Tuesday, July 8, 2008

Sweet Deal...for Big Sugar

Okay, a disclaimer of sort's is necessary, again,....These are my thoughts and opinions hence the title Ronda's Rants not Hubby's Rants or Adult Children's Rants or even my Church Family's Rants and Oh, especially not my Parents' Rants. They are mine and other's may or may not agree, probably not... but again to make perfectly clear these thoughts are all mine!



I would like you to consider that if I damaged the wetlands on my property in Florida with any of my actions both private or through my business...I would be fined and made to clean it up! You are not allowed to redirect water flow or cut down any plant life on your private property if you have wetlands due to the Clean Water Act, also dumping huge amounts of phosphourous is a "No-No", which I do believe it is as it should be. If I could not pay my fines or clean up my land, a lien would be placed on my property. I could be forced to sell my property and if government decided that my property was for the betterment of the community...I could lose my property through eminent domain. I understand this. What I do not understand is every one's excitement over the deal our Governor has made with Florida Sugar. Government officials and Environmentalist are said to be "Giddy" with excitement.

Big Sugar has through the business of growing sugar very nearly destroyed the Everglades and the company management has been given a sweetheart of a deal. Former Sugar executives have stated that they feel Florida is overpaying or bailing out a company that is burdened with debt and while it's company is dealing with lawsuits from former employees due to questionable pension dealings.

Florida will pay $1.75 Billion dollars for United States sugar, which will have six years to continue farming before turning over 187,000 acres, along with 2 sugar refineries, 200 miles of railroad and other assets. The details of this deal does not require legislative approval...(just a bunch of lobbyists working it out, I guess) This purchase will be paid for with bonds and from fees already added to water bills. Now, we haven't been able to get Big Sugar to clean up their mess so far, so now that we are buying them out; What is to stop them from changing their wicked ways these next six years?
Now, that our Governor has this nice "shell game" with the Florida Everglades going, we are supposed to overlook the fact that he will ruin our tourists industry with drilling for "black gold" off the Florida coastline!
Meanwhile, Florida needs to make further cuts to education!

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