Peter Schorsch
Last Call — A prime-time read of what’s going down in Florida politics.
First Shot
A Tallahassee judge will hear the argument for a motion for partial summary judgment in a three-year-old lawsuit over how the state funds environmental conservation.
Tallahassee-based Circuit Judge Charles Dodson will hear the motion June 15 at 10:30 a.m., court dockets show. Summary judgments allow parties to win a case without a trial. Partial summary judgments resolve one or more issues, but not the whole case.
The motion was filed by David Guest, attorney for the Sierra Club, Florida Wildlife Federation and other plaintiffs. It relates to “nine appropriations to and expenditures by the Florida Forest Service (“FFS”) in the 2015-16 fiscal year (that) were in violation of” 2014’s Water and Land Legacy Amendment, also known as Amendment 1.
The constitutional change, passed by nearly 75 percent of voters, mandates state spending for land and water conservation. It requires state officials to set aside 33 percent of the money from the real estate “documentary stamp” tax to protect Florida’s environmentally sensitive areas for 20 years.
Environmental advocacy groups filed suit in Leon County in 2015. The plaintiffs say lawmakers wrongly appropriated money for, among other things, “salaries and ordinary expenses of state agencies” tasked with executing the amendment’s mandate.
Guest’s motion says it goes to the “core constitutional question” of the case: “Whether (Amendment 1) permits monies from the Land Acquisition Trust Fund to be expended for management and restoration of natural systems on public and private lands … or whether they may be expended only for … ‘conservation or recreation lands.’ ”
To wit: “The primary function of the FFS is to fight and prevent fires on private lands and to promote forestry and prescribed burning on private lands. However, the Legislature appropriated $57.6 million of funds from the Land Acquisition Trust Fund to the FFS for salaries, expenses, and operating costs,” three times as much as what it reported in expenditures, the motion says.
Named defendants include the Legislature, the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, and the Department of Environmental Protection. Dodson previously set a weeklong bench trial in Tallahassee for July 23-27, records show.
Evening Reads
“Donald Trump pardons Dinesh D’Souza, who will appear at Florida GOP summit” via Alex Leary of the Tampa Bay Times
“Marco Rubio campaign volunteer and ex-Florida lawmaker says Barack Obama looks like a monkey” via Jerry Iannelli of the Miami New Times
“Ron DeSantis blasts FBI efforts regarding Donald Trump campaign as ‘not normal’” via Ryan Nicol of Florida Politics
“With new indictments (reportedly) focused on Adam Corey, here is why Andrew Gillum should be worried” via Peter Schorsch of Florida Politics
“Gwen Graham isn’t running from her congressional record, despite the critics” via Lawrence Mower of the Tampa Bay Times
“Miami congressional candidate says chemical attacks in Syria were staged” via Alex Daugherty of the Miami Herald
“Janet Cruz, Dana Young fight it out over gun votes in state Senate race” via William March of the Tampa Bay Times
“Feds approve six-month extension for Brightline train bonds” via Scott Powers of Florida Politics
“Florida officials make few changes for upcoming storm season” via Joe Reedy of The Associated Press
“West Virginia case sheds light on Florida disaster contracting controversy” via Peter Schorsch of Florida Politics
Quote of the Day
“When you are deploying surveillance powers, counterintelligence powers, against an opposition party’s campaign, that is not normal, and I think that is not what Americans want the FBI to be doing.” — Congressman and Republican candidate for Governor Ron DeSantis, commenting on the so-called “Spygate” controversy, regarding the FBI’s actions to uncover Russian interference in the 2016 presidential campaign.
Bill Day’s Latest
Breakthrough Insights
Wake Up Early?
The 2018 hurricane season starts Friday and lasts through November. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is predicting 10 to 16 named storms this year.
On a related note, a sales-tax “holiday” for purchasing hurricane supplies will start Friday and last through June 7. Floridians will be able to buy a wide range of supplies during the period without paying sales taxes.
Enterprise Florida leads a nine-day export sales mission to Hong Kong and Guangzhou, China, highlighting sectors such as aviation, agriculture, energy efficiency, clean technology, health care and e-commerce. That’s Friday through June 9.
Gov. Rick Scott will attend the opening of Wyndham Destinations Headquarters, where he will highlight job creation and Florida’s tourism industry. That’s at 10 a.m., 6277 Sea Harbor Dr. in Orlando.
Staff members for U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio will hold “mobile” office hours in Flagler County. That’s at 1 p.m., Flagler County Fairgrounds, 150 Sawgrass Road, Bunnell.
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Philip Levine visits Tampa to take part in an education roundtable with the Alliance for Public Schools, the Florida National Organization for Women Conference, and a roundtable conversation with Hispanic Business and Community Leaders. Events begin with the education roundtable at 1 p.m., Hillsborough County Children’s Board, 1002 E. Palm Ave. Hispanic roundtable begins 2:30 p.m., Centro de Ayuda de Hispano 3434 W Columbus Ave., Ste. 107. The women’s conference begins 5:30 p.m., Tampa Marriott Westshore, 1001 North Westshore Blvd.
Looking Ahead
The state will hold a “license-free” saltwater fishing weekend. Floridians and visitors will be able to go saltwater fishing without a license on Saturday and Sunday.
