Sink, McCollum stump for Florida Forever

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Oct. 28, 2009 – For a mere $15 million, Florida lawmakers can secure $300 million in bonds to restart the state’s Florida Forever program. Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink and Attorney General Bill McCollum call that money a bargain, even during cash-strapped times. The top contenders to replace Gov. Charlie Crist urged lawmakers to set aside doc stamp revenue to provide funding for the Florida Forever program.

“By these purchases, we’re investing in the future of Florida and protecting the environment, whether it’s water quality or protecting its animals or providing park land,” Sink said.

Tough budget times stalled Florida Forever, but high-profile politicians on both sides of the aisle are backing the initiative. Despite a tight budget, those backers include former Gov. Bob Martinez, Bob Graham, Jeb Bush and Reuben Askew.

Speaking on behalf of the program, Martinez says the state must continue making investments in sensitive lands. He says the purchases have an added benefit because the money usually goes to Florida landowners, who reinvest their incomes elsewhere in the state.

Lawmakers pulled funding for the program last year, and agency heads have not called for its replacement in their initial budget requests for the upcoming fiscal year. In years past, the program provided up to $300 million for a host of purchases of sensitive lands.

Land-buying advocates are trying to drum up support as committees look at budget requests for 2010. Agencies were required to submit tentative spending plans by Sept. 15 for the upcoming year.

The Department of Environmental Protection, which runs the program, did not include it in its proposed budget for the coming year. Instead, DEP asked lawmakers to again earmark $50 million toward Everglades restoration efforts.

Backers hope Crist’s past support for Florida Forever coupled with an election year will work in their favor. It seemed to help on Tuesday as both McCollum and Sink took time to say a few words.

“I can’t tell you of anything that is more important to Florida’s long term health than preserving the lands that are so precious to us,” McCollum said.

Source: News Service of Florida, Michael Peltier