Gov. Ron DeSantis signed Florida’s 2026-27 state budget, approving nearly $15 million in funding for projects across House District 4 in Okaloosa County while line-item vetoing more than $7.2 million in other county-specific requests.

• Rep. Patt Maney announced the House District 4 funding, totaling $14,994,750 in approved appropriations for the portion of Okaloosa County he represents.

“None of these appropriations would have been secured without the tenacity of our community partners, the partnership with our colleagues in the Senate, and the dedication of staff up and down the roster,” Maney wrote in a Facebook post. “I am thankful to Governor DeSantis for his approval of these critical improvement projects, as well as to House and Senate leadership for their hard work hammering out this budget.”

Approved projects

The following projects received funding in the signed budget, with descriptions provided by Maney’s office:

• Northwest Florida State College Workforce Innovation Center — $5 million. Completes a workforce innovation training center at NWFSC’s Niceville campus to serve as a hub linking business and industry with workforce development training opportunities.
• Shalimar Bridge Park Project — $1.5 million. Preserves a heavily-treed, waterfront property at the mouth of Garnier’s Bayou for public use. Okaloosa County purchased the property, a former homeless encampment, and is transforming it into a wayside park at the entrance to the town of Shalimar.
• Millside Road Improvements — $1.5 million. Requested by Okaloosa County to improve an unpaved connector between State Road 85 and CR Hwy 2 in Laurel Hill used by local residents and agricultural and silvicultural vehicles.
• Destin Crosstown Connector — $1 million. Completes the Crosstown Connector in Destin as an alternative to Highway 98 for motorists, cyclists and pedestrians, including a 0.3-mile section of roadway, sidewalks and stormwater facilities.
• Destin Stahlman Avenue Improvement — $1 million. Improves traffic flow and safety in Destin on Stahlman from Azalea to U.S. 98, including improvements to the Stahlman/Azalea intersection and a new traffic signal at the Palmetto/98 intersection.
• Four Prong Lake Emergency Outfall — $1 million. Funds the construction of a deep-water discharge for Four Prong Lake in Destin, consisting of a weir and discharge pipe that will convey floodwaters to the Gulf.
• Okaloosa County West Highway 98 Collector Road — $1 million. Constructs a 3.25-mile road and 2-mile utility corridor running parallel to Highway 98, west of Hurlburt Field and north of Florosa Elementary and the Florosa Fire Station.
• One Hopeful Place Emergency Shelter Support Facility — $800,000. Constructs a new facility providing showers, restrooms, a kitchen, dining and common area to support One Hopeful Place’s 48-bed emergency shelter for homeless and vulnerable residents seeking refuge during severe weather or declared emergencies.
• Baker Water System Improvements — $500,000. Improves and expands the water system to provide safe, reliable potable water, potentially including replacing undersized or deteriorated distribution lines with larger mains to enhance pressure, fire protection and water quality.
• Bridgeway Center Bridges to Hope Transitional Housing — $435,000. Completes a two-story transitional housing facility for Bridgeway Center. The project began as a renovation but transitioned into a complete rebuild due to structural issues.
• Okaloosa County Schools Classroom Technology — $350,000. Equips 23 classrooms in the Okaloosa County School District with high free-or-reduced lunch rates with Clear Touch panels, teacher iPads with Apple Pencils and VR glasses with Prisms software for math and science.
• Okaloosa-Walton Mental Health and Substance Abuse Pre-Trial Diversion Program — $325,000. Supports continued operations of a mental health diversion program designed to redirect certain populations away from incarceration in local jails.
• HSU Educational Foundation Non-Public CTE Certification Program — $150,000. Provides certification opportunities to give students relevant training tracking toward high-demand, high-wage jobs.
• Archaeology of the American Revolution in West Florida — $150,000. Supports University of West Florida archaeological investigations, with emphasis on locating the HMS Mentor, the only ship to serve both sides in the Revolution.
• Valparaiso Community Library Improvements — $125,000. Renovates the building currently housing Valparaiso’s City Library and Commission Chambers, addressing ADA compliance, flooring, insulation, ceiling tiles, infrastructure upgrades, safety improvements and furniture.
• Okaloosa County Forensic Pre-Trial and Behavioral Wellness Enhancement — $50,000. Funds installation of approximately 6,050 square feet of non-porous flooring in the FPTU kitchen, common areas and Behavioral Wellness Program client areas at Bridgeway Center.
• Advanced Sacred Hope Academy Autism Neuro-Diverse Playground — $50,000. Provides a safe, inclusive space with sensory-friendly equipment to support children with autism and neuro-diverse disorders.
• Jace Drive Improvements – Paving the Path to Healing — $44,750. Improves accessibility of Jace Drive, the single entry road leading to Healing Hoof Steps ranch and session facilities, addressing seasonal erosion, potholes, poor drainage and uneven surfaces.
• Okaloosa County Behavioral Health Therapies and MAT Access Initiative — $15,000. Eliminates financial barriers for low-income individuals with Bridgeway Center who need medications, lab testing and behavioral health services related to mental health, substance use or co-occurring conditions.

Vetoed projects

DeSantis line-item vetoed approximately $7.26 million in funding for Okaloosa County projects that had been included in the budget passed by the Legislature, including:

• Crestview State Road 85 Traffic Alleviation Project — $1.5 million
• Laurel Hill Water System Improvements — $1 million
• Mary Esther Highway 98 Water Main Replacement and System Upgrades — $775,000
• Fort Walton Beach U.S. 98 “Around the Mound” Design Phase — $750,000
• Okaloosa County Florida National Scenic Trail Yellow River Bridge Crossing — $750,000
• Holt Fire District Pumper/Tanker — $489,000
• Cinco Bayou Hughes Street Stormwater Improvements — $375,000
• Almarante Pumper — $277,400
• Crestview Wetland Preserve and Stormwater Improvements — $250,000
• Ocean City-Wright Fire Control District Aerial Firefighting Apparatus Refurbish — $200,000
• Crestview Juniper Creek Wastewater Resiliency Project — $187,500
• Exchange Club Family Center of the Emerald Coast Child Abuse Prevention — $175,000
• Blackman Fire Resilience and Readiness Expansion — $150,000
• Crestview Recreation and Civic Center Improvements — $125,000
• Crestview Twin Hills Multi-Use Path — $100,000
• Mission United — $80,000
• Okaloosa County Afterschool STEM Enrichment — $75,000