Gov. Ron DeSantis’ line-item veto chomps $7 million for Ocearch base in Mayport

Gov. Ron DeSantis vetoed $7 million from the state budget that would have helped create a base for OCEARCH at Mayport for its shark-tracking operations.

A $7 million spending item for an Ocearch shark-tracking base in Mayport became blood in the water after Gov. Ron DeSantis used his veto power to strike dozens of projects from the state budget approved by the Legislature.

DeSantis signed the $109.9 billion budget on Thursday after cutting about $3 billion from what lawmakers passed in March.

He left intact a number of other Northeast Florida project inserted by lawmakers such as a variety of transportation projects, a regional law enforcement training center, a Jacksonville fire department wellness center, and the K9s for Warriors nonprofit assisting veterans

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DeSantis previously eliminated any doubts about the single-biggest spending item that Northeast Florida lawmakers added when he publicly backed $80 million for a new trauma center and emergency room at UF Health Jacksonville.

“This is a big investment, but I think it’s a warranted investment,” he said during an April 18 announcement at UF Health’s campus on Eighth Street.

That still left dozens of other lawmaker-initiated spending items for Northeast Florida projects under line-by-line review.

DeSantis nixed $7 million to help shark-tracker Ocearchestablish its base of operations in Mayport in a partnership between the nonprofit organization, Jacksonville University and the city of Jacksonville.

The town of Hillard saw two projects end up on the cutting room floor when DeSantis vetoed almost $5.2 million for a community center and nearly $2.2 million for a water main extension project.

He eliminated $25 million that would have gone for improvements at Little Talbot Island State Park.

Other vetoed items were $1.15 million for Family Support Services of Northeast Florida programs, $250,000 for Agape Community Health Center, $600,000 for a Clay County Utility Authority reclaimed water project and $500,000 for a Fernandina Beach shoreline protection project.

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DeSantis also cut $1.85 million for an American Beach septic tank phase out, $500,000 for design of a new St. Augustine fire station, $410,000 for a Green Cove Springs drainage project along Palmetto Avenue, $300,000 for the Nassau County Performing Arts Centre, and $300,000 for Museum of Science and History programs.

A host of other lawmaker-inserted projects survived.

The budget will have $9 million for resurfacing County Road 121 from Florida 2 to US 1 in Nassau County. The Legislature previously provided money for half the cost of resurfacing the 40-mile road.

The state will put up $8 million for construction of a new $20 million, four-lane road extending County Road 2209 in fast-growing northern St. Johns County so it continues for a connection with Florida 16.

The state will chip in another $800,000 to build sidewalks along County Road 2209, also known as St. Johns Parkway.

A building on the Mayport property the City of Jacksonville obtained from the Jacksonville Port Authority could be used for a museum or lab for use related to the Ocearch shark research boat Wednesday, June 14, 2018 in Atlantic Beach, Florida. [Will Dickey/Florida Times-Union]

The budget contains $5.95 million to help pay for the construction of the Northeast Florida Regional Public Safety Training Facility in Nassau County. The state dollars would go toward an indoor training facility and classrooms in the facility whose overall construction cost will be $17.5 million.

DeSantis let stand $5.1 million toward constructing the fourth and final phase of the 17-mile Amelia Island Trail in Nassau County for walking, running and bicycling.

In a priority of Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry, the budget has $2.5 million for a planned Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department Health and Wellness Center that would centralize medical, fitness, injury rehabilitation, and mental health services for firefighters. The city would put up $2.5 million as well.

K9s for Warriors will get $2.5 million to help build a new $25 million dog training center and another $750,000 for the ongoing training that matches the veteran with a dog.

Others member-sponsored projects in the budget are:

St. Augustine septic to sewer project (St. Johns County): $2 million for West Augustine neighborhood.

U.S. 301 and Crawford Road intersection improvement (Nassau County): $1.55 million

Clay County greenways expansion (Clay County): $1.5 million

Baker County Senior Life Enrichment Center (Baker County): $1.3 million for facility replacement

Nassau County County Council on Aging (Nassau County): $1.3 million for safety-based renovations to Fernandina Beach Senior Life Center

St. Augustine Beach resiliency and flood projects (St. Johns County): $1.2 million for area of Magnolia Dunes/Atlantic Oaks Circle

Florida 200/A1A widening (Nassau County): $1.2 million

Clay County jail expansion (Clay County): $1 million

Fernandina Beach downtown flood protection (Nassau County): $1 million

State Road A1A corridor (St. Johns County): $1 million from Mickler Road to Marsh Landing Parkway

Northeast Florida 21st Century Workforce Development (Duval County): $975,000 to prepare students for careers in science, technology, engineering and math

Exchange Parent Aide: $887,188 to expand program throughout Northeast Florida

Palm Valley Road sidewalk construction (St. Johns County): $800,000

St. Johns EPIC Recovery Center (St. Johns County): $750,000 for women’s substance abuse residential treatment beds

The Fire Watch Project (Duval County): $540,000 for program to reduce veteran suicide

Five Star Veterans Center (Duval County): $500,000 for homeless housing and reintegration project

Clay Behavioral Health (Clay County): $500,000 for community crisis prevention team

Atlantic Beach flood mitigation (Duval County): $500,000 for third phase of  Aquatic Gardens/Hopkins Creek project

Brooks Rehabilitation (Duval County): $425,000 for community mental health service program

Green Cove Springs drainage (Clay County): $318,750 Park Street to Bayard on St. Johns Avenue drainage project

ARC Jacksonville (Duval County): $300,000 for transition to community employment and life skills

Clay County Youth Alternative to Secured Detention (Clay County): $250,000 for S.W.E.A.T program

Clay County Senior Services of Aging True (Clay County): $225,000 for program services

Community Rehabilitation Center (Duval County): $200,000 for Project Alive

Clara White Mission (Duval County): $200,000 for hot meals and snacks on the go program

Sulzbacher Center for the Homeless (Duval County): $200,000 for mental health treatment of criminal justice offenders under court supervision

Nassau County Youth Alternative to Secured Detention (Nassau County): $110,000 for S.W.E.A.T. program

St. Augustine Beach drainage (St. Johns County): $90,000 for flood Seventh, Eighth and Nine Street drainage

SafeZone Nassau (Nassau County): $38,000

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Gov. Ron DeSantis vetoed $7 million for Ocearch base in Jacksonville