The League of Women Voters has endorsed a state-wide ballot measure campaign that would safeguard funding for conservation lands.
If passed in 2014, the Florida Water and Land Legacy constitutional amendment would place one third of the money collected by the state from real estate transactions into a trust fund dedicated to land conservation.
A coalition of environmentalists and advocacy groups say state lawmakers have not properly funded the state’s conservation program in the past few years.
That’s why the Florida League of Women Voters’ president, Diedre MacNab, said most Floridians would support the measure, if it makes it on to the ballot.
“This is an amendment that has been put in many other states’ constitutions,” she said. “What we are seeing over the last many years is just a huge outpouring of support. In some states they have seen as many as more than 80 percent of the population vote in favor of these things.”
The Florida League of Women Voters is the state’s largest non-partisan voter advocacy group.
MacNab said current election laws make petition gathering a tough process, but she is hopeful the campaign has enough support to reach its goals because it has bi-partisan appeal.
“Protection of the environment crosses party lines,” MacNab said. “In fact, it’s been an initiative of both parties over the years-- preservation of national and state parks. So, we feel very confident that this is going to resonate with all Floridians of all generations.”
The campaign needs to collect almost 700,000 signatures by this fall.
