Scaled-down Everglades land deal tries to stay alive

One year ago, Gov. Charlie Crist surprised the state with a blockbuster land deal aimed at restoring the Everglades ' "missing link" through sugar cane country.

[Nicolas Naranja]

Even the 73,000 acres is too much of a hit for a region with an economy that needs every bit of money it can get. The everglades may be important but it would take an awful lot of tourists to fix the $150 million hole that that land deal will leave in our local economy. Everglades National Park has One million annual visitors and doesn't even half that value to it's local economy(Wikipedia). Don't believe the crap about the 'glades switching to ecotourism, agriculutre is our bread and butter and we generate an awful lot of money that actually ends up being spent In the coastal communities like Ft. Lauderdale, West Palm, and Ft. Myers.

[Someone Who Cares]

I don't mind the deal, but why is South Florida paying for it? This is a State-asset, all FL taxpayers need to contribute!! It's interesting that Governor selected SFWMD to get the land, not FDEP. Did he do that so only South Florida pays the taxes? If he had selected FDEP to work the deal, then he would have put it as a state budget item and then it would have been spreadout throughout the State.

[david]

this is a real bad deal for the taxpayers.

[Steve]

Why are we funding the family's retirement? I'd love to see some tax returns.

[dddavis]

I still contend that this is a state deal and should not burden the taxpayers of south Florida only. I am opposed to taking on this burden without state support. I am prepared to vote against any member of the SFWMD that supports this endeavor.

[Nicolas Naranja]

dddavis wrote:

I still contend that this is a state deal and should not burden the taxpayers of south Florida only. I am opposed to taking on this burden without state support. I am prepared to vote against any member of the SFWMD that supports this endeavor.

You don't get to vote for them, they are appointed by the governor. To further your line of thought though, this is being done to restore a national treasure, so shouldn't the feds be on the hook for some money. The picture painted by the newspaper is even worse. US sugar could use the money it gets from the state to buy out some of the smaller growers in the area, which would be quite detrimental.