This year, Florida's approval of $436-million was second only to California's $998-million.
By Associated Press
Published November 24, 2004
Florida may be a "red" state when it comes to presidential politics, but voters in seven counties and one city went "green" by approving $436-million in bond issues for parks and conservation lands, say officials with the Trust for Public Lands.
Similar proposals were narrowly defeated in three counties on Nov. 2. They included a nonbinding straw ballot in Polk County, where officials have kept the issue alive for further consideration.
"Land conservation is not a partisan issue," said Will Abberger, the trust's associate director for conservation finance in Tallahassee. "While it's interesting in light of the politics of this election cycle, it's nothing new in Florida."
Florida went Republican red instead of Democratic blue, although President Bush's record drew fire from many environmentalists, but red and blue voters alike continued their trend of approving conservation spending on the local level. Most passed by wide margins.
Forty-five local conservation measures valued at $1.73-billion have passed in Florida since 1997 to buy, enhance and maintain park and conservation lands, according to the trust, a nonprofit land protection group. That's fourth nationally behind California at $6.5-billion, New Jersey at $5.7-billion and Colorado at $2.1-billion.
"It's about protecting places in people's community that they know and love that are threatened by growth and development," Abberger said. "They can see the reality of new parks and protected lands."
This year, Florida's $436-million was second only to California's $998-million, according to figures compiled by the trust.
Miami-Dade County led the way with $130-million for parks and conservation included in three of eight bond questions totaling $2.9-billion for projects ranging from museums to stormwater drainage. All eight passed.
Voters in Brevard, Collier, Indian River, Lake, Osceola and Palm Beach counties and Titusville also approved bonds.
Collier's $40-million bond issue for land acquisition is tied to a property tax increase of up to 1.5 mills, which is $1.50 for every $1,000 of taxable value.
The three referendums that failed also called for tax increases: a seven-year, 0.5 percent sales tax in Alachua County to raise $105-million; a three-year, 1 percent sales tax in Martin County to raise $55.8-million; and a 0.5 mill property tax in Polk to raise $114-million over 20 years.
