Governor vetoes more than $21 million for Sarasota-Manatee projects

The governor vetoed at least 20 funding requests from the two-county region.

Gov. Ron DeSantis vetoed more than $21 million in state funding Monday for projects in Sarasota and Manatee counties aimed at everything from boosting water quality to expanding higher education offerings.

Water and science-related projects that were vetoed included:

• $1.5 million — Mote Marine Laboratory STEM Education (HB 9239) (Senate Form 2366)
• $1,220,000 — New College of Florida - Master in Data Science & Analytics
• $950,000 — Manatee County Water Quality Improvement with Native Oysters and Clams (HB 3829) (Senate Form 1173)
• $100,000 — Sarasota County Bee Ridge Water Reclamation Facility Recharge Wells (HB 2509) (Senate Form 1101)
• $200,000 — Venice New Water Booster Station and System Improvements Including Emergency Interconnect
• $142,000 — Longboat Key Assessment of Sea Level Rise and Recurring Storm Flooding Phase 3 and 4 (HB 3827) (Senate Form 2572)
• $900,000 — Manatee County Palmetto Green Bridge Fishing Pier Replacement (HB 3831) (Senate Form 2443)