Florida DUers - can I get details on the water amendment that passed

[malaise]

One of my nephews says in the long term that may have been the most important yes last night.

[malaise]

1. I found it

http://www.wtsp.com/story/news/politics/florida/2014/11/04/amendment-1-passes/18495809/
<snip>
Florida voters have passed a measure that designates billions of dollars to conservation efforts over the next 20 years.

Click here for our live election results of all the races in Tampa Bay.

The Associated Press declared Amendment 1 passed on Tuesday. With about half the expected votes counted, the amendment had 75 percent "yes" votes to 25 percent no. It needed 60 percent of the vote to pass.

Amendment 1 will draw its funding from an existing real estate tax, and would dedicate 33 percent of it annually to conservation. That would be about a billion a year.

About half of the money will fund Florida Forever, a conservation land purchasing program that saw its budget slashed by 97 percent since 2009 dude to the Great Recession. The money was never restored after the economy rebounded.

[Lochloosa]

2. It funds buying back our land and water from big business. The Chamber was against it.

FULL TEXT:

SECTION 28. Land Acquisition Trust Fund.—

a) Effective on July 1 of the year following passage of this amendment by the voters, and for a period of 20 years after that effective date, the Land Acquisition Trust Fund shall receive no less than 33 percent of net revenues derived from the existing excise tax on documents, as defined in the statutes in effect on January 1, 2012, as amended from time to time, or any successor or replacement tax, after the Department of Revenue first deducts a service charge to pay the costs of the collection and enforcement of the excise tax on documents.

b) Funds in the Land Acquisition Trust Fund shall be expended only for the following purposes:

As provided by law, to finance or refinance: the acquisition and improvement of land, water areas, and related property interests, including conservation easements, and resources for conservation lands including wetlands, forests, and fish and wildlife habitat; wildlife management areas; lands that protect water resources and drinking water sources, including lands protecting the water quality and quantity of rivers, lakes, streams, springsheds, and lands providing recharge for groundwater and aquifer systems; lands in the Everglades Agricultural Area and the Everglades Protection Area, as defined in Article II, Section 7(b); beaches and shores; outdoor recreation lands, including recreational trails, parks, and urban open space; rural landscapes; working farms and ranches; historic or geologic sites; together with management, restoration of natural systems, and the enhancement of public access or recreational enjoyment of conservation lands.
To pay the debt service on bonds issued pursuant to Article VII, Section 11(e).
c) The moneys deposited into the Land Acquisition Trust Fund, as defined by the statutes in effect on January 1, 2012, shall not be or become commingled with the General Revenue Fund of the state.

[malaise]

5. Thanks

This is important

[Lochloosa]

3. And nephew is right. It was the most important yes.

[kydo]

4. Yep and here is the info

No. 1 Constitutional Amendment Article X, Section 28 Water and Land Conservation - Dedicates funds to acquire and restore Florida conservation and recreation lands
Yes 4150179
No 1394330

2014 PROPOSED CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS BALLOT LANGUAGE
No. 1
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT ARTICLE X, SECTION 28
Water and Land Conservation ‐Dedicates funds to acquire and restore Florida conservation and recreation lands Funds the Land Acquisition Trust Fund to acquire, restore, improve, and manage conservation lands including wetlands and forests; fish and wildlife habitat; lands protecting water resources and drinking water sources, including the Everglades, and the water quality of rivers, lakes, and streams; beaches and shores; outdoor recreational lands; working farms and ranches; and historic or geologic sites, by dedicating 33 percent of net revenues from the existing excise tax on documents for 20 years.

This amendment does not increase or decrease state revenues. The state revenue restricted to the purposes specified in the amendment is estimated to be $648 million in Fiscal Year 2015‐16 and grows to $1.268 billion by the twentieth year. Whether this results in any additional state expenditures depends upon future legislative actions and cannot be determined. Similarly, the impact on local government revenues, if any, cannot be determined. No additional local government costs are expected.