DeSantis signs $116.5 billion state budget, vetoes nearly $1 billion in projects

TAMPA, Fla. - This week, Governor DeSantis signed off a new $116.5 billion state budget.

While many items were given the greenlight, the governor vetoed nearly $1 billion in line items. DeSantis touted the budget as "fiscally conservative".

He said in a press conference in Downtown Tampa on Wednesday, "And part of that is just a reflection of we wanted to keep the budget within a certain parameter. Some of the stuff I don't think was, was appropriate for state tax dollars. Some of the stuff you'll see are things that I support, but we have actual programs for."

More than seven Bay Area transportation, cultural arts, and state park projects on the chopping block were vetoed.

PREVIOUS: DeSantis signs $116.5 billion state budget in downtown Tampa

Though billions of dollars are being allocated to transportation.

"Highway construction. 140 new lane miles. Almost two billion for 3,100 lane miles of resurfacing," DeSantis said.

A $2 million proposal to conduct the early design of an improvement project to Lithia Pine Crest Road, from Fish Hawk to Lumsden Rd and Culbreath to Pearson Rd, was vetoed.

He said, "Almost 400 million for bridge repairs [has been allocated]." But the $750,000 replacement of the Pebble Beach Bridge in Sun City did not make the cut.

Tampa's Palmetto Beach was slated for a $1 million shoreline revitalization project that would have prevented erosion and improved water quality is also off the table.

In Pinellas County, Governor DeSantis vetoed a $1 million boardwalk replacement at the Boyd Nature Preserve's Willow Marsh. $550,000 was also cut from a sand erosion and water quality improvement project at North Shore Park in Downtown St. Pete.

SIGN UP: Click here to sign up for the FOX 13 daily newsletter