TALLAHASSEE
The $77.1 billion budget that lawmakers will vote on tonight is studded with hometown projects, the first time this has happened in an election year since 2006.
Often called "turkeys,'' they're also a mark of legislative influence. Tampa Bay, led by a delegation of powerful lawmakers that include Florida House Speaker Will Weatherford, R-Wesley Chapel, will see a healthy crop of hometown spending, a contrast to years of recession-pinched spending plans.
There is $10 million for a Pasco-Hernando College performing arts center in Weatherford's district. Another $10 million for a new USF College of Business in St. Petersburg. In Tampa, USF Health projects are listed for $20 million in funding.
"This is a budget with $3 billion in reserves, that's the most we've had in quite some time" said Weatherford. "So yes, there are some projects in there, some discretionary spending by the Legislature on things we've deemed to be important."
The budget isn't official until Gov. Rick Scott signs it. Last year, he trimmed more than 150 local projects. But he, too, faces re-election, and he might be less inclined to ruffle the feathers and loyalty of fellow Republicans.
Tampa Bay's share
Here are the local projects House and Senate budget negotiators have agreed to for Tampa Bay area counties, with details where available.
Pinellas
University of South Florida St. Petersburg. New building for the College of Business | $10 million |
St. Petersburg College Bay Pines Marine Science labs/classrooms | $2.5 million |
All Children's Hospital/Johns Hopkins Pediatric Research Zone | $2 million |
City of St. Petersburg for Agenda 2020 antipoverty plan | $1.625 million |
Tarpon Springs Superfund site redevelopment: dredging, wharf stabilization and road improvements at the 130-acre former site of the Stauffer Chemical plant | $2.5 million |
City of Oldsmar: construction of a BMX supercross track to attract Olympic-level athletes | $1.27 million |
Largo Cultural Center. New roof and other improvements | $500,000 |
Palm Harbor Historical Society Museum. Improvements and building a ladder factory replica | $387,753 |
Dunedin Fine Art Center Inc. expansion | $500,000 |
Clearwater Marine Aquarium, for building a new downtown aquarium | $2 million |
Tarpon Springs Performing Arts Center | $500,000 |
Mahaffey Theater, for improvements to the St. Petersburg facility | $500,000 |
Renovations to the Ponder House, a house on Ninth Avenue S owned by the Metropolitan Council of Negro Women and named after a late community leader | $100,000 |
Pinellas Transportation Services — PARC Inc. | $250,000 |
Louise Graham Regeneration Center Inc. | $122,500 |
Pinellas Ex-Offender Re-entry Coalition | $150,000 |
Clearwater sanitary sewer expansion program | $250,000 |
Hillsborough
University of South Florida Heart Health Institute | $15 million |
USF Health Morsani College of Medicine | $5 million |
Tampa Jewish Center | $4 million |
Tampa Jewish Community and Federation Project | $2 million |
Tampa Family Health Centers | $500,000 |
Ready4Work-Hillsborough re-entry program for ex-offenders | $750,000 |
Drug Abuse Comprehensive Coordinating Office Inc. (DACCO) | $600,000 |
Corporation to Develop Communities of Tampa Inc. | $225,000 |
Sports Medicine and Athletic Related Trauma Institute (SMART) at USF for pilot program to screen and educate high school athletes on sickle cell trait | $100,000 |
Museum of Science and Industry. Design and construction for STEAM showcase. STEAM adds an A — for arts — to an education philosophy stressing STEM —science, technology, engineering and math | $2.5 million |
Tampa Bay Baseball Museum at the Al Lopez House. The late baseball great's old house was moved to its current location and is becoming a museum | $50,000 |
Tampa Bay History Center | $115,572 |
Hillsborough Homelessness Initiative | $800,000 |
Grow Tampa Bay Tech — Tampa Bay Technology Forum | $375,000 |
Hillsborough County. Cypress Street outfall project | $750,000 |
Tampa Bay Water Authority. Cypress Creek Wellfield Surface Water improvements | $432,000 |
Tampa Bay Watrous Canal rehab project | $375,000 |
Temple Terrace Parkway Extension — Telecom Parkway to Morris Bridge Road | $600,000 |
Hillsborough County. East County Regional Service/Resource Center | $500,000 |
Pasco
Pasco Hernando State College: Performing arts education center and convention facility in Wesley Chapel | $10 million |
Pasco Regional STEM School/Tampa Bay Region Aeronautics. Expand aerospace career program and partner with Pinellas and Hillsborough schools and Tampa International Airport | $1.5 million |
Pasco Association of Challenged Kids Summer Camp | $36,000 |
Lacoochee-Trilby Community Center. Programs for at-risk youth | $200,000 |
Dade City. Hydrant and valve replacement | $520,000 |
Dade City. Orange Valley well | $713,000 |
Duck Slough drainage basin | $200,000 |
Lacoochee/Trilby Water System improvements | $500,000 |
Pasco County. Pithlachascotee-Anclote conservation effort | $1 million |
Zephyrhills. Fire protection water line | $1.2 million |
Metropolitan Ministries. Pasco County initiative | $1 million |
Hacienda Hotel restoration | $1 million |
Hernando
Hernando County. Nature Coast Educational Plaza | $3.5 million |
West Hernando Little League field | $50,000 |
Expand the services of the Pasco Health Department's Smile Care-A-Van to Hernando County | $20,000. |
BayCare Behavioral Health for an Urgent Family Care program in Hernando County | $150,000 |
Regionwide
Tampa Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) | $6,169,944 |
Gulf Coast Jewish Family and Community Services' Non-Custodial Parent Employment Program, Pinellas, Pasco and Hillsborough | $750,000 |
Tampa Bay Innovation Training Center Skills Initiative — Hernando, Pasco and Pinellas counties | $1.15 million |
Crisis Center of Tampa Bay, using the existing 2-1-1 referral line to connect returning veterans and families living in the Tampa Bay region to social service and behavioral health programs | $150,000. |
YMCA Tech Smart. For Tampa Bay project | $100,000 |