These Orlando projects could be up for Florida Legislature 'sprinkle list' funds

The Florida House and Senate have released their funding lists, which include some metro Orlando projects.

These lists were published at the beginning of May, as part of Florida's legislative budget process. They include project funds that are not included in the budget and some requests for appropriations. These items are only proposed, and they will not be guaranteed unless included in the approved final budget.

Why it matters: Funds from the state can be used to help get a project off the ground, or even push it over the finish line.

Ron DeSantis vetoed a few of these projects before. He vetoed $3.1 billion of line items during the creation the current budget of $109.9 billion.

The "sprinkle list" includes some of the most important local items.

Military History Museum Building: $765,000. This is for the expansion of a museum in Osceola County. The City of Clermont could receive $750,000 from the House and $250,000 from the Senate for its project, "Meet Us in The Middle Plaza & 8th Street Docks". Multi-County Forensic Genealogy Test (Collier County, Orange County, Hillsborough County, Palm Beach County): This group of counties will receive $250,000 to cover these services.

Florida TaxWatch is one of the groups that has called for the end of the practice because it lacks transparency. Over $2.85 billion was added to the budget in the last 10 years, according to the watchdog.

The report of the nonprofit group stated that the introduction of Sprinkle Lists had been a bad move for Florida's Budget Process and its taxpayers. These lists, which contain hundreds of millions, are revealed at the 11th hour, without proper vetting and review. They are literally the last thing to be done before the budget meeting closes.

Florida TaxWatch said that the House-Senate budget conference should only be used to compromise on items already funded in the budget, and not add new ones.