By Editorial Board, TC PALM.COM
The Tallahassee Two-Step.
It’s the political version of The Twist, The Dougie, The Macarena and Gangnam Style — dance crazes that swept the nation.
The Tallahassee Two-Step arrived in the halls of the state Capitol during the regular legislative session.
Environmentally minded Floridians are watching to see if this latest dance craze continues during the special session, which started Monday and ends June 20.
There are two simple moves to the Tallahassee Two-Step: 1) Shuffle your feet and nod your head in support of Amendment 1; and 2) do the complete opposite when given the opportunity to appropriate these funds.
Amendment 1, approved last year by 75 percent of voters, was supposed to set aside one-third of “documentary stamp” taxes on real estate transactions over 20 years to preserve land and water.
Foolish us!
We failed to anticipate the Tallahassee Two-Step, which has all but destroyed the intent of the amendment.
Instead of earmarking an estimated $750 million this year “to acquire, restore, improve and manage conservation lands” and for “protecting water resources … including the Everglades,” lawmakers sought to divert Amendment 1 funds to other programs.
More than $230 million is proposed for — wait for it! — certain government agencies’ routine operating expenses: from buying wildlife officers’ patrol vehicles to paying salaries and benefits for information technology employees.
And don’t forget the $1.3 million — proposed by both the House and Senate — for the Division of Cultural Affairs’ Museum of Florida History and the Knott House Museum in Tallahassee.
Only 1 percent to 2 percent of the $750 million pot would go to Florida Forever, the conservation land-buying program Amendment 1 was meant to revive.
Lawmakers have a chance to redeem themselves during the special session.
Sen. Joe Negron, R-Stuart, has proposed using as much as $45 million from Amendment 1 to issue bonds to generate $500 million to buy land south of Lake Okeechobee. Such land is needed to move excess water into the Everglades and reduce the damaging discharges of polluted water into the St. Lucie River and Indian River Lagoon.
Lawmakers also will consider a proposal by Gov. Rick Scott that would set aside $150 million annually for the next 20 years for the Everglades and estuaries, including the St. Lucie River.
Both proposals are preferable to the legislative shenanigans we’ve seen so far.
Florida lawmakers should take off their dancing shoes and get serious about the people’s business.
Few things are more embarrassing than folks who think they can dance, but make fools of themselves on the dance floor.