South Florida Water Management District board members might have a devil of a public relations fight ahead, but that doesn't make them wrong. In fact, quite the opposite.
Audubon Florida is trying to box them in a corner and the District is fighting back.
District board members released a statement Monday under the headline "Get the Facts," reminding residents they have committed to two etched-in-stone priorities:
- allowing no new taxes on South Florida families, and
- holding the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service accountable for its failed obligation as lessee and operator of the Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge.
The District had drawn a line in the sand.
Remember, the Governing Board voted in July to lock in the "rolled-back" millage rates for fiscal 2016-2017. Left alone, those rolled-back rates would not increase the tax burden on South Florida property owners for a sixth consecutive year. Not only that, they would generate the same level of ad valorem tax revenues as the prior year.
But during last week's board meeting, Audubon Florida asked the Governing Board to raise taxes to make up for the federal government's failure to control a lethal infestation of invasive Old World Climbing Fern (Lygodium microphyllum) in the Refuge.
You heard right.
The feds didn't do their part to manage a treasure in their care. So taxpayers in the district should cough up the money for U.S. Fish and Wildlife's failure to eradicate the exotics? Yes, argues Audubon.
Eric Draper, executive director of Audubon Florida, said the District has more resources than the federal government for invasive plant control. "... You have the resources,'' Draper told the governing board Aug. 11. . "And it is your land. Fund it." Have a look at his presentation here.
Boo-hoo.
The District's budget for the current fiscal year is $749.6 million; the federal government is projected to spend $3.9 trillion this fiscal year, according to the Congressional Budget Office. How does Audubon Florida figure the District has deeper pockets than Uncle Sam, the guy who can find an excuse to print money for everything else.
Over the years the District and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission have repeatedly stepped in to invest millions toward invasive plant treatment in the Refuge. Still, the USFWS has yet to ask Congress for funding to fix an urgent problem that is the federal agency's responsibility under a 50-year agreement that gives use state lands to the feds.
Last Nov. 16 SFWMD Executive Director Pete Antonacci fired a warning shot that the District is close to declaring the FWS in default. In the letter to Dan Ashe, director of U.S. Fish & Wildlife, Antonacci wrote, "I regret to report that the exotic infestation is not improving at the Refuge despite decades of management efforts. The continued expansion of these two species (Old World Climbing Fern and Melaleuca) will lead to the irreversible collapse of hundreds of tree islands, which are critical in Everglades Restoration, and the degradation of wading bird foraging habitat. These impacts could be far greater than those attributable to water quality concerns in the Refuge that are successfully being addressed. ...
"We cannot stress enough the critical need for the Service to obtain adequate funding to address this dire problem. If SFWMD cannot receive a firm commitment from the Service to adequately fund its exotic control responsibilities," Antonacci wrote, "SFWMD will have to evaluate its legal options under the License for non-performance by the Service."
Ashe didn't respond until the day before Christmas. When he did, he said, "... In 2016, Loxahatchee NWR is expecting a base budget for exotics management of $1.64 million. Loxahatchee NWR's increases combined with $2 million that the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) have committed, will provide $3.64 million. This amount still falls short of the generally accepted need of $5 million for five years followed by $3 million annually thereafter for maintenance control. The Service will continue to evaluate this need in the context of all other priorities of development of outyear budgets."
Board members are already beginning to hear from the public on this issue. David Charles Blood, a former FWC wildlife technician, posted this on a member's Facebook page:
"It's long past time the feds were removed from the Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge. I know the SFWMD may face a limited budget, however, I do believe that the maintenance of the habitat would indeed get done. I often find it funny how the National Park Service and U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service can spend millions on visitor centers, trails, education programs and yet ignore the primary purpose of the wildlife refuge within itself."
Said District board members in their press release, "Audubon Florida acknowledges that the Refuge faces 'a crisis.' Yet the organization wants the USFWS to continue operating the Refuge while asking South Florida property owners to pay more to fix the problem. This is like arguing a tenant should continue living in an apartment while the landlord pays to repair a hole the tenant punched in the wall -- not real smart."
The Miami Herald didn't like it. On its "Naked Politics" page Tuesday, the Herald wrote, "... The South Florida Water Management District moved from neutral regulator to attack dog ..." Yes, they did, and it's about time. Good boy. Give this attack dog a biscuit -- this time he didn't just roll over.
Audubon has the right approach, the Herald reasons: "Audubon of Florida is supportive of the district but wants it to work with the federal government ..."
Trouble is, working with the federal government -- once again -- apparently means allowing Uncle Sam to slide on his promises, and ... you know what comes next ... let's blame the governor. This order of business has gotten so old.
Draper was right, no letter from SFWMD is going to get the District what it needs to clean out the Refuge. On the other hand, we're talking about FWS here, another deadbeat dad among the many in Washington, D.C. As far as I'm concerned, the state of Florida can't do enough to shame them and expose their nonsense.
Reach Nancy Smith at nsmith@sunshinestatenews.com or at 228-282-2423. Twitter: @NancyLBSmith
Comments
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