Florida Lawmakers Want Court to Throw Out Conservation Land Amendment

TALLAHASSEE -- The Florida Legislature and various state agencies are asking an appeals court judge to throw out a ruling that requires them to spend money from a dedicated state fund exclusively for Everglades restoration. They lost the first round in a lower court when a judge ruled in favor of a lawsuit filed by environmental groups.

Alisa Coe is a staff attorney for one of the plaintiffs, a group called Earthjustice. She says lawmakers reacted to the amendment by using dedicated earmarks from the document tax... paid on home mortgages and other liens... as a kind of slush fund.

"Funding for .. the IT department at the DEP is coming from this fund, and we don't think this is what the voters intended," Coe said.

Arguments will be heard Tuesday afternoon at 2:00 p.m. A ruling is expected in the next few days. An appeal to the Florida Supreme Court is possible.

Listen to an interview with Alisa Coe:

Watch with video below.

Voters passed Amendment One by a 3-1 ratio


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