Quiet zones vetoed as Scott wields ax

Railroad plan, health programs among projects governor cuts from budget

More than $66 million in state funding dedicated to projects and programs in South Florida died Tuesday with the stroke of a pen.

Gov. Rick Scott signed the Florida Legislature’s $78.7 billion budget Tuesday, using his line-item veto to cut $461 million from the budget. Included in the cuts were money for quiet zones around railroad tracks, health programs at Nova Southeastern University and an entrepreneurship program at Florida Atlantic University.

Also losing out: Scripps Research Institute at FAU’s Jupiter campus, the Holocaust Documentation and Education Center in Hollywood and the Norton Mu- seum of Art in West Palm Beach.

Construction projects such as $1 million for an airport terminal in Fort Lauderdale and $3.5 million to redevelop a polluted area by Lake Worth’s Park of Commerce were killed as well.

Scott offered reasons behind each veto. Often, they were said to be duplicative of existing state programs or said to have circumvented the usual process by which the state awards funding.

In cutting $500,000 for Jewish Adoption and Family Care Options in Sunrise, Scott said its Children’s Ability Center does not accept children subsidized by the state’s Agency for Persons With Disabilities.

But Sarah Franco, JAFCO’s executive director, called that “simply incorrect.”

“We serve children who come to us through APD waivers,” said Franco, of the organization that serves the tri-county area. “Children and families lost out today. It’s a sad day for us, but we’ll keep doing the best we can.”

The center wasn’t the only program helping developmentally disabled kids to see a cut. Scott cut funding earmarked for disabled children to attend job training and postsecondary education programs — a top goal of Florida Senate President Andy Gardiner, R-Orlando.

“While Gov. Scott will undoubtedly spend the next several weeks traveling the state touting his record number of vetoes as a win for Florida’s families, there are many families across Florida who have seen their dreams shattered by his decisions today,” Gardiner said.

The Palm Beach Habilitation Center, which serves adults with developmental and physical disabilities, lost about $650,000 meant for roof- ing repairs, and fire-safety and drinking-water systems.

The North Broward Hospital District saw $350,000 cut for outpatient treatment of people with HIV/AIDS.

But health care-related costs were just a small part of the overall cuts.

The largest single statewide cut was $27.3 million for water management.

In addition, another $20.6 million in water projects around the state were cut, including millions in storm water improvements in South Florida.

Those vetoes were a blow to Florida House Speaker Steve Crisafulli, R-Merritt Island, for whom water issues were a top priority.

Another of the largest cuts was $10 million allocated for quiet zones that could have been used to help areas that would be affected by All Aboard Florida, the passenger rail line that will connect South Florida to Orlando.

Scott cut more than $40 million for projects and programs based in MiamiDade. Florida International University was particularly hard-hit, losing $5 million to buy land and $3 million for mold remediation.

In total, Broward County lost $16.5 million in projects and programs, while Palm Beach County lost $10.4 million.

But not all the meat was trimmed from the bone — $1 million for the state to “conduct programs designed to expand uses of beef and beef products” remains intact.

dsweeney@sunsentinel .com, 954-356-4605 or Twitter @Daniel_Sweeney