Resolution 038-1994
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Mayor London
.94 FEB -8 f.\ ~i?JOLUTION NO.
038- 1994
A RESOLUTrrON.ENDORSING THE SAVE OUR EVERGLADES INITIATIVE.
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WHEREAS, Florida's Everglades ecosystem is unique in the
world; and
WHEREAS, Florida Bay and the Florida Keys are inextricably
linked to the greater Everglades; and
WHEREAS, the Everglades formerly endowed all of South
Florida with generous rainfall, retained in wetlands of great
beauty and productivity, supplying aquifers that provide
plentiful quantities of pure drinking water for our region; and
WHEREAS, Florida Bay once flourished as a fabulously rich
estaurine and marine ecosystem, famous for its fish, birds and
sea life, and is a vital natural area and economic resource of
Florida; and
WHEREAS, the health of the Everglades has declined due to
abuses from drainage, water diversion and pollution; and
WHEREAS, the Florida Bay environment and the Florida Keys
economy have been suffering from inappropriate water management
decisions in the greater Everglades region; and
WHEREAS, restoration of the long-term health of Florida Bay
cannot begin without the restoration of the entire greater
Everglades ecosystem; and
WHEREAS, the economic structure of the Florida Keys is
seriously threatened by the ecological demise of Florida Bay and
the Everglades; and
WHEREAS, the multimillion dollar tourist industry of the
Florida Keys depends on clean marine waters, healthy reefs and
abundant fish life; and
WHEREAS, all South Florida taxpayers pay most of the costs
of operating and maintaining the Everglades Agricultural area
(EAA) water delivery and drainage system; and
WHEREAS, EAA agricultural interests, primarily sugarcane
growers, have been proven to cause great harm to the Everglades
with their polluted farm runoff threatening the integrity of the
Everglades ecosystem on which our communities and livelihoods
ultimately depend; and
WHEREAS, restoration of the greater Everglades system cannot
proceed without addressing the critical pollution cleanup
component; and
WHEREAS, truly clean water -- rather than only less polluted
water -- is a necessary component of Everglades/Florida Bay
ecosystem restoration; and
WHEREAS, any proposed tax increases related to Everglades
pollution cleanup place an undue burden on Monroe County
taxpayers already suffering economic hardship because of the
collapse in Florida Bay; and
WHEREAS, Monroe County taxpayers are loathe to pay to clean
up pollution that they did not cause; and
WHEREAS, the Save Our Everglades Committee has launched a
petition drive to put a referendum on the 1994 ballot letting
voters decide if they want the sugar industry to pay a one penny
per pound processing fee on raw sugar produced in the Everglades;
and
WHEREAS, this fee, which would raise $35 million per year
(indexed for inflation), and be in effect for 25 years, would go
to a trust fund to pay for water quality remedies and related
Everglades/Florida Bay restoration; and
WHEREAS, the trust will be able to quickly address
Everglades/Florida Bay water quality issues with hard dollars,
while ensuring that the sugar industry pay its fair share of
cleanup costs; and
WHEREAS, the Save OUr Everglades referendum is a fair,
reasonable and equitable solution to the problems facing the
Everglades and Florida Bay, and will save taxpayers millions of
dollars, while ensuring a continuous flow of money for
restoration purposes.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE BOARD OF COUNTY
COMMISSIONERS OF MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA, hereby
Section 1. Endorses and supports the Save Our Everglades
Constitutional Ballot Initiative to let the voters decide if they
want Big Sugar to pay their fair share of the costs of the clean
up and restoration of Florida Bay and the Everglades; and
Section 2. Restates its support for the equitable principle
that polluters must pay to clean up the pollution that they have
caused;
Section 3. Encourages all registered voters in Monroe County
and the State of Florida to sign a Save Our Everglades petition
to let the voters decide if they want the sugar industry to pay
its fair share of the costs of cleaning up its pollution and
restoring the Everglades and Florida Bay.
PASSED AND ADOPTED by the Board of County Commissioners of
Monroe County, Florida, at a regular meeting of said Board held
on the 20th day of January, 1994.
Mayor London yes
Mayor Pro Tern Cheal yes
Commissioner Freeman yes
Commissioner Harvey yes
Commissioner Reich yes
The County Clerk is hereby requested to send a copy of this
Resolution to the following government officials, agencies and
media representatives:
Florida Association of Counties
Governor Lawton Chiles
Lt. Governor Buddy MacKay
The Florida Cabinet
The Legislature of the State of Florida
The President of the Florida State Senate
The Speaker of the Florida State House
Senator Daryl Jones
Representative Ron Saunders
President Bill Clinton
Vice President Albert Gore, Jr.
Department of Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt
Environmental Protection Agency Administrator
Carol Browner
U.S. Senator Connie Mack
U.S. Senator Bob Graham
U.S. Congressman Peter Deutsch
The South Florida Water Management District
Governing Board
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
The Public Media
By
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
COUNTY, FLORIDA
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(Seal)
ATTEST: DANNY L. KOLHAGE, CLERK
By
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