Crist likely to veto SB 2080 over water and wetland permitting change

Gov. Charlie Crist said he's leaning toward vetoing SB 2080, a measure that promotes Florda-friendly landscaping but also hands over state wetlands and water-use permitting to just five people.

Crist said he prefers the current permitting system where the boards of the five water management districts -- who are selected by Crist -- vote approving the larger permits. The bill would hand over those decisions to the directors of the five water districts, which environmental groups complained would effectively take it out of the public eye.

"I'm leaning toward the boards," Crist said during a press event in the Everglades. "If you have the opportunity to have a lot of good minds helping you out, instead of just a few, you should take it."

--Craig Pittman

Comments

[Liberals are very proud of anti-american behavior.]

As President Obama's Supreme Court nominee comes under heavy fire for allegedly being a "racist," Judge Sonia Sotomayor is listed as a member of the National Council of La Raza, a group that's promoted driver's licenses for illegal aliens, amnesty programs, and no immigration law enforcement by local and state police.

According the American Bar Association, Sotomayor is a member of the NCLR, which bills itself as the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the U.S.

Meaning "the Race," La Raza also has connections to groups that advocate the separation of several southwestern states from the rest of America.

[waterman]

Yes, governor veto this bad Senator Alexander bill. He wants more water for his new sod farm and wants to take a short cut on permitting.

[terminator]

boy J.D.'s really going to fly off the handle, first the CSX deal goes down the tubes now his "waterworld" board gets the deep six by Chuckie Cheese!

now about that Heartland Parkway project....

[...]

Planes, Traines and Automobiles...

Sansom, Alexander, and ???

[...]

LOL, reminder to self... proof before hitting post

[conserv]

Governor, you would gain alot of respect from people if you would stand up and send Alexander packing. His type along with sansom and others, has destroyed the public's faith in our leaders. Please fall over on the right side of the fence this time!

[Republican moderate]

@1:57
Get over yourself, you NeoCon fool!

You just hate Brown people, don't you!

[DS]

1:57 - in case you didn't notice, this article had ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH THE SUPREME COURT NOMINEE. IF YOU FEEL THE NEED TO BLINDLY POST ONTO EVERY TOPIC SO YOU CAN RATTLE ON, AT LEAST POST ONTO SOMETHING THAT IS EVEN REMOTELY RELATED TO YOUR SUBJECT. IDIOT.

[...]

4:14 - but Crist supports diversity on boards... including the water management districts...

[.]

This is Constantine's bill that got amended to the Alexander bill late in the session. Don't know anything about it other than it's not JD's.

[Conservative businessman for Jeb]

1:57,you have some very valid points.
Its good to know we have people like you on the ground in our fight against Muslim socialists,that would take our guns then force us to pray to Allah.
Without our weapons we would be defenseless against any attack on our homes by Muslims.
These socialists Muslims would take our women and force them into harems.
With good people like you,as a battle ready foot soldier fighting to keep the democrat party in it's place.
Thank you,I will tell jeb what a fine job you are doing,keep up the good work.

[expat]

Governor Crist, please veto SB 2080.

[thn]

2:43 Paula, your making a fool of your self.

[US Citizen FL Tax Payer Norm]

What a sad...sad story....one person is born into the american dream and doesn't get it while the other has bought into the american dream but has his future stolen from him by an angry racist psycho.

[Terry Brant]

Sen. J.D. Alexander amended Senate Bill 2080 in the final moments of the legislative session. The amendment, tacked on at the request of Rep. Denise Grimsley(R) Lake Placid, sabotaged a very good bill.

The amendment would radically alter 35 years of careful planning and the structure and function of the current Water Districts, which were created by a statewide voter referendum in the early 1970's

These legislators, with no consideration of the most basic principles of American government, knowingly and deviously delivered a low blow to the Florida public by putting in place a law that is a travesty of the public trust.

SB-2080, as amended by Alexander, will abolish public hearings and hand over total authority to grant any and all water withdrawal permits to one man in each District, an appointed bureaucrat, while at the same time eliminating the governing boards authority to review or vote on the granting of water withdrawals (consumptive use permit applications).

This bill silences the public voice of any meaningful participation or oversight and moves permitting behind closed doors. It also moves objections or complaints away from any affordable or practicle avenue of hearing, and into an administrative
hearing process that will be so challenging and expensive as to preclude most challenges from the public, environmental organizations and small government bodies.

This bill amendment is biased against the public welfare, voice and trust, being designed by and for developers. And, J.D. Alexander should know. With citrus, sod farm, cattle and developement interests, he understands water issues and politics very well. His new 125,000 person city just south of lake Placid, just coincidently Rep. Grimsley's district, will need water and lots of it- millions of gallons.

This perception of special interest lawmaking, a conflict of interest, is why the public has such a low opinion legislators. While Alexander angrily say's he has the right to apply for a water permit just like everybody else, he evades the issue of observing that he does not have the right to profit personally, financially or in a business capacity from his lawmaking on behalf of the people of the State of Florida.

Last minute amendments should be prohibited to keep legislators like Rep. Grimsley and Sen. Alexander from these devious shenanigans. The people deserve better.

It is not in the best interest of the people to silence their voices. A community's trust in its local government and elected officials relies heavily upon transparency, access, and the integrity of its elected officials. The Water Districts benefit from an open, above board process, in the Sunshine, and Governor Charlie Crist should veto this betrayal of public trust and good water policy.