The regular Legislative Session drew to a close on Sunday, and local lawmakers touted significant budget wins.

Manatee County should see a number of education projects funded. That includes $20 million for the University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee campus for a STEM Nursing facility. 

“As the demand for graduates in nursing and STEM-related fields continues to grow, this facility will help attract students and faculty to the campus,” said state Rep. Will Robinson, R-Bradenton. “I appreciate the opportunity to collaborate with Sen. (Jim) Boyd on this project, as this funding is transformational to the campus.”

The budget includes smaller line items including $9 million for a State College of Florida Manatee-Sarasota campus in Parrish, $2 million for the Guy Harvey Academy of Arts and Science on the barrier islands and $600,000 for expanding the Sarasota Academy of the Arts.

Sen. Boyd, R-Bradenton, said the region tallied a number of budget victories.

“One way to measure the success of a legislative session is robust funding for local projects,” he said. “Manatee County will receive millions in state support for critical community priorities this year.”

SCF was a big winner in the budget, with another $33.4 million budgeted for baccalaureate programs at the community college.

That includes nearly $4.42 million in support for county child services. Meanwhile, the budget includes $730,000 for a Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder program in Sarasota County. The All Star Children’s Foundation Campus of Hope and Healing should have $1 million coming in state funding, and the One More Child program at the Sarasota Campus for Children and Families should receive $1.5 million.

Education funding should also go to Sarasota, including $1.5 million for a HUB facility for the Education Foundation of Sarasota County.

There are also infrastructure line items in the state budget, including $1 million contribution toward the local effort to reopen Midnight Pass and $1 million for the Alligator Creek Aerial Pipe Crossing Replacement Project.

On roadways, lawmakers budgeted $8 million for expanding Moccasin Wallow Road, $4 million for replacing Lighthouse Drive Bridge and $2.5 million for extending 51st Street West.

Sarasota County will receive $1 million for a regional firefighter and EMS facility while Manatee County public transit should see $1.1 million roll into station.

The state budget includes about $14.4 million for a School Readiness Program in Manatee County and another $9.6 million for one in Sarasota. Voluntary pre-K allotments of more than $7.6 million in Manatee and $4.5 million in Sarasota. For workforce education, some $10.7 million was allotted for Sarasota and $10.1 million for set aside for Manatee.

None of the budget wins are guaranteed, however. The budget was passed by members of the House and Senate, but now must be sent to Gov. Ron DeSantis, who wields line item veto power on the document. 

Photo courtesy Florida House: Rep. Will Robinson, R-Bradenton, on committee.

John Cannon Homes has built a new concept in Sales Centers. Located in Waterside Place in Lakewood Ranch, The Model Experience will be the place where you can get a taste of the quality of homes built by John and his team. With 7 room vignettes and two large walls of video screens showcasing homes they have built over the past 36 years, customers can feel like they’re in an award-winning, custom-built John Cannon Home. John feels this is also a perfect opportunity to introduce and showcase one of their newest communities in Waterside, Kingfisher Estates. With assistance from the Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance and the support of Lakewood Ranch, John Cannon Homes hosted the grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony of  The Model Experience today. John Cannon welcomed members of the community, local businesses, and realtors as they cut the ribbon and opened the doors to this unique, new concept in sales centers that will have you coming back for more! “This is an exciting day, and we are so thankful for the support we’ve received from all of you,” John said as he addressed the crowd gathered to be a part of the celebration. John Cannon Homes is a custom home builder that brings uncompromising craftsmanship and customized dream homes to life for discerning homebuyers. In an industry where quality is often compromised for speed or cost, John Cannon Homes stands by their commitment to providing only the highest quality standards and materials. John Cannon Homes have constructed over 2,000 private residences in many of the area’s most prestigious neighborhoods and gated golf course communities. Renowned for incomparable waterfront designs, John Cannon Homes has built homes on many of our area’s barrier islands; Longboat Key, Casey Key, Bird Key, Siesta Key, Holmes Beach, Anna Maria; from Punta Gorda Isles in Port Charlotte to Tierra Verde and Tampa Bay. 

Sarasota Memorial Hospital (SMH) continues to lead the region in quality and safety, earning a 5-star rating for overall quality from the federal government in April and an “A” for patient safety in The Leapfrog Group’s hospital report cards released today. SMH-Sarasota is the only hospital in Florida to repeatedly earn the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) highest 5-star quality award since the federal government launched the rating system in 2016. The overall rating system, which ranges between 1 and 5 stars, assesses hospital performance on a variety of quality measures into a single rating. SMH-Sarasota is part of a prestigious list of hospitals to earn a 5-star rating as approximately 8% of 5,000-plus hospitals reviewed across the nation received 5 stars in the CMS ratings in this year’s assessment. In a separate quality review released by The Leapfrog Group today, SMH also maintained its straight-A safety streak. It has earned consecutive A’s in every grading cycle since it began participating in Leapfrog’s safety survey in 2016. The organization, which focuses exclusively on hospitals’ prevention of medical errors and other harms to patients in their care, releases hospital report cards in the spring and fall of each year to help patients choose the safest hospitals to seek care. Of the nearly 3,000 hospitals graded this spring, 29% received an “A” grade. Hospitals that have been open less than two years, including SMH-Venice, are not yet eligible for review or a star rating. 

HCA Florida Sarasota Doctors Hospital received another “A” safety grade from The Leapfrog Group. It is the hospital’s 17th ‘A’ rating. The Leapfrog Group is an independent national organization that assigns letter grades to hospitals based on more than 30 different safety measures including errors, accidents, injuries and infections, and what hospitals have in place to prevent harm. The new grades are based on data and performance primarily during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Leapfrog Group updates hospital grades twice a year in the fall and spring. 

Pictured: ICU nurses at HCA Florida Sarasota Doctors Hospital.

Kim Stephens, a Broker-Associate in the RE/MAX Alliance Group Venice office, has once again qualified for the RE/MAX Platinum Club award, honoring high-achieving real estate professionals for their service to buyers and sellers during 2022. This is her 12th consecutive Platinum Club award since 2011. A real estate agent since 1997, Stephens focuses on residential properties in the Venice, Englewood, Osprey and Nokomis areas. She is a RE/MAX Lifetime Achievement awardee and has earned the Graduate, Realtor Institute (GRI), e-PRO and Seniors Real Estate Specialist (SRES) designations. She has served as a director on the Venice Area Board of Realtors for six years. The RE/MAX Alliance Group Venice office is located at 1314-B East Venice Avenue, Venice, Florida 34285. Stephens can be reached at (941) 321-6858 or Kim@HomesOfVenice.com. RE/MAX Alliance Group is the #1 RE/MAX franchise in Florida and the #1 RE/MAX franchise in Florida for contributions to the Children’s Miracle Network. The company offers residential and commercial real estate solutions through 13 offices in Sarasota, Manatee, Charlotte, Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco and Hernando counties. For more information, please visit https://www.alliancegroupfl.com.