Allison DeFoor: Florida-loving conservatives should support Amendment 1

I am not a liberal, just a Florida Cracker. That is why I am voting for Amendment 1, the Water and Land Conservation Amendment.

I support Amendment 1 because without raising new taxes it will enhance drinking water sources, manage fish and wildlife habitats, add and restore lands, protect beaches and shores, and maintain state and local parks.

Amendment 1 requires that one-third of documentary stamp revenues, generated from house and land sales, be used exclusively over the next 20 years for these purposes.  Think protecting the St. John’s from more algae blooms, or our springs from choking further.  Down south, think of Indian River Lagoon, or Everglades restoration.

Supporting Amendment 1 falls squarely in line with my belief that conservation is all about conservative values and ideas.  Conservation is, by definition, Conservative.  Republicans have a long tradition of it, nationally and in Florida.

Teddy Roosevelt, Richard Nixon, George H.W. Bush were leaders.  In Florida, Gov. Bob Martinez created Preservation 2000.  Gov. Jeb Bush created a similar effort, Florida Forever.  In Jacksonville, Mayor John Delaney led the way in local conservation, creating a legacy that will continue for generations. All Republicans, like me.

Amendment 1 is also about the practical reality that unless we take steps toward conservation ourselves, we cannot count on others — including lawmakers — to do it for us.  Funding in this area has fallen off the cliff in recent years.  Over the 20-year life of this amendment, Florida’s population will grow to 30 million. We act now, or we act never.

Conservatives believe that government spending should be directed first toward the few services that only government can do well. Securing a clean water supply and the conservation of lands falls in the wheelhouse of this definition.

Conservatives also believe that whenever possible, the money for these essential functions should not come from higher taxes.

Finally, conservatives believe that public spending should be tied to measurable returns on investment. In the case of Amendment 1, if clean water and preserved lands for future generations isn’t enough, consider the impact these assets will have on Florida’s tourism.  Only Hawaii and Alaska have their economy and environments as deeply tied together as we do in Florida.

On top of that, it’s important to remember that every segment of Florida’s economy depends on the natural beauty that draws people and businesses to our state. Without pristine waters and unspoiled landscapes, Florida will lose the special appeal that has fueled our growth and prosperity.

Amendment 1 ensures that our state provides adequate dollars for the most essential of public goods — protecting our waters and conserving our lands. It ensures that taxes aren’t raised to do so. And it provides an excellent return on investment for generations to come.

Many point to Theodore Roosevelt as the person who established the great American conservation movement. Indeed, he led by example. He supported and signed the Antiquities Act, which has been used to procure about a quarter of the land that makes up the national park system.

Ronald Reagan carried on in this tradition, both as governor and president.  “In our own time, the nearly universal appreciation of these preserved landscapes, restored waters, and cleaner air through outdoor recreation is a modern expression of our freedom and leisure to enjoy the wonderful life that generations past have built for us,” Reagan said.

If the people of Florida approve Amendment 1, we will have secured our common interest in the most direct way. For this old Florida Cracker, there’s nothing as conservative as that.

Allison DeFoor is a former Vice Chair of the Republican Party of Florida and a seventh-generation Floridian. He was the Republican nominee for Lt. Governor in 1990, as running mate to Gov. Bob Martinez and served as “Everglades Czar” under Gov. Jeb Bush, where he helped put together the largest land restoration project in history. Allison currently Chairs the Vote Yes On Amendment 1 Campaign.