After several northwest Florida projects were flagged as “budget turkeys,” Rep.
Jason Shoaf is making the case to Gov.
Ron DeSantis that the state should still fund these local projects.
After the 2021 Session, Shoaf, a Republican from Port St. Joe in North Florida, included among his accomplishments $1 million for the Liberty County Jail improvements, $1.2 million into the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office Emergency Communication System and $650,000 for the Madison County Agricultural and Expo Center.
But now those items could be on the chopping block after being included in the Florida TaxWatch
According to Florida TaxWatch, budget turkeys are projects (usually regional) that are better funded by local or private spending, appropriations that circumvent competitive bidding or are not a core function of government. The group stresses that the turkey label doesn’t mean the project is a bad idea; they just mean that the project should not be funded either with state fu
Mexico Beach tops Shoaf s funding asks
Special to the Star
Ahead of the 2021 legislative session, Rep. Jason Shoaf (HD 7) has filed budget requests totaling more than $80 million to support projects across the 10 counties he represents and surrounding regions.
The most significant funding request, $25 million, would go toward beach restoration in Mexico Beach, where Hurricane Michael destroyed much of the waterfront and it is still in disrepair.
“North Florida has suffered one hit after another, from the Gulf oil spill to Hurricane Michael to COVID-19. These communities need the support they deserve to rebuild and come back stronger than ever,” said Shoaf.