Less than a month after Polk County likely secured $6. 2 million in state grants, cash is no longer on the table.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis missed the June 30 deadline without approving special appropriations for the Florida legislature. As a result, the $175 million investment will return to the state’s overall budget.
The Legislative Budget Committee, taking advantage of surpluses from this year’s session, voted in September to award 238 “local grants” statewide. Sen. Kelli Stargel, R-Lakeland, chaired the committee, with Rep. Jay Trumbull, R-Panama City, serving as vice chair.
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Rep. Josie Tomkow, R-Polk, is also a member of the committee, which consists of seven state senators and seven representatives.
The legislature spent cash on grants in this year’s budget, along with a $1,000 bonus fund promised to first responders. Florida’s overinvestment for grants and other projects comes primarily from the federal budget provided to alleviate the COVID-19 pandemic.
Lawmakers were able to apply for one-time rewards for “local governments, educational entities or personal systems for local initiatives,” according to official Florida House guidelines.
Here are the thirteen grants that would have funded projects in Polk County:
In addition, One More Child, a Lakeland-based nonprofit, won $5 million for a campus for youth and families in Sarasota.
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DeSantis did not release an explanation for his decision not to approve the grants and did not respond to a request for comment made via The Ledger on Friday morning.
Lakeland officials have been investing in an educational center in Se7en Wetlands for years. The legislature included $800,000 for the appropriation in 2018, but then the government. Rick Scott vetoed the article. DeSantis vetoed $400,000 allocated to Se7en Wetlands in 2020 and cut a $5 million budget line for a school included in this year’s budget.
“I am disappointed that a resolution has been made to postpone the education of Polk County scholars by not offering an outdoor learning lab at Se7en Wetlands,” Lakeland Mayor Bill Mutz said in a text message. “Discovering and understanding the critical importance of herbal wastewater remedy in a designated conservation domain is critical for our scholars.
“I hope this resolution will be reviewed by our governor in popularity of the desire to raise awareness about water conservation,” he added. “Adequate availability of water for the citizens of Florida is a very sensible priority as our state’s population continues to grow rapidly. “
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Rep. Colleen Burton, R-Lakeland, submitted the investment request for Se7en Wetlands in this year’s budget. Burton, who is now running for the Florida Senate, responded Friday to a request for comment.
Stargel and Tomkow also responded to requests for comment Friday morning.
Rep. Melony Bell, R-Fort Meade, filed 3 appropriation investment requests at Fort Meade that the legislative committee included in the $175 million package. He appointed Fort Meade City Manager Jan Bagnall as the applicant for the chimney truck, shelter and half-equestrian. and Wendy Dodge, Polk County Public Schools lobbyist, for the sports fields.
Bagnall said Friday morning that he was not aware of the governor’s resolution and was not in a position to comment. A 1986 engine, the application says.
Bell said last month that he has been at an equestrian center in Fort Meade since his time with the Polk County Commission about 8 years ago. The Polk County Commission has allocated $6 million to the Fort Meade Outdoor Recreation Area Equestrian Center in next year’s budget.
Tomkow implemented the $808,600 grant for New Beginnings High School, a charter school engaged with at-risk students with campuses in Lakeland, Winter Haven and Fort Meade. The budget would have covered the prices of 3 study laboratories.
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Tomkow also implemented investments for IT and cybersecurity innovations at the Peace River Center, a Bartow-based nonprofit focused on supporting behavioral health. Their request stated that the computer formula experienced significant downtime due to infrastructure weaknesses and spam.
Rep. Sam Killebrew, R-Winter Haven, requested $500,000 to improve stormwater drainage and shoreline stabilization at Clinch Lake in Frostproof. in the app
Respectnts reported erosion on the east side of Lake Clinch through Hurricane Ian last week. The erosion broke a power pole, causing a loss of strength in about 50 houses, a local respectnt said.
Burton requested $450,000 for systems founded at Lakeland Linder International Airport in Lakeland. The money was intended to help forge a long-term strategic plan for the systems, according to his request.
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The $457,500 grant for Southeastern University’s School of Excellence Pathways would have provided a house on campus, allowing students to learn skills and apply them in a real-world setting, the school said last month. Pathways is a middle and high school program for students. with special needs.
Republican lawmakers proposed nearly two hundred of the 238 appropriations approved, the Florida News Service reported. Republicans have giant majorities in both chambers.
Florida’s legislature passed a $112. 1 billion budget measure this year that benefited from an injection of federal aid funds. DeSantis eliminated $3. 1 billion in article vetoes.
Gary White can be reached at gary. white@theledger. com or 863-802-7518. Follow @garywhite13 on Twitter.