According to columnist Carl Hiaasen, U.S. funding for Everglades falls short. The Everglades clean-up was suppose to be a partnership of Federal and State dollars. According to Carl, the feds are $1.4 billion dollars short of what was expected by now. He also reported:
"A big problem is misplaced priorities. Critics, such as Rep. James Oberstar, a Minnesota Democrat, say that instead of focusing on key projects designed to revive the whole wetland system, the government has pushed those that will benefit agriculture and suburban development."
Everyone on-line from Florida, look at your tax bill. There is a line item: Everglades Construction Projects. A woman living in the City of Miami Gardens pays $15.39 to the Everglades every year. A wealthy man in Key Biscayne paid his share: $701.12 this year alone. Every taxpayer in Florida pays for the restoration of the Everglades based on the cost of their house.
Are we paying it to subsidize development as Rep. James Oberstar asserts?
When the State makes a big deal of kicking in money for the Everglades, remember it is YOU that is paying the bill. I think we agreed to the cost to help the eco-system. Since you are footing the bill so very directly -- as a line item -- you might push a little on the feds to kick in what they promised so there can be some real progress. And be aware, as Carl describes, this effort to help the environment, is running at a snails pace.
1 comment:
The Feds will not come through with any money....we are going to have to do restoration lite.
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