- April 15, 2024
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Lawmakers' concerns about the potential economic impacts of the COVID-19 corona virus may become a contributing factor in slowing the University of North Florida's proposal to build a healthcare education facility in Palm Coast's Town Center, called MedNex.
"We’ re trying to be prudent with the budget to make sure we’re not caught short. ... That has certainly put a damper on any kind of new spending, because we have to be very, very prudent."
—PAUL RENNER, Florida state representative, district 24
"There's at least potential funding for a portion of what's requested for MedNex," Rep. Paul Renner said. "However, because there's an honest effort to look at where we may avoid spending, and transfer those monies over into reserves to protect against a potential economic downturn, it's putting everything else into question."
The proposed campus, called MedNex, was included as $12 million worth of a $67 million state funding request for "Pillars of Excellence" educational projects by the Florida Board of Governors, the body that governs the state university system.
Renner has championed the MedNex proposal. "I think it can bring much-needed, improved access to our region, and bring jobs and bring economic development to our area that doesn’t exist today, so for that reason it’s a very worthwhile project," he said.
The Legislature was still finalizing its budget as of March 9 — the legislative session ends Friday, March 13 — but at that point, the Legislature had agreed to provide a total of $15 million for the universities' Pillars of Excellence projects altogether.
"That $15 million, that is money that could be spread to any of those universities, or one or a few or equally to all," Renner said.
In addition, the Legislature might also cut back that $15 million because of concerns that state revenues could make a dip due to the virus.
"We’ re trying to be prudent with the budget to make sure we’re not caught short," Renner said. "That has certainly put a damper on any kind of new spending, because we have to be very, very prudent. ... We’re trying to hit a moving target. Our session is supposed to end on Friday, but we’re in the midst of what you would call a black swan event, where we have to assess, not having full information on where our revenues might end in the coming year."
