Keep 'Florida Forever' saving county land
Publication Date: 04/15/09
If Florida Forever, the state's landmark land conservation program, is cut by the Florida Legislature, watch out.
Environmentally sensitive land, still in priavte hands, could be lost forever. It could likely be paved over in the future with mega-communities of residential and commercial development if Florida Forever's 20-year run of funding ends this year.
Florida's image as a place for eco-tourism will be diminished, too. Many toursits come for our natural beauty and wildlife settings.
If Florida Forever is not funded again this year, its legacy, valued at $55 million in St. Johns County, will still be most appreciated. But at the same time, the loss of future parks, recreation and conservation areas, wildlife habitats and the like will be mourned forever.
Without Florida Forever funding, there may never be another Alpine Groves Park. St. Augustine Beach might not be able to get reimbursed for the purchase of Phase One of the Maratea beachfront property, which will affect the subsequent purchase of another portion of that land.
Floridians have seen Florida Forever as a great salvation for more than two decades.
As lawmakers sweep through state trust funds for available dollars, Florida Forever's cache is being scrutinized, too.
The St. Johns County Commission is on record by resolution for supporting the continuation of funding. Statewide polls in recent years, funded by environmental groups, overwhelmingly support the continuation of the fund.
Because of the funding structure to Florida Forever, it has been able to take its documentary stamp proceeds and leverage it into $300 million of purchasing power. Last year, Florida Forever received $30 million to leverage, according to The Florida Times-Union. It likely will be considerably less because of the decline in housing sales.
We know it is crunch time and that government, businesses and industries have to take cuts. But whatever the state receives from the documentary stamp tax, at least some of that money should continue to go to Florida Forever.
That's not only a sound decision to keep Florida Forever going, but also it's a smart one, considering that some large land owners may be more willing to deal with the state because private sales have dried up.
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