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Staff ReportsMarch 29, 2017

On Tuesday, the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Environment and Natural Resources issued the first version of its 2017-18 budget, which comes in at $3.8 billion. The projected Senate budget includes few hundred million dollars more than the preliminary House plan. Fleming Island Republican Rob Bradley, who chairs the committee, offered a thumbnail version at a […]

Jim RosicaApril 26, 2016

More than 5,000 acres in St. Johns County have been set aside for conservation. Gov. Rick Scott and the Florida Cabinet on Tuesday approved spending nearly $6 million toward the wooded land. State officials want to add the tract to the St. Johns River Blueway Florida Forever project. The move is supported by conservationists. The North Florida Land Trust’s Jim […]

Diane RobertsFebruary 24, 2016

OCCUPIED TALLAHASSEE — This is what the Florida Constitution says, right up top, Article I, Section 1: All political power is inherent in the people. I’m guessing most Florida legislators have never read it. Either that or they don’t give a good goddamn. For the second year in a row, they are misappropriating — stealing, […]

Diane RobertsSeptember 15, 2015

Remember when Rick Scott went around in 2014 claiming to be an environmentalist? Yeah, that was hilarious. If you find the rape and pillage of Florida amusing. Some of our fellow citizens actually fell for it, too, just enough to get him re-elected. Flori-duh, indeed. Here’s Scott’s shameful scorecard: 1. Still won’t talk about climate […]

Diane RobertsSeptember 14, 2015

Remember when Rick Scott went around in 2014 claiming to be an environmentalist? Yeah, that was hilarious. If you find the rape and pillage of Florida amusing. Some of our fellow citizens actually fell for it, too, just enough to get him re-elected. Flori-duh, indeed. Here’s Scott’s shameful scorecard: 1. Still won’t talk about climate […]

Mitch PerryApril 29, 2015

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In recent weeks, supporters of Florida’s Amendment 1 have become increasingly fearful that the Legislature was going to betray the will of the voters that passed the land-buying measure last November. The constitutional amendment calls for the state to dedicate a portion of documentary tax stamp proceeds to land buys and other environmental programs, and was […]

Mitch PerryApril 9, 2015

At 10 a.m, and again at 11:30 a.m. Thursday, a group of activists performed a skit along the Florida Capitol courtyard — acting out a scene where eight condemned people line up next to an executioner. Their crime? Condemned to die for not having health insurance. The players were from Catalyist, a Miami-based community organization […]

Bruce RitchieApril 6, 2015

Eric Draper of Audubon Florida told a television audience this weekend that legislators are showing they are “out of sync” with voters who supported Amendment 1. Seventy-five percent of voters in November approved the funding initiative that would provide an estimated $742 million for water and land conservation in the 2015-16 state budget. Environmental groups […]

Bruce RitchieApril 1, 2015

Environmental groups praised a Senate move on Wednesday to add $35 million in the state budget toward land acquisition but said the amount falls short of what voters wanted. Amendment 1, approved by 75 percent of voters in November, is now estimated to provide nearly $742 million for water and land conservation programs. Environmental groups […]

Bruce RitchieApril 1, 2015

The Senate on Wednesday passed an $80.4 billion budget after adding $35 million for land acquisition to send a message to supporters of Amendment 1. In November, 75 percent of voters approved the funding initiative which is estimated to provide nearly $742 million for water and land conservation programs. The proposed budget had included $2 […]

Tag: Florida Forever

Senate issues draft $3.8B environmental budget, millions higher than House

Rick Scott and Cabinet OK land buy in St. Johns County

Diane Roberts: Legislators are stealing the money meant to protect the environment

Diane Roberts: Rick Scott runs up scorecard of shame

Diane Roberts: Rick Scott runs up scorecard of shame

Amendment 1 supporters aren’t giving up the fight for funding just yet

Activists hold Medicaid gap “public execution” in Capitol courtyard

Audubon’s Eric Draper says Legislature “out of sync” with voters

Senate boost for land-buying praised as House Democrats question spending

Senate adds $35 million for land-buying before passing budget