Following an extended session, the Florida Legislature approved its budget for the next fiscal year, including more than $230 million for Alachua County projects.
Gov. Ron DeSantis still needs to approve the budget as the new fiscal year approaches July 1. DeSantis criticized the long session, lasting an extra 45 days, and said the state Senate and House should have finished the budget during the regular session.
He also anticipated $500 million in vetoes to the proposed $115 billion budget, which is more than $3 billion less than the current budget. Last year, DeSantis vetoed $14 million for eight separate Alachua County projects, along with vetoes on 600 projects around the state.
The majority of 2025 funds earmarked for Alachua County, over $200 million, will flow through the University of Florida, Santa Fe College and state departments (mainly the Department of Transportation).
Approximately $26 million is slated for city, county or private projects in the area.
Of that number, the Florida Department of Agriculture will use almost $5 million on renovation and construction at the Doyle Conner Building, located on SW 34th Street across from Campus USA Credit Union and diagonal from Crunch Fitness.
The Alachua County Public School district will receive around $15 million for voluntary prekindergarten and school readiness programs.
The following projects also have initial approval:
- City of Alachua Wastewater Treatment Facility Expansion: $225,000
- City of Archer Wastewater Connection to Newberry’s Wastewater Treatment Facility – Interlocal Agreement: $1,250,000
- Gainesville Southwest Public Safety Services Center: $1,170,500
- Gainesville Law Enforcement Property & Evidence Hub: $350,000
- City of High Springs North-West Alachua County Utility Improvements: $250,000
- City of High Springs Police Station: $250,000
- City of Micanopy Drinking Water Plant Infrastructure Upgrades: $371,300
- City of Newberry Regional First Responder Training Facility: $500,000
- City of Newberry Electric System Resiliency Project: $350,000
- Save Florida Waters, Inc. Northern Springs Restoration Project: $250,000
- Gainesville Fine Arts Association, Inc: $40,000
- Gainesville Little Theater, Gainesville Community Playhouse: $40,000
- Gainesville Youth Chorus, Inc: $14,619
- Dance Alive National Ballet Center for the Arts: $475,000
- Girl Scouts of Gateway Council Camp Kateri Capital Project: $400,000
- School Readiness Services: $10,782,812
- Voluntary Prekindergarten Program: $3,958,100
- Public Schools Workforce Education Program Funds: $341,518
Santa Fe College and UF will receive portions, $7.9 million and $137.5 million respectively, of the state lottery funds along with potential millions for other projects.
In capital funds, UF is listed to get $47.5 million for the dental sciences building, $8 million for the Hamilton Center for Classical and Civic Education, $25 million for the Norman Fixel Institute for Neurological Diseases and $5 million for a School of Music Building Addition.
In addition to its annual budget, UF/IFAS is slated for $6.9 million, split between forestry education, Florida shellfish aquaculture, animal disease research and animal agriculture industry science and technology.
I have little critical understanding of these budgetary allotments, some of them seem superfluous. Why would state tax dollars be used for projects benefiting local residents with regard to playhouses or ballets etc.? Are these funds issued as loans, or grants? Is there any oversight from the state level? I see no indication of oversight at all to insure these funds are spent for their intended purposes, which we know Gainesville has a history of violating. If anyone with better understanding could clarify, I would be most appreciative, as Google seems to point to several articles which include divergent information.
I don’t understand. Why shouldn’t the state fund “playhouses or ballets”? And besides, the totals for those items are minuscule when compared to some of the real wastes, such as “$8 million for the Hamilton Center for Classical and Civic Education.” UF’s college of arts and sciences already teaches and researches classical and civic education and does it well, has done it for years.
These Items, in my opinion, should be voted on by residents in local elections, to come from local tax dollars. Just my opinion, again, but I don’t see how taxpayers in other counties should be funding these local projects. Maybe I misunderstand the appropriations in these contexts.
Thank you, Seth, for putting together this list of items the legislature has budgeted. Fingers crossed that the items will be signed. We’ll be waiting for your excellent reporting on the final list.
Yes Janice, I agree – thank you Seth!