Gov. DeSantis OKs $100 million in Manatee projects. See what’s in the budget

Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the state budget Monday and sent over $100 million in funding to Manatee County, including money toward key infrastructure projects and the reconstruction of the iconic Anna Maria City Pier.

About $13 million of the approved appropriations in Manatee County involve stormwater and wastewater infrastructure in municipalities like Bradenton, Palmetto and Longboat Key. The governor also signed off on more than $1 million to help cover the cost of repairs to Anna Maria’s pier, which sustained significant damage from Hurricane Milton.

Bradenton’s wastewater projects align with the city’s effort to reduce groundwater infiltration into the city’s sewage system and strengthen its lift stations. Bradenton officials have announced a series of projects to improve its plagued wastewater system, which frequently spills sewage into the Manatee River.

State College of Florida also received $9 million to help cover the cost of the first phase of the planned Parrish Center. The first phase of the Parrish campus would be 60,000 square feet, including a 40,000-square-foot multipurpose building. When the project is fully complete, SCF Parrish will be closer to 531,230 square feet.

DeSantis approved Florida’s $117.4 billion state budget after vetoing $1.35 billion in projects, and $5 million came from Manatee County-area projects.

Four of the five vetoes in Manatee County were denials of funding for Manatee County Government projects and initiatives. Appropriations that faced cuts included Fresh Start Manatee, the Veterans Connections Hub and Washington Park.

Florida budget funds local projects

Fresh Start Manatee is part of the county government’s plan to provide wraparound services and housing for unhoused people, and the Veterans Connections Hub is a county project aimed at supporting veterans with various resources.

The $1 million for Washington Park would have helped the county’s future design and construction of an 88-acre park in Palmetto. Manatee County Government also missed out on $1 million in state funding to help design a greenway trail connection from Lincoln Park to Ola Mae Sims Park.

DeSantis denied roughly $82,000 to MCR Health, a local nonprofit that provides healthcare for low-income residents.

In his veto transmittal letter, DeSantis praised his effort to max out the state’s “Rainy-day Fund” and the state’s reserves being at $15.7 billion after his vetoes.

“This budget continues strong support for the governor’s key priorities, including teacher pay, law enforcement bonuses and pay raises, funding for civics in schools, a record amount of per-pupil K-12 funding, $1.4 billion for continued Everglades restoration and water quality initiatives and over $15 billion to continue Florida’s decades-ahead-of-schedule transportation and infrastructure projects,” a release from the governor’s office states.

Of the $105,950,023 in appropriations requested by Manatee County and its municipalities, DeSantis approved $100,867,740.

Here’s a look at local projects and programs included in the 2025-2026 Florida budget:

Funded Manatee County projects

• Longboat Key Wastewater Subaqueous Force Main — $1.5 million
• Bradenton Lift Station No. 8 Relocation — $2 million
• Bradenton Sanitary Sewer Lining Program for Infiltration & Inflow Reduction — $750,000
• Bradenton SW Ward 5 Drainage Improvements — $1,550,000
• Bradenton Water Reclamation Facility Equalization Tank — $2 million
• Bradenton Water Reclamation Facility Off Line Storage Pond — $2 million
  
  
• Palmetto - Sanitary Sewer Pipe Lining — $1 million
• Palmetto Underground Injection Control Well project — $2 million
• Palmetto - Intersection at 10th Street and US-41 Turning/Evacuation Lane — $1.75 million
• City of Palmetto Public Works Heavy Equipment Storage Building — $375,000
• Anna Maria Historic City Pier Reconstruction from General Revenue Fund — $1.25 million

• BayCare Hospital Manatee Neonatal Intensive Care Unit — $1.35 million

• State College of Florida Parrish Center Phase I — $9 million
• School Readiness Program — $16,659,622
• Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program — $8,295,999
• Funds for school district workforce education programs — $10,511,121
• Prepping institutions, Programs, Employers and Learners through Incentives for Nursing Education (PIPELINE) — $541,678

• PIPELINE: State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota — $1,433,772

• School District of Manatee County Aviation Maintenance Technician School at SRQ Airport — $1 million
• 2+2 Student Success Initiative Fund State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota — $307,732
• Work Florida Student Success incentive Fund State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota — $226,870
• Educational Enhancement Trust Fund State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota — $34,051,217
• Centerstone of Florida - Manatee — $714,729

• Manatee County Clerk of Courts Child Support Services — $1.6 million

• Total: $100,867,740

Vetoed Manatee County projects

• Manatee County - Fresh Start Manatee — $1 million
• Manatee County Rural Health Services — $82,283
• Manatee County - Veteran Connections Hub — $1 million
• Manatee County - Washington Park — $1 million
• Manatee County Gateway Greenway Trails — $1 million
• Total: $5,082,283