Municipalities from Boynton Beach to Jupiter, along with dozens of nonprofits, stand to lose more than $21 million in state funds as a result of the administration’s actions. Ron DeSantis‘ line-item vetoes affecting 40 projects in Palm Beach County.
DeSantis vetoed about 700 items statewide, amounting to nearly $950 million. As governor, he has the power to cut the budget presented to him by the legislature.
The largest cut in Palm Beach County was the loss of $2 million to rebuild County Road 880 in Belle Glade. Other major cuts included $1 million for expanded use of an emergency shelter at the South Florida Fair for disabled residents and $500,000 for Phase II construction of Green Cay, a project that will treat recycled water and replenish groundwater supplies throughout the region.
Assistant County Administrator Todd Bonlarron said the county will seek alternative funding sources for all three projects and that none should be delayed by the cuts.
It wasn’t all bad news for Palm Beach County. Some of the largest budget appropriations were not cut. Amongst them:
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$81 million for an early learning services program
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$32 million for a voluntary preschool program
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$10 million for a technology center at Palm Beach State College
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$5 million for the expansion of the Cox Science Center and Aquarium project in West Palm Beach
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$2.8 million for a traffic signal upgrade in downtown West Palm Beach
Palm Beach County public funding for the historic restoration of Peanut Island remained intact at $1 million, as did the restoration for the Lake Worth Lagoon seagrasses at $270,500, but Palm Beach County Fire Rescue lost $385,000 for water vessels.
Some of the county’s poorest communities — Riviera Beach, South Bay, Belle Glade and Mangonia Park — were among those that fared the worst.
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Riviera Beach lost $850,000 for pavement improvements and a project to build a new fire station on Singer Island.
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South Bay lost nearly $1.2 million due to flood control and improvements to Southwest 12th Avenue.
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Belle Glade lost $450,000 replacing sidewalks and demolishing abandoned structures.
South Bay City Manager Leondrae D. Camel said funds from the state budget would have helped address flooding, which often makes it difficult for first responders to respond to emergency calls. He noted the city already has one of the highest millage rates in the province, so raising the rate won’t be an option.
Camel said the city will pursue other state and federal grants to make up for the shortfall.
Local Democrats; Vetos have a greater impact on those ‘least able to afford these cuts’
The cuts did not go unnoticed by Democratic lawmakers, who successfully worked with their colleagues to include the funding in the state budget.
State Sen. Bobby Powell, D-West Palm Beach, said the vetoes impact “the people who can least afford these cuts to vital infrastructure, maintenance and education programs. These insensitive and cruel cuts were not made by a man who weighed the pros and cons before abandoning a project. These cuts have been made by a man who targets the select group who support his political ambitions, and ignores the majority who have been left behind.”
Art and museums: DeSantis vetoes money in the state budget, shocking Florida cultural organizations
Powell pointed to the vetoes against projects in Riviera Beach, South Bay and Belle Glade. He said it will be difficult for these cities to get money to implement these projects.
State Rep. Mike Caruso, R-Delray Beach, said he was also disappointed with some of the cuts but noted that DeSantis was consistent with what he did across the state. He also said the governor had no intention of targeting low-income communities.
“These are judgmental decisions he’s making. He wants to limit expenses as much as possible. He has been very careful about spending taxpayer money. And overall, I’m pleased with the amount left in the budget for Palm Beach County,” Caruso said.
Sen. Lori Berman, D-Boynton Beach, said she wished DeSantis had contacted lawmakers before cutting what she called vital programs. “I think we could have convinced him not to make some of them,” she said.
A $250,000 rebate from the Delray Beach nonprofit EJS Project was especially difficult, Berman noted. “This is a group that is doing great work. They needed that money,” Berman said. EJS works with students to “engage in meaningful dialogue about racial equity and leadership,” according to its website, adding that its desire is to help every teen succeed.
Boynton Beach took the biggest hit in the county: a total of $3 million
No city in the county has suffered as much as Boynton Beach.
The city wanted to replace a 50-year-old culvert with a bridge. The state budget provided $1.2 million for the project, but DeSantis pulled the funds from the state budget. The company also lost $600,000 for a generator for its 911 communications center and another $1 million to replace a boat ramp that has structural problems.
In total it amounted to $3 million.
The arts in Palm Beach County also suffered from DeSantis’ vetoes
There is opposition to DeSantis across the state over his cuts to the arts. Statewide, he wiped out $32 million in state grants for arts and culture, and Palm Beach County absorbed his share; more than $2.3 million was cut from the state budget. Among the 45 who saw cuts of more than $50,000 were:
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Boca Raton Museum of Art
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Center for Creative Education
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Creative City Cooperative of Delray Beach
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Lighthouse Arts Center
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Loxahatchee River Historical Society
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Palm Beach Opera
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Kravis Center for the Performing Arts
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The Henry Morrison Flagler Museum
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Creative City Cooperative of Delray Beach
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Friends of Mounts Botanic Garden
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Palm Beach County Historical Society
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Loggerhead Marine Life Center
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Lynn Conservatory of Music
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Maltz Jupiter Theater
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The Lake Worth Playhouse
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The Morakami
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Village of Royal Palm Beach
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Village of Wellington
Mike Diamond is a journalist at The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. He deals with Palm Beach County government and transportation. You can reach him at mdiamond@pbpost.com. Help support local journalism. Subscribe today.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: DeSantis vetoes felt in Palm Beach County with $21 million hit
