Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Bruce RitchieMarch 25, 2015

Sen. Thad Altman is backing up his criticism of Amendment 1 funding in the Senate proposed spending plan for 2015-16 with budget amendments to provide $350 million for conservation land-buying. The Senate Committee on Appropriations is scheduled Wednesday to consider the proposed $80.4 billion Senate budget. Amendment 1, approved by voters in November, provides an […]

Melissa RossMarch 24, 2015

Add Jacksonville’s North Florida Land Trust to the chorus of outrage over the Legislature’s proposal for the Amendment 1 budget. Amendment 1 passed overwhelmingly in November. The measure is designed to dedicate 33 percent of revenue from excise taxes to protect the state’s land and water resources. Now environmental groups like the NFLT are furious that […]

Bruce RitchieMarch 23, 2015

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Sen. Arthenia Joyner of Tampa, the Senate Democratic leader, is filing a budget amendment to redirect $80 million toward the Florida Forever land-buying program and away from other purposes she said are not consistent with Amendment 1. Approved by 75 percent of voters in November, Amendment 1 is supposed to direct $742 million toward water […]

Bruce RitchieMarch 19, 2015

Environmental groups supporting Amendment 1 on Thursday criticized a Senate chairman’s spending proposal that provides $22 million for land acquisition. Amendment 1, approved by 75% of Florida voters in November, provides an estimated $741.8 million in fiscal 2015-16 for water and land conservation programs. Sen. Alan Hays, chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on General Government, […]

Bruce RitchieMarch 19, 2015

Environmental groups supporting Amendment 1 on Thursday criticized a Senate chairman’s spending proposal that provides $22 million for land acquisition. Amendment 1, approved by 75% of Florida voters in November, provides an estimated $741.8 million in fiscal 2015-16 for water and land conservation programs. Sen. Alan Hays, chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on General Government, […]

Bruce RitchieMarch 19, 2015

A Senate appropriations subcommittee chairman on Thursday presented a budget proposal that provides $22 million for land acquisition, prompting another Republican subcommittee member to charge that the proposal violated Amendment 1. Amendment 1 is a conservation spending initiative approved by 75% of voters in November. In 2015-16, the measure will provide $741.8 million, or 33% […]

Bruce RitchieMarch 17, 2015

A House subcommittee chairman’s proposal for environmental spending ignores the will of voters who supported Amendment 1, environmental groups said Tuesday. “Most of Florida was left out of this budget,” said Eric Draper, executive director of Audubon Florida. “Most of Florida was left out of this budget,” Draper said. He was responding to the 2015-16 […]

Bruce RitchieMarch 11, 2015

State Sen. Alan Hays on Wednesday sternly told a Senate subcommittee audience that the Legislature had not neglected the environment in past years, and that Amendment 1 supporters may have misled Florida voters. The ballot initiative, approved by 75 percent of voters in November, provides an estimated $22.6 billion towards water and land conservation during […]

Associated PressFebruary 23, 2015

After years of deep cuts to environmental programs, Florida voters last November overwhelmingly approved Amendment 1, which changed the state constitution to earmark billions for conservation. But the measure left it up to the Legislature and governor to determine the details of how the money will be spent, and that has led to a heated […]

Bruce RitchieJanuary 7, 2015

Gov. Rick Scott and the Florida Cabinet on Jan. 13 will take up a proposed conservation land purchase with political overtones: 620 acres in Corkscrew Swamp in Collier County for $9.7 million. During a campaign swing in Southwest Florida last August, Scott announced the state would spend $20 million to acquire land in the Corkscrew […]

Tag: Florida Forever

Senate budget amendment would provide $350 million for land-buying

North Florida Land Trust howls over Amendment 1 funding

Arthenia Joyner filing budget amendment to boost land-buying

Environmental groups criticize “hostility” in Senate Amendment 1 spending proposal

Environmental groups criticize "hostility" in Senate Amendment 1 spending proposal

Amendment 1 budget proposal prompts objections, heated exchange

Enviro groups: House budget proposal ignores Amendment 1 intent

Alan Hays says Amendment 1 backers misled voters

Florida environment to get billions, but how to spend it?

Land deal involving Audubon, Scott campaign goes to Cabinet