Renewal of the Florida Forever conservation program. Florida Forever was slated to expire in 2010, but SB 542 by Sen. Burt Saunders (R-Naples) extends the state land-buying program to 2020, with $5.3 billion in bonding authority over that 10-year period. In this year’s budget, the Florida Forever program has $300 million to spend on land acquisition. The bill includes a few new twists, including money to buy conservation easements on agricultural land (rather than fee simple title) and more money to purchase and conserve working waterfronts, like historic fishing docks. Since the beginning of Florida Forever, the state has purchased more than 600,000 acres of environmentally sensitive land.
Finally, the state budget provides funding for Everglades restoration ($50 million), two new appraiser positions within the Division of Real Estate to ensure Florida appraisers meet federal guidelines, and combating unlicensed activity ($400,000).
There were only a few disappointments this session. The state budget raises the filing fee for evictions from $75 to $265, the first increase in 20 years. And SB 482 by Sen. Rudy Garcia (R-Hialeah), an effort strongly pushed by Rep. Gary Aubuchon (R-Cape Coral) via HB 699 to prevent the Legislature to divert more than $7 million in trust funds to general revenue next year, got derailed by an amendment in the final two hours of the session.
Tags: Florida Forever
March 30, 2008 at 9:14 pm |
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