Twelve of the 15 priority projects identified by U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis, in Florida’s 12th Congressional District, have received federal funding allocations.
The projects will bring a total of nearly $20.3 million to the Tampa Bay area, according to a news release from Bilirakis’ office.
Projects receiving allocations include:
- $3 million for Moffitt’s Pasco County Expansion to build the Research and Life Science Facility that will serve as a regional hub for the delivery of high-quality health care, cancer research, education, and biotech business development
- $2 million to help prevent flooding in north Pinellas and south Pasco counties through stormwater and roadway improvements
- $800,000 for the Pasco County Alliance for Healthy Communities Substance Use Prevention Program to provide coordinated behavioral health services to reduce overdose deaths
- $500,000 to support more than 300 at-risk middle and high school aged girls in Pasco and Hernando counties enrolled in the PACE Center for Girls program
- $2.5 million to build a one-stop-shop senior center in Pasco County operated by CARES
- $1.27 million to build new units of housing at the Vincent House for those struggling with mental illness
- $600,000 for the Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired to assist older adults in Pasco, Hernando and Citrus counties by empowering these adults with disabilities to live more independently in their home and communities with a focus on improved mental health
- $2.4 million to install ADA-compliant bus stops along Moon Lake Road in West Pasco
- $2 million for the Pasco Sheriff’s Department to upgrade technology at its regional Center for the Recovery of Missing Persons
- $2 million for renovation of the Children’s Crisis Stabilization Unit operated by Personal Enrichment through Mental Health Services
- $2 million for the Craig Park/Spring Bayou Seawall Repair in Tarpon Springs
- $1.2 million for a school readiness and early literacy program operated by the Pinellas County Education Foundation
In the release, Biliarkis said: “While I am no proponent of big government spending, I have a duty to ensure my community receives its fair share of allocated federal resources and to be transparent about my efforts to prioritize these important projects. Each of these good projects will help strengthen our local infrastructure, benefit our community, and assist local residents.”
Also, of note, the boundary lines for congressional districts changed as a result of the 2020 U.S. Census. Effective Jan. 3, the 12th district’s new boundaries include Hernando, Citrus and parts of Pasco, but no longer includes Pinellas County. Pinellas is now in the 13th district.
Published January 11, 2023
