Community Project Funding allows certain federal funds to be directed toward a state, locality, or eligible nonprofit serving a Congressional district through the Appropriations process.
To ensure the utmost transparency in this process, the projects submitted on behalf of Florida’s Thirteenth Congressional District are listed below.
FY-25:
Project Name: Bartlett Lake/Salt Creek Pump Station
Requested Amount: $9,000,000
Intended Recipient: City of St. Petersburg
Project location: St. Petersburg, Florida
Full Street Address of Intended Recipient: 175 5th St N, St. Petersburg FL, 33701.
The funding would be used for the construction of a new master lift station to increase stormwater conveyance. The project is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because it will increase stormwater outflows in this area which has been subject to routine flooding due to tidal concerns and stormwater runoff.
Project Name: Clearwater North Beach Stormwater Improvement Project
Requested Amount: $7,500,000
Intended Recipient: City of Clearwater
Project location: Clearwater, Florida
Full Street Address of Intended Recipient: 100 S Myrtle Avenue Clearwater, FL 33756.
The funding would be used for the improvement of the North Beach Stormwater System which will prevent repetitive flooding in this area of the city, enhance emergency response during severe storms, and prevent the flow of effluent from the overwhelmed stormwater system into the Gulf of Mexico and surrounding waterways. The project is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because it protects the natural waters surrounding Clearwater Beach, Florida, provides for public safety by preventing repetitive flooding in the area which includes homes insured by the National Flood Insurance Program, and enhances safety by improving emergency response by fire and police during severe storms and natural disasters.
Project Name: Lafayette Sewer Lining and Manhole Rehabilitation Project
Requested Amount: $800,000
Intended Recipient: City of Oldsmar
Project location: Oldsmar, Florida
Full Street Address of Intended Recipient: 100 State Street W, Oldsmar, Fl 34677.
The funding would be used for rehabilitating aging infrastructure and preventing potential sewage leaks. The project is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because it is a sanitary sewer rehabilitation initiative aimed at enhancing the efficiency and longevity of the collection system’s infrastructure that is in a low-lying area adjacent to Tampa Bay. Tampa Bay is an ecologically sensitive area, and any contamination from a malfunctioning sewer system could have significant consequences for the surrounding environment, marine life, and public health. By rehabilitating critical components of the sewer system, the project helps to mitigate these risks and protect the delicate ecosystem of Tampa Bay, ensuring its long-term health and sustainability.
Project Name: City of Treasure Island Wastewater Collection System Lining Project
Requested Amount: $1,200,000
Intended Recipient: City of Treasure Island
Project location: Treasure Island, Florida
Full Street Address of Intended Recipient: 10451 Gulf Blvd, Treasure Island, FL 33706.
The funding would be used to line the existing wastewater collection system. The project is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because lining the wastewater collection system extends the life of the pipe by 50 years, providing both an immediate and long-term benefit to the community. Lining the existing wastewater system would prevent unnecessary and/or excessive liquids from entering the wastewater collection system thereby decreasing the amount of wastewater sent to St. Petersburg for treatment. This decrease would directly result in a reduction in overall costs for treatment (reduced volume and elimination of unnecessary treatments) while also preventing unnecessary strain on the system that during major storms can cause backups and/or system failures.
Project Name: St. Petersburg Police Department Take Home Vehicles
Requested Amount: $900,000
Intended Recipient: City of St. Petersburg
Project location: St. Petersburg, Florida
Full Street Address of Intended Recipient: 175 5th St N, St. Petersburg, FL.
The funding would be used for the purchase of police vehicles. The project is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because of the need for critical emergency and public safety assets. Taxpayers have a rightful expectation of immediate response as an essential component of effective public safety, and this project supports that goal. Offering take home vehicles not only boosts the recruitment and retention of qualified officers but also ensures vehicles are better maintained, reducing long-term costs. This approach not only elevates service quality to the community but also exemplifies fiscal responsibility, maximizing the value received from taxpayer contributions by lowering overall operational expenses.
Project Name: Semiconductor, Mechatronics, Automation and Robotics Training for Technicians (SMART Tech) High-Tech Industry 4.0 Lab
Requested Amount: $4,000,000
Intended Recipient: St. Petersburg College
Project location: St. Petersburg, Florida
Full Street Address of Intended Recipient: 6605 5th Ave N St. Petersburg, FL 33710.
The funding will be used to address the widening gap between available manufacturing jobs and individuals with the skills to fill them. The project is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because it will expand advanced manufacturing workforce training, empower individuals with stackable technical credentials and concentrated skills, address high technology businesses’ unmet skills needs, repurpose existing industrial facilities, and reinvest in a part of south St. Petersburg which historically includes higher rates of poverty, unemployment, and underemployment.
FY-24:
Project Name: City of Gulfport Sanitary Sewer Repairs
Requested Amount: $2,545,457
Intended Recipient: City of Gulfport
Project location: Gulfport, Florida
Full Street Address of Intended Recipient: 2401 53rd St. S., Gulfport, FL 3707.
This project aims to rehabilitate up to 32,000 linear feet of sewer main to eliminate ground and storm water from being introduced into the sanitary sewer system. The project is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because it improves efficiency by conveying wastewater away and prevents sanitary sewer overflows into the Boca Ciega Bay during wet weather events. This will help fight against the problem of red tide in our communities.
Project Name: Pinellas County Erosion Control Project Sand Key Segment
Requested Amount: $900,000
Intended Recipient: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Project location: Pinellas County, Florida
Full Street Address of Intended Recipient: Along Gulf Blvd
The Project consists of funding to design renourishment of approximately 9 miles of critically eroded shoreline within the 14.2-mile Federal Pinellas County Shore Protection Project at Sand Key. This project is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because it provides storm damage reduction protection to upland public and private infrastructure, supports tourism in Pinellas County, and provides nesting habitat for the threatened loggerhead sea turtle.