TALLAHASSEE -- Governor Ron DeSantis has released a list of his vetoes from the 2023 budget, and a few projects around Lake Okeechobee are on the cutting room floor.

Vetoed from the budget were the Okeechobee Emergency SLERS Radio System (HF 2307), a Lake Okeechobee Plant Control Wildlife Study, and phase two of the King Memorial Park Improvements in Pahokee (SF 1892) (HF 1186).

Okeechobee was set to receive $412,503 for the replacement of radios to comply with the state’s new Statewide Law Enforcement Radio System (SLERS) system.  SLERS is a single, unified digital radio network that meets the radio voice communications needs of state law enforcement officers and other participating agencies throughout the state. SLERS is an 800/700 (aircraft) MHz system consisting of 200 microwave sites, RF multi-sites, and RF simulcast sites. The SLERS all-digital radio network covers over 60,000 square miles (including 25 miles offshore) with 98% mobile coverage and portable coverage in selected areas.

During Okeechobee’s inaugural State of the City address in March, City Administrator Gary Ritter listed the replacement of radios to comply with the state’s new SLERS system as one of the city’s top priority projects.

The state legislature had budgeed $300,000 for a study of mechanical harvesting of invasive aquatic plants on Lake Okeechobee. This was cut from the budget by the governor.

Despite the vetoes, multiple projects in Okeechobee County are still fully funded in the 2023 state budget. According to the Florida House of Representatives website, state allocations for Okeechobee County include:

• City of Okeechobee City Hall, Resiliency Hardening Improvements (HF 1816), (SF 2683), Community Services: $1,200,000;
• Okeechobee County Board of County Commissioners, Cultural & Museum Grants: $15,803;
• School Readiness Services, Early Learning Services: $2,354,798;
• Voluntary Prekindergarten Program, Early Learning Services: $865,784;
• Douglas Brown Park, Florida Recreation Development Assistance Program: $200,000;
• City of Okeechobee - Primitive Baptist Church Restoration, Historic Preservation Grants: $50,000;
• Okeechobee County Jail Renovation Improvements (SF 2127), (HF 1814), Local Law Enforcement - Fixed Capital Outlay: $7,500,000;
• Okeechobee Aerial Photography (SF 2126), (HF 1848), Property Tax Oversight - Department of Revenue: $175,437;
• Highway Maintenance Contracts, Transportation Work Program: $1,301,502;
• Intrastate Highway Construction Transportation Work Program: $3,732,824;
• Preliminary Engineering Consultants, Transportation Work Program: $1,022,705;
• Resurfacing Transportation Work Program: $11,615,803.