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County narrows state appropriations requests; removes $10 million Green Bridge ask
Summary
Manatee County amended its legislative appropriation slate to remove a $10 million request for the Green Bridge project and instead submit four recurring $1 million requests for priority local projects to improve the budget’s chances at the state level.
County staff told commissioners on Feb. 6 they had adjusted the county’s state appropriations request strategy after receiving guidance that the House is prioritizing individual requests at or under $1 million.
Legislative aide Crosley Jones briefed the board that Representative Robinson’s office indicated the House is trying to limit individual appropriations requests to $1,000,000 each for this session. To respond, staff removed a $10 million Green Bridge request from the slate and set four projects—the Veterans Connections Hub, Gateway Greenway, Fresh Start, and Washington Park—as recurring $1 million requests over multiple years (varied terms: three- to five-year recurring requests as appropriate).
Commissioners approved the amended slate unanimously, 6-0 with Commissioner Sadiq absent. Staff said the change was procedural to improve the likelihood the county receives funding for the highest-priority local projects under current House practices and that staff would continue to coordinate with the county’s Tallahassee lobbyist and legislative delegation.
Commissioners urged staff to keep requests coordinated with state partners and said they would support an approach that maximizes the county’s chance for partial funding if full project asks are unlikely to pass.
