Brevard items vetoed by Gov. Scott

Gov. Rick Scott signed a $78 billion state budget into law today, but not before using his line-item veto power to reject a record $461 million in individual budget items.

Several Brevard County projects were among those vetoed by Scott when he signed the state's budget for the fiscal year that starts July 1. They include:

• Florida Institute of Technology Space Research Institute, $2.5 million

Florida Institute of Technology Vice President for Research Frank Kinney said Florida Tech officials were disappointed Scott decided to veto this item, which would have helped create a new institute there to lead efforts to attract more space-related research.

Kinney said Florida Tech would have committed $4.7 million over the next three years to the institute, which would have opened this fall had the governor not vetoed the items.

As it stands now, Kinney said, Florida Tech will seek other funding sources in an effort to get the institute into operation.

• Historic Cocoa Village Playhouse Parking Structure, $2.25 million

Cocoa Mayor Henry Parrish said he is disappointed that funding for the the parking garage the city wants to build on a lot it owns near City Hall was vetoed.

"If he's a governor for economic development, he really missed an opportunity in an area that needs it," Parrish said. "As mayor, I'm very disappointed."

Parrish said that because the city's downtown area was platted about 140 years, little space was left for parking.

• Brevard C.A.R.E.S. Services to Youth At-Risk of Entering the Juvenile Justice System, $1.3 million

Tracey Kinsley, director of communications for C.A.R.E.S., which offers services to families of at-risk children, said veto will limit the number of families the organization can serve in Brevard. If families aren't served, it could result in an increase in the number of youths detained and increased costs for the judicial system.

"The $1.3 million nonrecurring request for Brevard C.A.R.E.S. was intended to meet the needs of 375 families with ungovernable youth who are at risk of entering the juvenile justice system by keeping them safe and together in the community while serving them in the least restrictive setting as possible," Kinsley said. "The cost differential on average is $578 per child per month by keeping the child in the local community through Brevard C.A.R.E.S vs. $4,000 per month once in the judicial system."

• Economic Development Commission of Florida's Space Coast, $596,000

The Economic Development Commission was hoping to received $596,000 for a certified production technician training program.

Lynda Weatherman, president and chief executive officer of the EDC, said this pilot program is "driven and supported by local manufacturing companies that provides important training and certification. The funds were going to be used to strengthen efforts to promote the program, therefore, adding to a much-needed pipeline of potential employees and add depth to those already in the industry."

• Emergency Operations Center in Cocoa, $500,000

Parrish said that city leaders realized years ago that the city needs to upgrade its emergency response capabilities in the event of a hurricane that could affect the city's regional water system that supplies other communities in Central and parts of North Brevard.

The plan calls for emergency center would to be built connected to a city fire station closest to the water plant.

"We'll build it one way or another," he said. "We'll try again next year."

• Federal Aviation Administration Center for Excellence for Commercial Space Transportation, $500,000

Kinney said Florida Institute of Technology serves as the administrative lead for this center, in partnership with Florida State University, the University of Central Florida and the University of Florida.

The $500,000 would have served as the required matching funds for a $500,000 allocation from the FAA. The program received a similar allocation from the state a year ago, so Scott's veto was a surprise, Kinney said.

Now, Kinney said, FIT and the other universities will have to seek out other ways to match the FAA money, potentially from private companies in the commercial space industry or from the participating universities themselves.

• U.S. Space Walk of Fame Foundation, $200,000

Charlie Mars, president of the U.S. Space Walk of Fame Museum in Titusville, said he was very disappointed that the governor vetoed the funding that would have meant the preservation of the state's space history. The money would have helped fund operating cost for the next three to five years and extend science, technology, engineering and mathematics education,

"We were obviously looking ahead for the future of our museum," he said. "It's mainly the preservation of our space history that he struck down."

Other Brevard projects and agencies that had funding vetoed were:

•Crosswinds Youth Services, $750,000

•Max Brewer Causeway beautification in Titusville, $600,000

•Eckerd and Brevard C.A.R.E.S., $500,000

•Fiske Road upgrades study in Rockledge, $250,000

•North Brevard Telemedicine Initiative, $121,629