A pilot program that would have given Palm Beach County veterans free rides on the public Palm Tran system won’t be launching with state funds after all.
Gov. Ron DeSantis vetoed a nonrecurring $150,000 set-aside for the “Patriot Passes” project as part of a $567 million reduction from the coming state budget.
The money would have complemented an identical local match.
State lawmakers agreed this year to the earmark, which would pay for a new initiative to enhance mobility and independence for retired military service members. Like the long-standing Patriot Passport program in Miami-Dade, Patriot Pass users would enjoy free fixed-route and on-demand transportation.
According to matching appropriation requests from Senate Democratic Leader Lori Berman of Boynton Beach and Lake Worth Beach Democratic Rep. Debra Tendrich, Palm Beach’s veteran population often faces unique barriers to transportation.
The initial program was expected to serve more than 1,000 veterans and potentially pave the way for a permanent fare-free transit program for them.
Tendrich said in a statement that for many Palm Beach veterans, access to the county’s transit system isn’t a luxury; it’s a necessity.
“This veto ignores the real, everyday challenges veterans in Palm Beach County face. Many are struggling to get to medical appointments, maintain employment, or stay connected to their community,” she said.
“Independence Day exists because of the courage of our first generation of American veterans. We cannot continue to celebrate freedom while turning our backs on the people who made it possible.”
Tendrich’s Office said the Patriot Passes veto was part of a “broader pattern” that this year included several other veteran-focused programs in Florida getting their funding slashed.
Among them: vetoes of $1 million from the Manatee County Veterans Connection Hub, $950,000 from a program that supports single veteran parents, $750,000 from a veterans health care careers project at Nova Southeastern University, $400,000 from a Osceola County program that offers transitional housing to homeless veterans, and $300,000 from a ketamine treatment study for veterans and first responders.
Her Office highlighted several others.
Notably, DeSantis left numerous budget items benefiting veterans intact, including an additional $20.8 million to support capital improvements for veteran nursing homes, a continued $2 million investment to assist veterans in securing skill-based employment and $1 million for a grant program offering no-cost dental services to former service members.
Those funding buckets are part of the Department of Veterans Affairs’ $197 million budget.
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