The South Florida Water Management District could lose approximately $98 million in annual revenue by 2030 if Amendment 3 passes, according to data presented this week at Stuart City Hall. Amendment 3 would reduce property tax revenue that funds waterway protection projects in Florida.
Martin County Commissioner Sarah Heard told the Rivers Coalition that water quality projects protecting the St. Lucie Estuary would be affected by the funding loss. "The projects that improve water quality, that improve stormwater treatment, will be impacted, will be defunded," Heard said.
Mark Perry, president of the Rivers Coalition, said local projects funded by property tax revenue include retention areas and large stormwater treatment systems that remove nitrogen and phosphorus to prevent algae blooms. The Rivers Coalition works to protect the health of the St. Lucie Estuary and Indian River Lagoon.
"What you have to do is evaluate. I'm going to get, reduce my tax liability over the next few years with this amendment. But is that worth the services that are going to be reduced?" Perry said during the meeting.
Environmental policy adviser Eric Draper spoke to the coalition about how reduced property tax revenue could affect water management districts responsible for water supply, flood control and water quality. Perry said passage of Amendment 3 would force local governments to decide whether to cut back on water quality projects or find alternative funding sources.
"We're going to have a growing state and growing community here with growing runoff. That is going to happen," Perry said.
A board member from the South Florida Water Management District told the Rivers Coalition that if Amendment 3 passes, it would affect the next fiscal year's budget, not the current one. The board member could not specify which projects might be impacted.