Cost of Everglades inaction will be high

The Everglades is Florida’s most prized natural treasure and welcomes millions of people every year. Unfortunately, inaction regarding the flow of water has created problems for the Everglades and all Floridians. Florida Tax Watch research found that unnatural discharges of Lake Okeechobee east and west into fragile estuaries have significant and quantifiable negative impacts on tourism, community health and local businesses that rely on a pristine water ecosystem to flourish.

There are numerous actions needed and a variety of ecological solutions proposed by the world’s best scientific minds, but what is clear is that the cost of inaction is high for Florida’s economy, environment, and health of its citizens.

It’s rare in public policy that any solution would be a significant improvement over the status quo, but this is one such situation.

We are at a tipping point where we don’t have the luxury of time to wait for the perfect solution.

Dominic Calabro, president and CEO of Tallahassee-based Florida Tax Watch, Inc.