assisted Treatment Facility and Capacity Expansion, $187,500.
- West Augustine Health and Wellness Center, $750,000.
Rep. Clay Yarborough, R-Jacksonville
- Jacksonville Beach Madrid Stormwater Pump Replacement, $150,000.
- School of Success Academy Facility Upgrade, $250,000.
- Jacksonville Historical Society, Jacksonville Area Music Museum, $380,000.
- Enhancing Faith Partnerships to Prevent Child Removals, $50,000.
- Empowering Older Youth in Foster Care for Better Outcomes, $200,000.
- Florida State College at Jacksonville, Veterans Center renovations, $403,830.
- Neptune Beach Wastewater Treatment Facility, $500,000.
- University of North Florida — Proactive Management Strategies for GTM Research Reserve, $350,000.
- Voices for Florida: Open Doors Outreach Network, $495,000.
- Aquaponics and Educational Farm, $500,000.
- Impacting Community: Expanding Opportunity and Access to Jacksonville's Timucuan Parks and Preserves, $250,000.
- Nassau County Spring Lake Estates Drainage Improvements, $200,000.
- Sulzbacher Enterprise Village, $500,000.
- Nassau Habitat for Humanity, land acquisition and operational support, $500,000.
- Town of Hilliard — 6th Street Paving Project, $225,000
- Sundberg Road Improvements, $300,000.
- The Lodge by the Arc Jacksonville, A Mental Health Group Home, $500,000.
- COPD Readmissions Program — Community Hospital Partnerships, $500,000.
Details about all of the state proposals are available here.
Republicans, who dominate the Legislature, accounted for 540 of the proposals, totaling $498.7 million. Among those proposals were 64 measures, worth $70.2 million, that matched items vetoed by DeSantis.
With 207 proposals totaling $135.85 million, Democrats made 29 requests that corresponded to $8.2 million in DeSantis vetoes.
The Joint Legislative Budget Commission, which is made up of House and Senate members, will have two months to decide which proposals to approve.
Information from the News Service of Florida was used in this report.
