Florida Governor Rick Scott vetoed $256 million of line-item projects state lawmakers pushed through the $82 million budget they crafted during the last week of 2016 the Legislative Session, including $400,000 for Miami Lakes’ West Lakes Drainage Improvements project.
The allocated funds, obtained through the efforts of State Representatives Manny Diaz Jr. and Jose Oliva, and Miami Lakes Councilmembers Nelson Rodriguez, Ceasar Mestre, Frank Mingo, Manny Cid and Vice Mayor Tim Daubert, was set aside for critical drainage upgrades to ensure the town could continue working on the next three phases of the project.
The West Lakes community, in the southwestern portion of the town, continues to be adversely impacted by flooding events, with rainwater reaching residential garages and covering streets and sidewalks. The area has suffered various flooding and is addressed as a priority project in the town’s Storm Water Master Plan, including a listing of the potential areas requiring mitigation.
But with Scott’s veto, the town would have to wait for the next Legislative Session or apply for a grant to finish the work.
“I went to Tallahassee in February to lobby our legislators to fund the canal project,” Rodriguez said. “Representatives Diaz and Oliva along with Senator Rene Garcia worked very hard to get the canal project on the Governor’s desk. It's disappointing that surrounding cities received funding for their projects and the Miami Lakes project was vetoed by the governor.”