Fiscal Year 2021–22 Tentative Budget Submission Pursuant to Section 373.536, Florida Statutes August 1, 2021 The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) does not discriminate on the basis of disability. This nondiscrimination policy involves every aspect of the District’s functions, including access to and participation in the District’s programs, services and activities. Anyone requiring reasonable accommodation, or who would like information as to the existence and location of accessible services, activities, and facilities, as provided for in the Americans with Disabilities Act, should contact the Human Resources Office Chief, at 2379 Broad St., Brooksville, FL 34604-6899; telephone (352) 796-7211 or 1- 800-423-1476 (FL only), ext. 4747; or email [email protected]. If you are hearing or speech impaired, please contact the agency using the Florida Relay Service, 1-800-955-8771 (TDD) or 1-800-955-8770 (Voice). If requested, appropriate auxiliary aids and services will be provided at any public meeting, forum, or event of the District. In the event of a complaint, please follow the grievance procedure located at WaterMatters.org/ADA. August 1, 2021 The Honorable Ron DeSantis Governor, State of Florida The Capitol 400 South Monroe Street Tallahassee, FL 32399-0001 Subject: Southwest Florida Water Management District Standard Format Tentative Budget Submission for Fiscal Year 2021-22 Dear Governor DeSantis: In accordance with section 373.536, Florida Statutes, the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) respectfully submits its Tentative Budget Submission for fiscal year (FY) 2021-22. The tentative budget emphasizes our commitment to protecting and restoring Florida’s water resources while meeting Governing Board priorities, legislative directives, and the District’s Five-Year Strategic Plan; and ensuring the core mission of water supply, water quality, flood protection, and natural systems is achieved. The budget also furthers the Governor’s priorities for Florida’s environment and the Legislature’s support of those priorities, including projects to restore springs, reduce pollution, and develop alternative water supplies (AWS). In addition, our long-term funding plan demonstrates that the District’s fiscal resources, supplemented with prudently managed project reserves, can support a healthy investment in water resources and the economy. For FY2021-22, the District’s Governing Board reduced the millage rate from 0.2669 mill to 0.2535 mill, the rolled-back rate, which will generate $118,796,620 in ad valorem revenue. This 5 percent reduction in the millage rate will help lessen the tax burden for Florida residents by saving taxpayers approximately $6.5 million in property taxes. The District’s FY2021-22 tentative budget totals $191,224,447, compared to the FY2020-21 current amended budget of $199,694,869. The operating budget of $83,479,485 is 44 percent of the tentative budget. Maintaining operational costs well below current ad valorem revenue levels allows the District the funding capacity to sustain a significant investment of $107,744,962 in projects, representing 56 percent of the tentative budget. Dedicated to solving the region’s water resource issues through cooperative programs, primarily its Cooperative Funding Initiative, the District will put tax dollars to work by leveraging $56,639,277 through public and private partnerships resulting in a total investment of more than $108 million for sustainable AWS development, water quality improvements, and other water resource management projects. Exemplifying our commitment to prudently manage financial resources, the District continues to work closely with its local partners to ensure that capital projects are efficiently and effectively constructed for the benefit of our regional water resources and economies. The Honorable Ron DeSantis Subject: Southwest Florida Water Management District Standard Format Tentative Budget Submission for Fiscal Year 2021-22 August 1, 2021 Page 2 Key initiatives in the District’s FY2021-22 tentative budget include: • $19.1 million for development of AWS to ensure an adequate supply of water resources for all existing and future reasonable and beneficial uses. • $7.1 million for the Facilitating Agricultural Resource Management Systems (FARMS) program to implement agricultural Best Management Practices (BMPs). • $3.5 million for water quality improvement projects to treat stormwater runoff before discharging directly or indirectly to water bodies. • $2.9 million for springs initiatives to restore springs and spring-fed rivers to improve water quality and clarity, and restore natural habitats such as: shoreline restoration, wetland treatment, beneficial reclaimed water reuse, and septic to sewer conversions. • $26.1 