To Bill Bilenky, SWFWMD General Counsel
Bill,
Could you please send me a copy of SWFWMD Governing Board’s resolution, apparently adopted today, that “merge(s)” the District’s Basin Boards. While I can understand what the thinking that might be behind such a thought, there are important related questions that need to be answered and the public educated regarding the impact the decision might have on the District’s overall taxing capacity and the corresponding reduced ability to carry out its statutory responsibilities (if the basins’ collective taxing authority is lost, for example). Other questions relate to how the District Governing Board will be able to supplant the knowledge that a local board of appointed local citizens has of the needs of their basin area, and, will the taxes presently being collected and spent only in a given basin now be collected in one and spent in another for purposes not benefitting the basin from which the taxes were generated? Also, how will this “merge” be implemented, i.e., will further legislative or constitutional authority be required to effect the “merge”?
I’m certain careful analyses have already been made of all these issues by the staff and/or the Legislative and Governor’s offices. As a public records request, therefore, I would appreciate copies of any and all documents generated by district staff or received by the district from the governor’s office or the Legislature in the last six months that pertains to this subject, including electronic communications.
If there is a cost for this request, please let me know the amount before complying.
As always, thanks for all you do.
Sonny
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