Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday directed more than $12 million to the Panhandle for aviation facilities and to help a planned housing development.
Drawing money from the state’s Job Growth Grant Fund, DeSantis allocated $4.4 million to Pensacola State College to expand facilities to train aviation mechanics and $3 million to DeFuniak Springs Municipal Airport.
The college money is slated to be used to build a hangar and training facilities at Pensacola International Airport for a new mechanics program.
The DeFuniak Springs airport money is expected to go into two hangars, a taxiway and an access road.
DeSantis also provided $4.6 million to Jackson County to complete a 1.3-mile road and accompanying utilities for a development expected to include 250 single-family homes.
DeSantis, who announced the grant awards during an appearance at Pensacola State College, has discretion to use the Job Growth Grant Fund for infrastructure and job-training projects and programs.
The state budget for the fiscal year that started Monday includes $75 million for the fund.