title
Resolution to Support Florida's Water and Land Conservation Amendment to the State Constitution (B)
RESOLUTION NO. 130059
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA, SUPPORTING THE FLORIDA WATER AND LAND CONSERVATION AMENDMENT TO THE STATE CONSTITUTION; ENCOURAGING SUPPORT OF THE AMENDMENT BY OTHER ORGANIZATIONS; PROVIDING DIRECTIONS TO THE CLERK OF THE COMMISSION; AND PROVIDING AN IMMEDIATE EFFECTIVE DATE.
recommendation
The City Commission: consider whether to adopt the resolution in support of Florida's Water and Land Conservation Amendment to the State Constitution.
explanation
On July 18, 2013, the City Commission directed the City Attorney?s Office to prepare a Resolution expressing the City Commission support for the Florida Water and Land Legacy Statewide Ballot Initiative. Florida's Water and Land Legacy, Inc. is a Florida non-profit corporation, registered as a political committee with the Florida Division of Elections, and is leading a coalition of individual volunteers and conservation and civic organizations from across the state working to put the "Florida Water and Land Conservation Amendment" on the November 2014 ballot. In order to do so, they must collect 676,811 verified signatures. This amendment, if placed on the ballot and approved by voters, would set aside 33% of the net revenues from the state documentary stamp tax for a period of 20 years for the purposes of conservation, restoration, acquisition and management of Florida's water, land, beaches, shores, parks and wildlife habitat. For over twenty years, the documentary stamp tax has been used for funding conservation programs such as Florida Forever and before that, Preservation 2000, both of which served as important funding sources for the City of Gainesville.
Fiscal Note
The resolution results in minimal fiscal impact to the City. The constitutional amendment, if approved by Florida voters, may provide a future funding source for conservation, restoration, a...
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