TALLAHASSEE, Florida — Gov. Ron DeSantis on Wednesday vetoed more than half of the proposed water projects in the 2024-25 state budget, but he left untouched two major spending proposals that emerged from the budget conference committee process.
He vetoed 162 of 281 water projects, or $208.6 million of the total $410.4 million proposed in the budget, according to Frank Bernardino, a water sector lobbyist.
DeSantis, a Republican, said Wednesday in Tampa during a news conference that he expects legislation setting aside revenue from a Seminole Tribe gambling deal to provide at least $500 million each year for such wastewater projects.
“Some of the stuff you’ll see are things I support, but we have actual programs for,” DeSantis said. “For example, some of the wastewater projects that were line items — those are eligible for our wastewater grant program.”
