Florida’s budget has $1.8 billion for Miami-Dade projects. Where will the money go?
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About $1.8 billion in state funds could flow into dozens of projects in Miami-Dade County as part of the state budget that’s awaiting veto decisions by Gov. Ron DeSantis.
A new legislative report offers the most detailed look yet at where the money is slated to go in the $117 billion spending plan for the 2024-25 budget year, which begins July 1. You can search the list of more than 300 Miami-Dade recipients in the interactive graphic below. All of those funds could be approved or vetoed by the governor.
READ MORE: DeSantis won’t have free rein as Legislature’s $117B budget puts strings on spending
Broward County had the most project money listed in the March 21 report by the Florida House Appropriations Committee, with $1.82 billion in the pipeline ahead of the governor’s decisions, according to a Miami Herald tally of the budget items. Miami-Dade, the state’s most populous county, finished a close second, with $1.75 billion.
Some examples of the Florida taxpayer dollars earmarked for Miami-Dade include:
A boost for the David Beckham commercial complex and soccer stadium: Listed as “Miami-Dade Flood Mitigation and Infrastructure Improvement,” the item would send $3 million in state dollars to defray development costs for transforming a city-owned golf course in Miami to the new home of the Major League Soccer team owned by Beckham and local partners Jorge and José Mas. Miami-Dade County requested the state funding for infrastructure costs on the site.
Diapers for families in the county: The Miami Diaper Bank’s Mobile Diaper Bank could get $50,000 to help bring diapers directly to families in Homestead, Florida City and North Miami Beach. The three cities have been identified as areas where families have a “significant need” for diapers. The idea is to bring the diapers directly to them in case they are unaware of the services or have issues traveling to a specific location to access diapers.
A new medical center at Florida International University: Lawmakers approved $100 million for a new 20,000-square-foot medical and clinical facility to be located on campus in the west side of the county. The facility is currently being designed. Once built, it is planned to offer medical services including primary care, surgeries and medical specialties such as orthopedics, oncology and cardiology. The model will also offer educational opportunities for students pursuing a career in medicine, nursing, social work and other public health sectors.
Here is the interactive graphic of Miami-Dade County projects in the proposed 2025 Florida budget:
