FISCAL YEAR 2026
In order to ensure transparency, Members are required to post Community Project Funding requests and associated certifications of no financial interest on theirhouse.govwebsites at the time the request is made to the Committee. The information posted must include the proposed recipient, the address of the recipient, the amount of the request, an explanation of the request, including purpose, and a justification for why it is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds, and the Member’s signed certification letter stating there is no financial interest in the project. Information about Community Project Funding requests submitted by my office can be found below.
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FAU The NeuroInnovate Center: I requested $2,000,000 for the Florida Atlantic University, which funds will be used for to purchase and install preclinical MRI and FUS technology. Focused Ultrasound allows clinicians to open the blood-brain barrier to better deliver drugs to the brain. Brain disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease and addiction, are unfortunately prominent in Florida, and disproportionally impact veterans. Initial studies with a limited patient population have shown MRgFUS technology to greatly improve drug delivery and clinical outcomes for (a) Alzheimer’s disease patients treated with lecanumab and (b) breast cancer patients with metastasis to the brain treated with trastuzumab.
Signed Financial Disclosure Letter
NSU: Standardization of Novel Drug Delivery System for Brain Cancer Treatment: I requested $1,830,160 for Nova Southeastern University to provide equipment to perform mouse brain tumor experiments to translate a novel drug delivery system, thereby setting a standard that could be implemented within a clinical setting. Since the carbon dots can be engineered to deliver drugs to all kinds of tumors, this work will fundamentally improve the lives of all individuals living in the U.S., Florida, and the 25th Congressional District. Carbon dot nanomedicines can be developed for tumor types that are considered hard to treat. Thus, this critical work will improve the lives of cancer patients regardless of their age, sex, race, cancer type, and geographic location; this is something that can help all Americans.
Signed Financial Disclosure Letter
Broward County Sheriff’s Office: South Florida ICAC Technology Support Project: I requested $535,000 for the BCSO assist law enforcement in meeting the rising costs of digital forensic software, a forensic van upgrade and investigative tools to assist analysts in identifying both victims and offenders. Over the years, South Florida’s ICAC task force has seen a steady decrease in federal funding from the OJJDP Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force Program. The decrease in funding has made it difficult for the task force to fund forensic software licenses and renewals. ICAC cases heavily involve forensic examinations. As the funding continues to decrease, the cost for forensic software tools continues to increase. The funding from the C.O.P.S would assist tremendously in ICAC investigations. The $535,000 would be used to renew and improve the tools law enforcement needs to continue this important work.
Signed Financial Disclosure Letter
FIU: Functional Precision Medicine: Equipment Acquisition to advance functional precision medicine approaches and imaging studies for hard-to-treat cancers. I requested $5,000,000 for Florida International University to fund the purchase of equipment and imaging materials for a new program developed by FIU that provides personalized and functional drug testing on individual patient’s tumor cells to guide clinical decision making and provide novel therapeutic options for pediatric cancer patients with no alternative options. FIU is receiving living cancer specimens from patients at Nicklaus Children’s and taking them to their lab, where they then test it against hundreds of FDA-approved drugs within a week to personalize the patient’s cancer treatments. The research has produced promising outcomes and represents a real breakthrough for cancer treatment of recalcitrant cancers. The approach targets cancer by combining genetic analysis (genomic profiling) of patient-derived tumor cells with rapid (and automated) drug sensitivity testing.
Signed Financial Disclosure Letter
City of Sunrise Southwest Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) New Deep Injection Well: I requested $7,500,000 for the City of Sunrise to construct a deep injection well which will enhance the wastewater treatment capacity at the Southwest Wastewater Treatment Plant to better serve tens of thousands of residents in our region. The funding would be used for improvements to the Southwest Wastewater Treatment Plant, which is located within the Town of Davie municipal limits. This plant includes a sewer treatment system that serves the needs of tens of thousands of Broward County residents. As part of the treatment process, the Southwest Wastewater Treatment Plant has four percolation ponds as a means for wastewater disposal. Due to conditions and the current limitation on the capacity for the processing of the wastewater, the City is requesting to install a deep injection well at the Southwest Wastewater Treatment Plant.
Signed Financial Disclosure Letter
City of Hollywood Boulevard Heights Sewer Expansion – Johnson Street to Fillmore Street from N. 70th Way to N. 72nd Avenue: I requested $3,543,200 for the City of Hollywood to extend the sewer collection system to improve public health, protect the environment, and preserve aquifers that produce drinking water. This project extends the sewer gravity collection system to the Boulevard Heights neighborhood, approximately bounded by Johnson Street and Fillmore Street, and North 72nd Avenue and North 70th Way. Approximately 5,300 linear feel sewer gravity pipe, 18 sewer gravity manholes and 101 sewer laterals will be installed under the project.
Signed Financial Disclosure Letter
City of Dania Beach Wastewater Infrastructure Improvement Project: I requested $1,000,000 for the City of Dania Beach to design and construct a replacement for Lift Station No. 12. This lift station, constructed in 1986, is typical of the older list stations in that its wet well needs to be bigger for modern pumps and equipment; therefore, the City must wholly rebuild it. The station is plagued with electrical issues and goes offline during storm events. Due to its age, it is challenging to find spare parts for the lift station, and it lacks a backup generator. The project is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because Lift Station 12 serves five (5) boat yards that service the yachting industry and employee hundreds of workers. In Broward County, as of 2020, the marine industry output was 9.6 billion and 120,688 jobs.
Signed Financial Disclosure Letter
City of Hallandale Beach: Water Main Rehabilitation Project: NE 7th Street: I requested $2,539,923 for the City of Hallandale Beach to provide new potable water through a water main located within city limits running approximately 6,500 feet. This project replaces existing aging infrastructure with a new water distribution system to provide reliable potable water, improved fire hydrant coverage and expanded water services. This is a high priority project based on the recommendations outlined in the City’s Basis of Design Report (BODR) and 10-Year Water Supply Plan. The project will also include relocating existing infrastructure away from alleyways and utility easements that are behind properties to public right-of way or roadways located in front of properties.
Signed Financial Disclosure Letter
City of Cooper City: Wastewater Treatment Plant New Headworks Facility: I requested $6,240,000 for the City of Cooper City to construct a new headworks facility. The headworks process is the vital initial treatment process for removing bulky solids in wastewater treatment. Currently, the Cooper City Wastewater Treatment Plant lacks a headworks facility, leading to frequent operational challenges, especially during high inflow periods. The City’s treatment plant operators currently monitor the existing surge tank for bulky solids and rake the incoming solids for depositing. Without dedicated headworks, debris such as rags and other materials, accumulate in the surge tanks and significantly reduce their capacity and efficiency. This insufficiency has resulted in overflow incidents that pose serious public safety risks and health hazards, especially considering the plant’s proximity to residential areas. The purpose of this Project is to construct a new headworks facility equipped with modern screening and grit removal systems to effectively intercept and remove coarse and fine debris from the incoming wastewater before it enters the main treatment process, thereby preventing the accumulation of solids in surge tanks, mitigating the risk of overflows, ensuring the smooth and efficient operation at subsequent treatment stages, and safeguarding community health and the environment.
Signed Financial Disclosure Letter
City of Pembroke Pines Hurricane Mitigation
The City of Pembroke Pines has requested $456,417 for installing 130 hurricane impact-resistant sliding doors at the Pines Point apartments. During hurricane season, the Pines Point apartments face the threat of hurricanes, requiring extensive preparation and protection measures. However, the current sliding glass doors lack impact resistance, necessitating the cumbersome installation of hurricane shutters by maintenance staff for each apartment.
Signed Financial Disclosure Letter