Clean water starts at the ballot box: State qualifying period ends Friday

By Friday we’ll know for sure who’s running for state and county office in Florida this year.

The 2nd qualifying period for 2024 wraps up at noon on June 14. Those running at the county and district level also must have their paperwork submitted by that time and date. Federal candidates had to qualify by April 26.

So bottom line: the slates will be set. We’ll update our online listing of candidates, and as we get closer to the Aug. 20 primary we’ll be looking to publish our “Dirty Money Project." We’ll also begin spotlighting clean-water candidates and considering endorsements for the coming cycle.

If you have suggestions as to candidates we should consider, send them to [email protected].

And remember: Clean water starts at the ballot box.

Tired of reckless growth? Come election day, you can do something about it

Speaking of the ballot box: Here’s a good column by Stuart News/TCPalm columnist Blake Fontenay looking at where county commission candidates in Martin and St. Lucie counties stand on growth — but noting that while “the people who oppose growth tend to be very vocal … I don't know if they truly represent majorities, or even politically significant minorities that could influence an election.”

Election day will tell the tale.

Pro-growth forces tend to be well organized. The “sprawl” industry requires ever-more land, ever-more zoning changes, ever-more revenue, ever-more profits; so they’ve got lawyers and lobbyists, they muster a well-coiffed crowd at your local county commission meeting as needed.

But do they represent a majority? Do most people in your community want more growth, more traffic, more runoff, more habitat destroyed? We seriously doubt it. And we definitely believe those opposed to all this COULD influence an election.

It’s just tougher to mobilize the miffed masses than it is for the pro-sprawl crowd to turn out their minions. But the future of Florida — not to mention your own community — depends on it.

When lobbyists write legislation, part infinity

And speaking of sprawl: If you missed the latest installment from “Seeking Rents” reporter Jason Garcia on how a big Florida homebuilder effectively wrote a new law to build subdivisions faster and cheaper, check it out here. It’s key to understanding how the “sprawl” industry operates in Florida.

Here’s Garcia:

Dubbed by lobbyists as the “Lennar permitting language,” the legislation (Senate Bill 812) will compel cities and counties across Florida to issue building permits for most of the homes in a proposed subdivision before the development plans are finalized.

That’s not all. The bill allows homebuilders to hire private contractors in order to perform faster reviews of development applications. It enables them to more quickly lock in “vested rights” that shield them from any stricter development rules or environmental regulations that a community might adopt in the future. And it permits builders to begin selling future homes sooner.

You’ll be shocked, shocked to find out that:

Campaign finance records show Lennar also gave its lobbyists $170,000 to spend last fall on campaign contributions for Florida politicians, right around the same time they were pitching the permitting bill to lawmakers.

According to Garcia, Lennar and its lobbyists basically wrote the bill, then handed it over to compliant legislators who dutifully filed it, pitched it and passed it.

Senate Bill 812 was sponsored by Spring Hill Republican Sen. Blaise Ingoglia, while a second bill, House Bill 267, was sponsored by Fort Myers Republican Rep. Tiffany Esposito, with 7 co-sponsors.

So here’s yet another example of how special interests marshal their lobbyists and money, and legislators are happy to introduce special-interest written legislation and mouth the lobbyist-written language.

This isn't just special interests "influencing" the Legislature, it's special interests DIRECTING the Legislature.

And if that results in more sprawl, more environmental degradation, more problems — well, buck up. We’ll just spend an additional million or two on water quality projects, and it’ll all be fine!

So goes the "thinking" in Tallahassee. Good thing our legislators have lobbyists to do the thinking for them.

Polluters have us outgunned - but you can even the odds

As the 2024 elections near, VoteWater is working to identify clean-water candidates, track “dirty money” and provide you with the info you need to demand cleaner water and political accountability.

But we’re outgunned. For every dollar we spend, Big Sugar, the “sprawl” industry and other polluters spend thousands. If we spend $1,000, they spend $1 million — on political contributions, lobbyists, consultants and more.

You can help even the odds.

By donating to VoteWater, or by becoming a member, you help us aim higher, hit harder and make waves.

Without you, things will never change. But WITH you — we can turn the toxic tide.

P.S.: Have you completed and signed your petition for the proposed Florida Right to Clean Water Constitutional Amendment yet? Why the heck not? Stop by the VoteWater office at 3727 SE Ocean Blvd., Suite 200A in Stuart to pick up a petition — or head over to the Right to Clean Water website to print one at home.