DeSantis budget boosts Southwest Florida projects

Southwest Florida escaped most of Gov. Ron DeSantis’ veto pen June 29 when he signed the 2026-27 state budget into law. 

DeSantis approved a $117.6 billion budget after vetoing about $1.6 billion in spending. 

Across Southwest Florida, higher education, transportation, social services and cultural organizations secured millions of dollars in funding. 

Florida Gulf Coast University will receive a net increase of about $1.8 million in its base operating budget compared with last year, President Aysegul Timur said in an email to the university community thanking the governor and local legislative delegation. The budget also includes $22 million for FGCU's planned Babcock Ranch Learning, Research and Outreach Facility and $2.7 million for nursing program grants and aid. 

Florida SouthWestern State College also fared well. The college received $9.5 million to renovate two buildings on its Charlotte County campus, nearly $1.5 million for nursing program grants and aid and nearly $900,000 for student success initiatives. 

Several projects at Babcock Ranch also received funding. In addition to the money for FGCU, the state approved $14 million for the Florida Wildlife Interactive Education Center, which is scheduled to open in 2027. The project, a partnership between the state and Babcock Ranch, received $12 million last year. 

Thrive Academy, a school serving children with autism, received $500,000 to build classrooms at Babcock Ranch. 

“We're incredibly excited about the possibility of expanding our reach there with the school,” said David Brown, president and co-founder of Family Initiative, a nonprofit that supports families of children with autism. Family Initiative also received $3 million for its autism community center. 

Another major winner was the planned LaBelle High School, which received $30.2 million. 

Lee, Collier and Charlotte counties also secured significant transportation funding. Lee County received $50.6 million for bridge construction and $26.5 million for preliminary engineering and consulting work. Collier County received $148 million to accelerate the widening of Interstate 75, along with $8 million for land acquisition and another $8 million for arterial highway construction. Charlotte County's largest transportation appropriation was $15 million for road resurfacing. 

Among the programs affected by DeSantis' vetoes was the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly, or PACE, which helps seniors remain in their homes instead of entering nursing homes. 

DeSantis vetoed 15 PACE funding requests statewide, including $1.35 million for 50 additional slots in Lee County and $2.32 million for 100 additional slots in Collier County. 

“It was quite surprising,” said Matt Hudson, executive director of the Florida PACE Provider Association. 

Hudson said DeSantis had never vetoed PACE funding during his previous seven budgets. 

The governor did not provide a specific explanation for the vetoes. 

During his budget signing news conference, DeSantis said, “The things that we vetoed, a lot of those are just either inappropriate or maybe nice to have. Nice to have is fine, but I want to fund things that we have to have.” 

Without the additional funding, waiting lists for PACE services are expected to grow, Hudson said. 

Local budget items funded 

Collier County Beach Nourishment Project — $6.4 million 

Immokalee Field Station (Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services) — $8.9 million 

Opera Naples Luciano Pavarotti Foundation Arts Center — $1.1 million 

Valerie's House Florida Grieving Children and Fentanyl Prevention Initiative — $2.5 million 

Mike Greenwell Regional Park and Lee County Civic Center — $600,000 

Bonita Wonder Gardens Animal Care Center — $700,000 

Charlotte County Sheriff's Warehouse — $2 million 

Charlotte County Fire Training Tower — $2 million 

Local budget items vetoed 

Bonita Beach Landscaping Design Project — $500,000 

Bonita Beach Road/Imperial Parkway Gateway Aesthetics — $600,000 

Lee County Sun Trail Network – Iona Area Sidewalks — $2.5 million 

Charlotte County Stormwater System Performance and Flood Resilience — $350,000 

Charlotte County Cyberlock Security for Traffic Signal Cabinets — $325,000 

Fort Myers Fire Station 18 — $750,000 

Land and building for American Legion Babcock Ranch Post 415 — $1 million