March 18, 2022

District 6 Update

On Monday, the Legislature passed the state budget. At $112.1 billion, this is the largest budget in Florida history. As I mentioned last week, there were several important appropriations included that will affect District 6, as well as important appropriations to benefit the County. These include:

C-51 Reservoir Phase 2 Cell 13 - $65,000,000
Palm Beach State College Loxahatchee Campus Dental & Medical Technology Building - $25,000,000
Everglades Restoration Workforce Training Program - $1,700,000
West Technical Education Center Adult Education & Workforce Development Training Program - $397,288
Royal Palm Beach Commons Park Corporate Picnic Pavilions - $450,000
Loxahatchee Groves North Road Equestrian/Multi-Use Trail - $45,000
University of Florida West Palm Beach Global Center for Technology and Innovation - $100,000,000
Cox Science Center and Aquarium Expansion (formerly known as South Florida Science Center) - $10,000,000
RESTORE Reentry Program - $375,000
Homeless Resource Center 2 - $250,000
Lake Worth Lagoon - $359,375
Loxahatchee River Preservation Initiative - $1,302,500

The Governor must sign the budget by July 1. It's important to remember, however, that he has line-item veto power, so we may not know for some time if these projects will indeed be funded. We are cautiously optimistic. I will update you when the budget is finally signed to confirm these appropriations.

Women Build

On March 16, I participated in Women Build, a wonderful collaboration between the Business Development Board and Habitat for Humanity to help build homes in Belle Glade! Our hardworking team laid utility boxes and sod for two properties. These homes will house two single moms and their families--women supporting women! I want to thank Kelly Smallridge, President and CEO of the Business Development Board, for coordinating this awesome day.

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The Lord's Place SleepOut Homelessness Awareness Day

On March 14, I presented a proclamation declaring April 1, 2022, as The Lord's Place SleepOut Homelessness Awareness Day! I want to thank Anne Noble, Chief Advancement Officer from The Lord's Place, for joining me, and I appreciate the entire team for their important work in our community to break the cycle of homelessness.

To learn more about how you can participate in SleepOut on April 1st, please visit https://sleepouttlp.com/.

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Westlake Council Swearing-In

It was an honor to swear my friend, Greg Langowski, into office as the newest City of Westlake Councilman. Greg and I have worked together for a decade in his role as Regional Director for Senator Marco Rubio. He's a tremendous public servant and will do great things for this growing city.

I want to also congratulate new Westlake Mayor J.P. O'Connor and thank outgoing Councilwoman Katrina Long-Robinson for her service.

Operation Green Light

The Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller's annual driver license reinstatement event returns March 28 through April 1. Operation Green Light allows customers an opportunity to pay overdue court-ordered obligations, while saving in additional fees. For more information, visit here.

PBC Cooperative Extension to Offer Workshop for First-Time Homebuyers

Workshop Date in English:

March 25 (Friday) 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. (two sessions)

Are you thinking about purchasing a home? Learn about the steps to homeownership and how to obtain an affordable mortgage in Palm Beach County (PBC) by attending the University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Extension First-Time Home Buyer workshop. The class is provided by the Palm Beach County Cooperative Extension, a local agency approved by Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

The course is HUD-approved and is an 8-hour, pre-purchase, homebuyer workshop that meets the homebuyer education requirement for workforce housing and down payment assistance programs. Participants must attend two 4-hour sessions or one 8-hour session for successful completion of the 8-hour program.

Classes are $10 per individual/couple. A scholarship is available to those who qualify. The sessions are offered online via Zoom in English and Spanish.

To purchase tickets, visit https://homebuyered.eventbrite.com

For more information, please contact Cyndi Longley at clongley@pbcgov.org or 561-233-1744.