Legislative asks - Legislature completes budget. Now waiting for Gov DeSantis' line item veto. 2019 score card.

Each year is different and 2019 was not a good budget year in Tallahassee for Palmetto Bay as the 3 requests failed to make it into the budget. The three requests totaled $1,790,800.00 that the Mayor and council were seeking to offset $6,089,800.00 in proposed projects – specifics discussed below.

The Miami Herald reported Saturday, 5/4/2019, that ..., "in a half day of overtime, lawmakers quickly approved a $91.1 billion budget with record spending on the environment and more spending on public schools." See Lawmakers work overtime to approve budget, cap session full of conservative victories, by Lawrence Mower, Samantha J. Gross, Elizabeth Koh, and Emily L. Mahoney.

The Dade Delegation (our Miami-Dade County members of the legislature) worked together to bring home the money needed for local projects as listed below. Results to date vary between the locals. There is money for other Miami-Dade Municipalities and organizations in the budget, subject to it surviving Governor Ron DeSantis' line item veto pen. This is Gov. DeSantis’ first budget, so we will learn for future years. I have been following the budget (CLICK HERE) to view a prior related post relating to an analysis of the Palmetto Bay budget requests for 2019.

There were many, many requests submitted – including from our neighbors Pinecrest, Cutler Bay and Homestead. An $800,000 request was placed for the Deering Estate Field Research Center that appears to have been funded at $200,000.00 – again, subject to making it past the line item veto – Go Deering!

I have listed some highlights for our fellow Miami-Dade County municipals (& Deering Estate) based upon my review of the budget. It is important to remember that any of the proposals listed below could suffer the line item veto before the budget is signed by the Governor into law:

$1,500,000.00 for City of Miami Biscayne Bay Tidal Valves and Stormwater Improvements (HB 3729)

$   985,210.00 for West Miami Potable Water System (HB 3775)

$   850,000.00 for City of Miami Springs Senior Center - New Building (Senate Form 1456)

$   750,000.00 for City of Miami Springs: South Royal Poinciana Median (Senate Form 1448)

$   250,000.00 for Bay Harbor Islands Sewer Lateral Lining Project (HB 2151)

$   200,000.00 for Deering Estate Field Research Center - from Gen Rev Fund (HB 4055) (1639A)

$   200,000.00 for Cutler Bay-Drainage Improvement Cutler Ridge Section 3 (HB 3769)

$   200,000.00 for Doral Stormwater Improvements NW 114 Ave./50th St (HB 4499)

$   200,000.00 for North Bay Village Stormwater Pump Station (HB 2773)

$     30,000.00 for Miami Gardens Canal Erosion Protection Project (HB 2239)

Palmetto Bay requests submitted that were DENIED:

$   745,900.00 requested for Palmetto Bay Multimodal Transit Station (HB 3763)

                             (total cost of project est.: $3,245,900)

$   745,900.00 requested for Palmetto Bay Nature Education Center (HB 4081)

                              (total cost of project est.: $2,245,900)

$   299,000.00 requested for Palmetto Bay Drainage Sub-Basin #61 Construction (HB 4069)

    (standard Stormwater % 50% of total project cost)

Recap for the 2019 Palmetto Bay Council Florida Legislative requests in Tallahassee:

$1,790,800.00 Total money requested from the legislature to cover:

$6,089,800.00 Total cost of these proposed projects to the residents of Palmetto Bay.

No legislative asks were even submitted to the legislature, seeking money for the following:

Canal bank restoration in Palmetto Bay

Money for purchase of land of special concern in and around Palmetto Bay – including:

              22 acres at Palmetto Bay Village Center

              Manage/removal of invasive or to restore native plants at :

                             Coral Reef Park

                             The Woods at 168^th Street

Park master plan modification proposed for the community.

Police or security enhancements for the community.

Senior or youth programming for parks   

Again, each year is different, priorities and available money vary each budget year.