Meet Your State Editor Bill Dillon State Editor for Florida

Senate Looks To Suspend Florida Forever.

Tampa Bay Online, 9 January 2009 edition.

TALLAHASSEE - The state Senate wants to suspend the Florida Forever land conservation program six months, effectively abandoning dozens of land purchases already in the works, including several in the Tampa Bay area.

Environmentalists are reeling from the Senate's decision to axe Florida Forever funding for the rest of the fiscal year, which ends June 30. The proposal would mean canceling $250 million in bonds, which would have supported Florida's purchase of environmentally sensitive land across the state.

"Florida Forever evaporates if this passes," said Eric Draper, lobbyist for the Audubon Society. "There are dozens of contracts to buy land; all those contracts are either going to be renegotiated or they're going to be canceled."

The Department of Environmental Protection released a 15-page list of acquisitions and projects that they said will not go forward if the Senate plan takes effect. The roster includes

>> Read more at Florida News Page

Senator decries election cash. Haridopolos wants an end to public financing.

Florida Today, 9 January 2009

Senator decries election cashHaridopolos wants an end to public financing

Sen. Mike Haridopolos, R-Merritt Island, said candidates for statewide offices in 2010 should have to raise their own campaign money -- just as hundreds of mayors, city and county commissioners, legislators and members of Congress do every two or four years.

Haridopolos, chairman of the Senate governmental operations committee, is in line for the Senate presidency in 2010, which gives his bills added weight.

"In tough economic times like these, we shouldn't be providing welfare for politicians," Haridopolos said of his constitutional amendment (SJR 566) and statutory bill (SB 564) that will be considered when the regular 2009 session convenes in March.

>> Read more at Florida News Page

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