PJ Adams widening among state budget proposals

[Office of George Gainer]

PANAMA CITY — Northwest Florida is a winner in the 2017 state legislative session, according to Sen. George Gainer, Republican from Panama City.

Projects throughout District 2, which covers Bay, Holmes, Jackson, Okaloosa, Walton and Washington counties, were included in the budget.

Gainer worked to secure $300 million, all of which will come to the eight counties in Northwest Florida most impacted by the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Money from the Gulf Coast Economic Corridor Act will be used for projects and programs that will help transform the area economy.

The legislature also funded $50 million to preserve Florida’s beaches. Of that money, $4.6 million will go to the Panama City Beaches shore protection project.

These budget items are subject to review and approval by Gov. Rick Scott: 

Criminal Justice

  • Joint Agency In-Water Strike Team at Florida State University, Panama City — $1,000,000
  • Public Safety Administration Building in Marianna — $350,000
  • Jackson County Computer Aided Dispatch Update — $150,000 

Education

  • K-8 school in Marianna to replace three older schools (year one funding) — $19,059,808
  • Northwest Florida State College building renovation — $2,741,149
  • Expansion of welding program at Okaloosa Technical College — $150,000
  • Northwest Florida State College utilities plant upgrade — $3,000,000
  • Chipola College Civil & Industrial Engineering Program — $200,000
  • Chipola College underground utilities — $526,541
  • Gulf Coast State College STEM building — $5,000,000 

Transportation

  • Port of Panama City: infrastructure improvements — $7,500,000
  • Port of Panama City: dredging — $2,000,000
  • Walton County CR 30A intermodal transportation — $1,960,000
  • Memorial Field in Bonifay improvements — $800,000
  • Relocation of historic Gulfview Hotel in Fort Walton Beach — $300,000
  • PJ Adams Parkway in Okaloosa County widening — $1,750,000
  • City of DeFuniak Springs County Road 280A — $1,500,000
  • City of Freeport Cultural Center — $100,000
  • Project 79 Washington County/Holmes County Corridor — $1,000,000 

Miscellaneous

  • Building Homes for Heroes — $1,000,000

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: PJ Adams widening among state budget proposals