Despite passage of SB 1986, which was signed into law by Governor Scott in April 2012, there are even further funding reductions coming to the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) - the agency charged with Everglades restoration.

Last week, the SFWMD Governing Board decided in a unanimous vote to “roll-back” the millage rate, which will result in collecting even less money  than proposed last year. This decision was made despite an almost $5 million shortfall in the District's budget.

While the SFWMD has done an impressive job of trying to do more with less in the past year, these further reductions are jeopardizing the agency’s ability to carry out their core missions of water supply, flood control, and Everglades restoration. Funding for the agency’s water supply program, which develops and maintains our region’s water resources for our growing population, has 70% less funds than two years ago. Likewise, funding for science and monitoring  is half of what it was in 2011.

The SFWMD’s ability to maintain and manage their public lands for the public good has also been compromised. Click here for additional information from Audubon.

While Florida's water resources are in jeopardy through these new reductions, the owner of a $150,000 home will save just $0.74 a year, less than a can of soda.

Because of an odd wording in state law, if the water management districts do not “roll-back” the millage rate to collect the same amount of ad valorem revenues as the prior year, they are “raising taxes.” And due to an error in estimating the property values in Miami-Dade county, the SFWMD is almost $5 million under what the state legislature recommended, even with the drastic cuts last year.

There were similar funding decisions for other Florida water management districts last week.

Audubon Florida is working to ensure that the SFWMD will have enough funds to sustain its core missions in the future. The protection of Florida's incredible water resources cannot be compromised.