Conservation land-buying mustn’t be ignored this legislative session

In the opening salvo of our state’s upcoming budget 2018-2019 negotiations, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection recently requested $50 million for land conservation. It’s a far cry from the $300 million per year that Florida regularly set aside for conservation land-buying 10 to 15 years ago, but it’s better than the allocation of zero dollars we witnessed this year. One question all citizens should be asking their state lawmakers and Gov. Rick Scott as we move toward the official 60-day 2018 legislative session that begins in January: Will they once again blatantly ignore Florida voters by failing to appropriate adequate funds for state conservation land buying

Florida voters are divided on many things, but on this we are united. Just look at the numbers: Voters approved adding the Florida Water and Land Conservation Amendment (Amendment 1) to our state Constitution in 2014 by a landslide — it got a whopping 75 percent majority, more than any other ballot initiative or candidate. Its title was clear: “Water and Land Conservation — Dedicates funds to acquire and restore Florida conservation and recreation lands.”

Yet our state lawmakers in the past two years have boldly swiped the money that voters earmarked for conservation land-buying and instead spent it on other things it’s not supposed to pay for, like state equipment, government worker salaries, and even insurance premiums. This year’s state budget had zero dollars for the Florida Forever conservation land-buying program. This is not right, and we need to demand that our elected officials fund conservation land-buying in the 2018 legislative session.

Tax money is available to move forward with important conservation land deals all over Florida — these deals are already vetted by the state and have willing sellers — but lawmakers aren’t doing their jobs and directing the money where it is supposed to go.

The Water and Land Conservation Amendment requires that, for the next 20 years, 33 percent of the proceeds from the already-existing real estate documentary-stamp taxes go for conservation land acquisition and restoration. When it became clear lawmakers were ignoring the voter mandate, our group — the Florida Wildlife Federation — along with the Sierra Club, St. Johns Riverkeeper, and the Environmental Confederation of Southwest Florida went to court on behalf of Florida citizens. Our case is still ongoing.

Floridians have made it clear that we want our land and water conserved as a legacy for future generations. We want a green infrastructure to support the assets that make this a great place to live. We want clean water for people and wildlife. We want places set aside so that every inch of our state is not covered by strip malls, golf courses, and housing developments.

Legislators made a promise to represent us, and it’s wrong for them to keep ignoring us. Let your legislator know you are tired of this, and that you want the dollars you voted for conservation land-buying to be directed to conservation landbuying in the 2018 legislative session.

Manley Fuller is president of the Florida Wildlife Federation.