Should voters elect the South Florida Water Management Board?
by Michael C. Bender | February 17th, 2010UPDATED: Story reflects version published in the Feb. 18 print edition of The Palm Beach Post.
Locally affected special districts:
South Florida Water Management District
Health Care District of Palm Beach County
Children’s Services Council of Palm Beach County
Children’s Services Council of Martin County
St. Lucie County Fire District
Source: Florida Community Affairs Department
TALLAHASSEE — The power to raise property taxes would rest solely with elected officials under a constitutional amendment proposed for the November ballot.
The amendment would revamp the supervision of hospital and children’s services districts across the state and make the South Florida Water Management District, which covers 16 counties and includes about 7 million people, the biggest voting district in the state and among the largest in the country, according to the National Association of Election Officials.
“It’s something called ‘no taxation without representation,” said state Rep. Carl Domino, a Jupiter Republican sponsoring the amendment (HJR 493) discussed Wednesday in the House Governmental Affairs Committee.
Objections were raised Wednesday by the special district officials who argued the districts were created — in most cases voter-approved — specifically to avoid electoral politics.
“You will change fundamentally how these water management districts operate,” Audubon of Florida’s Eric Draper told the committee.
Should voters elect governing board members of the South Florida Water Management District?
- Yes (61.0%, 79 Votes)
- No (39.0%, 51 Votes)
Total Voters: 130
Loading ...Draper reminded the House panel that another Palm Beach County lawmaker, former Senate President Phil Lewis, D-Riviera Beach, led an “extraordinarily thoughtful legislative process” that asked voters to approve water districts along hydrological lines instead of political boundaries.
Giving appointed water boards the ability to tax, which voters approved in 1976, allows the district to attract resources experts instead of politicians, Draper said.
Elected citizens, however, can hire expert staff to guide their decisions, Domino said.
“There are enumerating examples of appointments being made for not the best of reasons,” Domino said. “Not because they were experts in the field … but because they were the friend of a friend of a friend. I would rather the friend of the voters get elected.”
Domino said his amendment was inspired by the decision of the South Florida water district, at Gov. Charlie Crist’s urging, to buy 73,000 acres of U.S. Sugar land for $536 million.
“I’m not saying that was a good or bad decision,” Domino said. “But I think the voters should have the opportunity to respond.”
Committee Chairman Rob Schenck, R-Spring Hill, would not commit to giving Domino’s proposal a formal vote.
State Sen. Joe Negron, R-Stuart, has a similar awaiting a hearing in the Senate.
Rep. Debbie Mayfield, a Vero Beach Republican on the committee, promised to co-sponsor the measure, saying several hospital boards were elected in her district and “those tend to work.” Rep. Ken Roberson, R-Port Charlotte, also said he supported the bill.
Rep. Kevin Ambler, R-Tampa, said after the meeting that he would support the bill if it applied only to water management districts.
Democrats on the committee, including Rep. Kelly Skidmore of Boca Raton, asked several questions, but did not commit. Rep. Rick Kriseman, D-St. Petersburg, compared the measure to the so-called Hometown Democracy amendment that would require votes on county and city growth issues and opponents have ridiculed as requiring too many elections.
Tags: Carl Domino, Constitutional Amendments, Everglades, property taxes, South Florida Water Management District, U.S. Sugar
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Sentenced to die for crimes judged heinous and cruel, inmates await execution in a 9 feet by 6 feet cell.
February 17th, 2010 at 12:35 pm
What’s a Mangement?
February 17th, 2010 at 12:38 pm
It’s a typo. Thanks for the catch, Phyllis.
February 17th, 2010 at 1:18 pm
The irony of Domino’s statement is that despite 2.5 million Florida voters who are registered as independent or third party voters, they pay taxes which fund the primaries of the Democratic and Republican parties, but CANNOT vote in them. That is true taxation without representation.
February 17th, 2010 at 2:29 pm
Rep. Ambler talked about the Children’s Services Council. For those who don’t know, they provide services for children and families. Domino should carve them out of whatever he’s doing.
February 17th, 2010 at 10:00 pm
This is a segment of a news story about Gov. Crist selecting Patrick Rooney to sit on the SFWMD board.
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Patrick Rooney, 43, is the general counsel of Investment Corp of Palm Beach. He currently serves as the director of the Autism Project of Palm Beach County. Rooney graduated from Clemson University with a bachelor’s degree in political science. He received his Juris Doctor at Villanova University School of Law and a master’s degree in business administration at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
“The regulation of water in South Florida is becoming increasingly important as we manage the current drought and prepare for the possibility of severe weather during the 2007 Hurricane Season,” said Governor Crist. “Patrick has the education and professional experience necessary to provide important leadership on the governing board.”
“Having been a South Florida resident for over 15 years, I share Governor Crist’s appreciation for the impact of water and the environment on our daily lives,” said Rooney. “I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to serve.”
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“Requiring elections would dissuade participation from experts” … this is what you call an expert? The sugar industry, the big engineering firms, and big contributors to the sitting governor’s campaign are always represented on the SFWMD board, but now that Mike Collins is leaving, the south FL voter won’t have any representation.
February 18th, 2010 at 1:27 pm
Translation: More politicians. Wonderful. They and their contributors will now control our water. Another brilliant idea from the legislature…