DeSantis vetoes millions in state funding requests for Central Florida projects

Florida Gov. DeSantis vetoed millions of dollars in state funding requests on Monday for programs in Central Florida that would have supported local health, homelessness and municipal infrastructure projects.

State appropriation requests are submitted by lawmakers in the Florida House and Senate annually, as part of the process for developing a state budget for the fiscal year. Although several local funding requests — including funding for a Pulse memorial — managed to avoid DeSantis’ dreaded veto list this year, more than a dozen other requests pertinent to the Central Florida region (and its social safety net) did not.

Gov. DeSantis said during a press conference Monday that his signing of the budget (vetoes and all) “underscores the fact that Florida is the best fiscally managed state in these United States.” In a letter to Florida Secretary of State Cord Byrd, DeSantis emphasized “fiscal responsibility” in his explanation of his approved spending plan for the “Free State of Florida.”

But not all state lawmakers who saw their funding requests rejected feel the same way.

“The Governor’s heavy-handed vetoes of community projects we worked hard to secure in the state budget will hurt both Republican and Democratic constituencies alike,” said Sen. Carlos Guillermo-Smith, D-Orlando, in a statement. “His decision to eliminate funding intended to address soaring utility costs, homelessness, and HIV prevention was shortsighted and will cost our state more, financially, in the long run.”

The state budget approved by DeSantis totals $117.4 billion, after $567 million in so-called “line item” vetoes. Vetoes from DeSantis essentially nixed requested funding for dozens of programs and projects across the state, including funding requested by prominent Republican lawmakers who endured tense moments with the DeSantis administration amid an investigation into a state-created charity linked to DeSantis’ wife (and rumored candidate for governor herself), Casey.

The 2025-2026 budget, approved much later than initially anticipated due to a legislative session that went into overtime, comes in at less than last year’s budget, which was $117.46 billion.

Funding requests relevant to Central Florida that managed to secure DeSantis’ final approval in the budget this year include roughly $2.4 million for renovations at the Orlando Museum of Art; $368,167 for a rural outreach program at the Orlando Science Center; $394,321 for a memorial to commemorate the 2016 mass shooting at Pulse nightclub; and $282,500 for enhanced security and hardening initiatives at the YMCA of Central Florida, among others.

But there were also a number of casualties. A review by Orlando Weekly found that more than two dozen local funding requests from both Democratic and Republican lawmakers failed to make it into DeSantis’ approved plan, instead finding themselves on the veto list. We did this by cross-checking what made it into lawmakers’ approved spending plan plus the governor’s veto list.

Rep. Anna Eskamani, D-Orlando, joined Smith (whom she frequently describes as her “work husband”) in his criticism of the governor’s vetoes, calling them “incredibly disappointing.”

“The projects that were vetoed included violence intervention programs for juveniles in our community, support for the city of Belle Isle for infrastructure needs, and programs that are addressing the housing crisis, whether it was the Mustard Seed or Samaritan Resource Center,” Eskamani told Orlando Weekly in a phone call.

“These are all well-vetted projects that we shepherded through a bipartisan process to get to that final stage,” she continued. “But of course, we will continue on those efforts and do what we can to support these amazing nonprofit organizations at the local level, since they’re going to need more help right now than ever before.”

Local funding requests approved by lawmakers that were vetoed by DeSantis include (but are not strictly limited to):

• Homelessness resources and job training through a partnership between the Samaritan Resource Center and Valencia College ($200,000) — submitted by Rep. Anna Eskamani and Sen. Carlos Guillermo-Smith

• Mentorship and skate park public works program for at-risk youth ($267,000) — submitted by Rep. Eskamani and Sen. Smith

• Activities and services for homeless and displaced families through Mustard Seed ($75,000)

• Municipal Facility Land Planning and Building Design for Belle Isle ($800,000) — submitted by Rep. Eskamani and Sen. Smith

• Mentorship and academic assistance for at-risk students suspended from school ($195,000) — submitted by Rep. Eskamani and Sen. Smith

• Teacher safety training program ($400,000) — submitted by Rep. Susan Plasencia and Sen. Keith Truenow

• Orange County Wedgefield water and wastewater system improvements ($7.5 million) — submitted by Rep. Erika Booth and Sen. Smith

• Mobile distribution of diapers and other hygiene products for families ($185,000) — submitted by Rep. Jennifer “Rita” Harris and Sen. Kristen Arrington

• Home meal delivery for Orange County senior citizens ($300,000) — submitted by Rep. Harris and Sen. Shevrin Jones

• A bilingual pilot program through the Joshua House to help students with “special needs” find gainful employment ($306,500) — submitted by Rep. Susan Plasencia

• Medical services such as counseling, HIV testing/prevention and wellness screenings for underserved communities ($500,000) —submitted by Rep. LaVon Bracy Davis and Sen. Smith

• Transition housing for formerly incarcerated women in need of stable housing ($13,750) — submitted by Rep. Bracy Davis

• Free healthcare to low-income, uninsured residents of Volusia County ($100,000) — Rep. Bill Partington and Sen. Tom Wright

• An abstinence-based/12-step addiction recovery pilot program through the Salvation Army and nonprofit Came to Believe ($500,000) — submitted by Rep. Erika Booth and Sen. Arrington

• Youth drowning prevention program for underserved and “special needs” children ($300,000) — submitted by Rep. Bruce Antone and Sen. Smith

• Transition housing for homeless veterans in Osceola County ($400,000) — submitted by Rep. Paula Stark and Sen. Arrington

• Free summer camp opportunities for youth through the Alianza Center ($75,000) — submitted by Rep. Harris and Sen. Smith

• Medical equipment for 26Health to provide services such as mammograms to underserved communities ($150,000) — submitted by Rep. Bracy Davis and Sen. Smith

• Emotional, educational and psychological resources for kids with cancer and their families through Lily’s Warrior Project ($50,000) — submitted by Rep. Johanna Lopez and Sen. Arrington

• Supporting the Orlando Community Youth Trust’s urban nursery and sustainability initiatives ($113,000) — submitted by Rep. Lopez and Sen. Smith

• English language-learning assistance for new bilingual students in Osceola County ($500,000) — submitted by Rep. Stark and Sen. Arrington

• Practical workforce development for Central Florida young people interested in entering the theatre arts industry ($350,000) — submitted by Rep. David Smith and Sen. Jones

• Support for an electric utility power grid resiliency project in Mount Dora ($144,192) — submitted by Rep. Nan Cobb and Sen. Truenow

• Support for a public safety training center in Oviedo ($1 million) — submitted by Rep. David Smith and Sen. Jason Brodeur

• A Junior Achievement innovation center program in Lake Nona for 5th graders ($400,015) — submitted by Rep. Booth and Sen. Arrington

• A culinary and music education program for middle and high-schoolers in disadvantaged neighborhoods ($200,000) — submitted by Rep. Antone and Sen. Tracie Davis

• Nursing and rehabilitation care for the “frail elderly” with a focus on those who rely on Medicaid insurance ($398,551) — submitted by Rep. Antone and Sen. Rosalind Osgood

DeSantis also vetoed (or slashed) $5.7 million in funding for public radio and TV stations (likely inspired by Trump’s proposal to slash funding for public media like NPR and PBS), in addition to $750,000 requested for the development of a Florida Museum of Black History.

You can find the full veto list and Gov. DeSantis’ letter announcing vetoes here.

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This article appears in Jul 2-8, 2025.