million for Watershed Management Program projects: o $8 million for the modeling and planning phases to determine local and regional floodplain information, and flood protection status and trends to support floodplain management decisions and initiatives. o $18.1 million for the implementation phase involving construction of preventive and remedial projects and BMPs to address potential and existing flooding problems. • $12.6 million for the management of 86 water control structures, 63 miles of canals, 7 miles of dam embankments, and over 170 secondary drainage culverts. • $5.4 million to manage over 453,000 acres of conservation lands for the statutorily mandated purposes of protecting and restoring their natural condition. This includes $2.25 million appropriated by the 2021 Florida Legislature from the Land Acquisition Trust Fund. • $4.2 million for Minimum Flows and Minimum Water Levels (MFLs) activities for streams, estuaries, lakes, aquifers, wetlands, and springs: o $2.8 million to support the establishment and evaluation of MFLs, including monitoring, mapping, research, hydrologic and biologic analysis, and peer review. o $1.4 million to implement recovery efforts to prevent significant harm and re-establish the natural ecosystem. We deliver to you a budget designed to live within our means, meet statutory requirements, operate on a pay-as-you-go basis without debt, and demonstrate our commitment to continually look for opportunities to increase efficiencies while improving the services we provide to the public. Please contact John Campbell, Division Director, Management Services; Amanda Rice, Assistant Executive Director; or myself if you require any additional information. We look forward to working with your Executive Office and the Department of Environmental Protection as we work toward the adoption of the budget on September 28, 2021. Sincerely, Brian J. Armstrong, P.G. Executive Director BJA:mjf Enclosure cc: SWFWMD Governing Board The Honorable Ron DeSantis Subject: Southwest Florida Water Management District Standard Format Tentative Budget Submission for Fiscal Year 2021-22 August 1, 2021 Page 3 Recipients of the Tentative Budget Submission for Fiscal Year 2021-22: Executive Office of the Governor Ron DeSantis, Governor Diane Moulton, Director of Executive Staff Florida Senate Office of Senate President Wilton Simpson, President Senate Committee on Appropriations Kelli Stargel, Chair (Alternating Chair of Joint Legislative Budget Commission) Tim Sadberry, Staff Director Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Environment, and General Government Ben Albritton, Chair Giovanni Betta, Staff Director Senate Committee on Environment and Natural Resources Jason Brodeur, Chair Ellen Rogers, Staff Director Senate Committee on Governmental Oversight and Accountability Jeff Brandes, Chair Joe McVaney, Staff Director Florida House of Representatives Speaker of the House Chris Sprowls, Speaker House Appropriations Committee Jay Trumbull, Chair (Alternating Chair of Joint Legislative Budget Commission) Eric Pridgeon, Staff Director House Agriculture & Natural Resources Appropriations Subcommittee Josie Tomkow, Chair Scarlet Pigott, Budget Chief State Affairs Committee Ralph E. Massullo, MD, Chair Heather Williamson, Staff Director House Environment, Agriculture & Flooding Subcommittee James Buchanan, Chair Alexandra Moore, Policy Chief House Government Operations Subcommittee Jason Fischer, Chair Melissa Smith, Policy Chief Florida Department of Environmental Protection Shawn Hamilton, Interim Secretary Leslie Reed, Chief of Staff Adam Blalock, Deputy Secretary, Division of Ecosystems Restoration Kristine Morris, Assistant Deputy Secretary, Division of Ecosystems Restoration Edward C. Smith, Director, Office of Water Policy & Ecosystems Restoration Stefani Weeks, Engineer Specialist IV, Office of Water Policy & Ecosystems Restoration County Commissioners Charlotte County Board of County Commissioners, Bill Truex, Chair Citrus County Board of County Commissioners, Scott E. Carnahan, Chair DeSoto County Board of County Commissioners, J.C. Deriso, Chair Hardee County Board of County Commissioners, Russell A. Melendy, Chair Hernando County Board of County Commissioners, John Allocco, Chair Highlands County Board of County Commissioners, Scott Kirouac, Chair Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners, Pat Kemp, Chair Lake County Board of County Commissioners, Sean M. Parks, Chair Levy County Board of County Commissioners, John Meeks, Chair Manatee County Board of County Commissioners, Vanessa Baugh, Chair Marion County Board of County Commissioners, Jeff Gold, Chair Pasco County Board of County Commissioners, Ron Oakley, Chair Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners,