The South Florida Water Management District has already spent $197 million to acquire nearly 27,000 acres of land last year as part of the state's deal with U.S. Sugar Corp., but it's unclear how much money will be available for the project in the coming years as Gov. Rick Scott's administration takes a closer look at government spending.
As a candidate in the Republican primary, Gov. Scott came out against a previous deal to buy 73,000 acres for $536 million as wasteful spending, and decried the later deal, designed to restore the Everglades, as a secret deal cut by his opponent, then-Attorney General Bill McCollum.
Ernie Barnett, legislative affairs director for the SFWMD, told the Senate Environmental Preservation and Conservation Committee on Wednesday that securing additional funding for Everglades restoration was among his top priorities for the legislative session, but said later hes conscious of Scotts sway over the budget.
The governor has a line-item veto over our entire budget, Barnett said, adding that hes spoken about the budget with Gov. Scotts office, but not specifically about Everglades restoration on the newly acquired lands.
The SFWMD has a total budget of $1.07 billion for the 2010-2011 fiscal year, with nearly $400 million coming from property taxes and the rest derived from balances and fees, investment earnings, certificates of participation, and state and federal sources. Barnett noted thats less than the pre-housing boom-and-bust cycle in the 2004-2005 fiscal year, when $375 million came from property taxes.
With Scott looking to cut $3.62 billion in spending to make up the deficit, plus additional spending to pay for his coveted tax cuts, most government agencies are likely to feel cuts. Yet even if the SFWMD is left untouched, its priorities are likely to be readjusted, given Scotts aversion to the deal with U.S. Sugar.
The district is spending about $669 million -- or 62.5 percent of its budget -- on restoration projects, with the rest going toward water supply, mission support and operations and maintenance.
Meanwhile, the district is also fretting over the loss of $100 million in federal stimulus funding that was made available after that measure was passed in 2009, but will dry up next year.
We have finally started to see the federal funds, but a big portion of that bump is the stimulus funds. Im not sure what the fiscal outlook is on the federal side post-stimulus funds, Barnett told the committee.
Citing the need to comply with numeric nutrient requirements outlined in lawsuit settlement agreements, Barnett said additional land acquisitions may be needed in the future, but admitted that was not likely in the short term. The land parcels purchased in the deal with U.S. Sugar were chosen to help the SFWMD reduce phosphorous levels in the Everglades.
I dont see a purchase in the next year or two, Barnett said.
Scott is scheduled to submit his budget proposal to the Legislature on Feb. 7.
Reach Gray Rohrer at grohrer@sunshinestatenews.com or at (850) 727-0859.
