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Newt's
Accomplishments

Appropriations

"15 years of experience building bridges and relationships as a minority member.  Has enabled me to work across the aisle to bring home millions in much-needed resources"

Rep. Newt’s 2020 Session Accomplishments

  • Passed $93 Billion budget with Unanimous Vote

  • For the 1st time in over a decade, we were successful in preventing the sweeping of the Sadowski Trust Fund, thus providing for $370M for affordable housing.

  • 3% pay increase for all state employees.

  • Environment - $100M for FL Forever Environmental Land Preservation Fund.

  • Visit Florida - $50M of reoccurring funding until 2023.

  • Teacher Pay – Provided $500M - $400M to raise starting and existing minimum teacher pay to $47,500 and an additional $100M for veteran teacher raises; this will put Florida in the Top 5 in the  nation for staring teacher pay.

  • We received $35M of reoccurring funding for Florida’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HCBUs) – Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU), Bethune-Cookman University (BCU), Edward Waters College, and Florida Memorial College.

  • Greek Service Organizations License Plates – With a unanimous vote, we created a Divine 9 license plate for our Greek letter organizations.

  • $800,000 for construction of the Florida Slavery Memorial and the Florida Holocaust Memorial at the Capitol Complex.

  • 3 of my bills passed off the House floor and were signed into Law by Governor DeSantis.
     

Bills Rep. Newt got signed into LAW:

  • HB 597 Tri-Par Estates  (It's a Law, signed by Governor DeSantis 6-9-2020)
    Authorizes board of trustees to adopt & enforce certain rules & regulations governing use of district facilities & prescribe penalties for violations of such rules & regulations; provides requirements for such penalties.
     

  • HB 625 Public Nuisances (It's a Law, signed by Governor DeSantis 6-29-2020)
    Authorizes sheriffs to sue to enjoin alleged nuisances; revises notice requirements for filing of temporary injunctions relating to enjoinment of nuisances; extends time period of notice before lien may attach to real estate; declares use of location by certain persons is public nuisance; declares that any place or premises that has been used on more than two occasions during certain time period as site of specified violations is nuisance; provides opportunity to remedy nuisance; prohibits rental property from being abated or subject to forfeiture.
     

  • HB 1009 Special Neighborhood Improvement Districts (It's a Law, signed by Governor DeSantis 6-23-20)
    Revises number of directors allowed for boards of special neighborhood improvement districts; requires local planning ordinances to specify number of directors & provide for 4-year staggered terms; requires that directors be landowners in proposed area & be subject to certain taxation.

Appropriations

4 Appropriations Projects for $4,550,000 in the FY 20-21 Budget
 

HIPPY - $3,900,000

The funds being requested will allow the Florida HIPPY Training & Technical Assistance Center to manage the delivery of the Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY) to 1,000 children in Florida. The purpose of HIPPY is to partner with parents to prepare their children ages two to five for school. Although HIPPY targets families at risk due to parental poverty and low education, a diverse sample of families from all socioeconomic levels is represented in the HIPPY population.

Happy Workers - $300,000

The goal is to rehabilitate an 89 year old preschool facility located in a high poverty area of south St. Petersburg. The center, Happy Workers Learning Center (HWLC) has a long well regarded history of quality preschool, but has fallen on hard times. HWLC is one of historic sites on the African American Heritage Trail that runs through south St. Petersburg. R'Club Child Care, Inc. another local not for profit child care agency with 47 locations through the Tampa Bay area.

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St. Pete PAL - $300,000
For 25 years PAL has served hundreds of families in its pre-war building, however, over the decades relatively little has been done to the building’s infrastructure and building systems and they need crucial repair and replacement. Major work needs to be completed on not only the exterior of the building, such as the roof, masonry, windows and building hardware, but also on the interior of the building including the electrical, ventilation and

air-conditioning systems.

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The Kind Mouse - $50,000
The goal is to alleviate child hunger and provide a safety net for families during times of economic transition. Chronic child hunger and food insecurity is a clear and present danger in Pinellas County. It is not always visible, but it exists - and it is heartbreaking. Services include a weekend pack sack program, an emergency food program, a

90-day family transition program and a youth outreach program.

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Former Mayor Rick Baker's Letter of Support 
for Wengay "Newt" Newton

Mayor Rick Baker Support Letter
Appropriations
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