Governor DeSantis issues his very first budget vetoes. Cutler Bay and Deering Estate budget appropriations appear safe. Link to entire list provided.

The veto list is out and the news appears better for Miami-Dade Locals that other areas of the State, that is for those municipalities who had their requests make it into the State of Florida budget submitted to the Governor.

Here is the link to the 2019 veto list:

https://www.flgov.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/VETO-LIST.pdf

So how did the budget items do in the first budget for Governor DeSantis?

Incredibly, it appears that only a single local item I reported in my May 4, 2019 post listing highlights for our fellow Miami-Dade County municipals (& Deering Estate) was vetoed (indicated in red strike through text). Making it through appears to be $200,000.00 for Deering Estate Field Research Center and $200,000.00 for Cutler Bay-Drainage Improvement Cutler Ridge Section 3

Great work Deering! The list below is a final sampling of some of the local projects that will be funded by the State, as indicated. Check my math [review the official veto list (link provided) to confirm my review]:

$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) VETOED - Line # 1989, A Project 13

$   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 (not placed into the budget submitted t Gov. DeSantis:

$   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)

More will follow on breakdown down what the vetoes mean for South Dade, but I wanted to get this breaking news out to the community.

PRIOR RELATED POST: May 4, 2019, Legislativeasks - Legislature completes budget. Now waiting for Gov DeSantis' line itemveto. 2019 score card: Each year is different and 2019 was not a good budgetyear in Tallahassee for Palmetto Bay as the 3 requests failed to make it intothe 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 (in the blog post)

Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the upgraded anti-distracted driving bill into law. Palmetto Bay advocate Mark Merwitzer present for the signing.

The law has been signed into law and takes effect July 1, 2019.

Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the upgraded anti-distracted driving bill into law on Friday, March 17, at Sarasota High School. The new law goes into effect July 1, and it allows police to stop and ticket drivers for texting while they’re behind the wheel of a moving car, with limited exceptions.  See: Governor signs bill: Texting while driving will soon get you pulled over in Florida, by Lawrence Mower, Herald/Times Tallahassee Bureau, 5/17/2019.

Drivers will still be able to use their phone while their car is stopped.

Statement from Mark Merwitzer: I am beyond joyed to attend today's bill signing ceremony for HB 107, this year's bill to make texting while driving a primary offense and ban handheld cellphone use while driving in a school and work zone. I sincerely and wholeheartedly thank Governor DeSantis for signing my copy of the bill, and taking a picture with me. It will be a momento to hang on my wall forever. Three years of hard work, going to Tallahassee more times than I can count, and rallying local support has finally payed off. I remember when I first started, I got a very condescending phone call from the biggest lobbyist in Florida, Ron Book, telling me I am never going to make it and stop. Glad I did not listen to him because he is in jail for a vehicle related incident and I was at a bill signing ceremony. Do not let other people tell what you can or cannot accomplish. Always shoot for the moon. Thank you to everyone who supported me including my parents, Representative Toledo, Representative Slosberg, Senator Perry, Senator Simpson, Representative Stark, the Wanninkhof family, Mayor Flinn, Mayor Lerner, Commissioner Daniella Levine Cava, Senator Diaz de la Portilla, School for Advanced Studies, and so many more people. This is only the beginning, I plan to shoot beyond the moon in the future.

CLICK HERE to view prior related posts relating to efforts on the anti-distracted driving legislation as well as specific to Mark Merwitzer.  Mark has been hard at work appearing over the many years before the Florida Legislature to enact life safety legislation relating to distracted driving.  Great work Mark. Your efforts will go a long way to make travel on our roads much safer.

Photo above right - Mark Merwitzer with Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nuñez

End the delay, the time is now for Palmetto Bay to debate and take action on Council Member David Singer's proposed ordinance to ban plastic straws in Palmetto Bay

Let's go Palmetto Bay. Stop bottling up Council Member David Singer's plastic straw ban and let the debate come to the council floor where council members can finally let the public know why they have not seen fit to hear this item. There are no reasons to continue to avoid the issue of banning plastic straws in Palmetto Bay - as, as Gov. DeSantis opined: 

"Citizens who oppose plastic straw ordinances can seek recourse by electing people who share their views."

I have lost count as to how many regular and special council agendas this ordinance has been placed on, but excuses have ranged from inability to complete the agenda on meeting night (leaving a meeting with items unfinished) to the speculation that the Legislature was banning the right of local governments to enact this sample environmental legislation - and the legislature did through HB 771!

HOWEVER - Gov. Ron DeSantis vetoed HB 771 that sought to restrict the right of local governments – which presently include Pinecrest and Miami Beach as well some communities that have been looking to enact, such as Council Member David Singer's sponsored ordinance here in Palmetto Bay.

Which all brings us back to the here and now. Council Member David Singer has unfortunately been on the losing end of 1-4 votes recently. Why should you care? Because these items involve Council Member Singer's proposals to increase transparency in Palmetto Bay government or to simply hold on to gains in transparency made from 2016-2018. Other recent loses include holding the line on Village spending as well as other fiscally sound proposals. The unreasonable and petty hold up of Council Member Singer's plastic straw ordinance is merely one example of unsound politics at work in Palmetto Bay. Thankfully, other local governments took action while the Palmetto Bay council bickered - otherwise no action would have been taken in Tallahassee. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis spoke loudly with his veto pen last week, stating in his veto letter that:

"A number of Florida municipalities, including Sanibel, Ft. Myers Beach and Miami Beach have enacted ordinances prohibiting single-use plastic straws," DeSantis wrote in his veto letter. "These measures have not, as far as I can tell, frustrated any state policy or harmed the state's interests. In fact, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection has encouraged Florida residents, schools and businesses to reduce plastic straw use." 

"Under these circumstances, the State should simply allow local communities to address this issue through the political process."

Again, as Gov. DeSantis opined: "Citizens who oppose plastic straw ordinances can seek recourse by electing people who share their views."

(CLICK HERE) to view the full veto letter of May 10, 2019.

Please - no more delays in Palmetto Bay. Move this item forward Council Member Singer. And I request that the current Mayor and council to co-sponsor your proposed ordinance. Remember, as Gov. DeSantis stated: "Citizens who oppose plastic straw ordinances can seek recourse by electing people who share their views."