RECEIVED


H e FEP 81976
The Bradenton Herald
401-13th Street, West, Bradenton. Florida 3 .-------. .. .----
Telephone (813) 748-0411
WILLIAM F. LaMEE
Publisher


MARTIN S. STEINBERG
Advertising Director


WAYNE H. POSTON
Managing Editor


RONNIE CARTER
Circulation Manager


A-4- 54th Year No. 149 Tuesday, February 10. 1976


HERE'S OUR VIEW


Water vot
Some officials are saying the
statewide water district referen-
dum on the March 9 ballot is more
important to Floridians than the
Presidential Primary.
IN MANY WAYS they are right.
Unfortunately, it's a tough issue to
explain to the voters.
Elsewhere on this page, we are
presenting pro and con views of the
issue as expressed by two State
SSenators. They were brought to our
attention by Terry Montgomery,
agricultural agent with the
Manatee County Agriculture Ex-
tension Service.
BASICALLY THE BILL posed in
the referendum would give the
water management districts in
Florida the authority to levy up to
one mill in property taxes.
Actually, two of the districts, ex-
cluding the one covering Manatee
County, already have the power to
levy more taxes than that. And the
district does not use all the taxing
power it has.
THE REASON a constitutional
amendment is required. is because
district boundaries have been
changed and the courts have ruled
this means new districts which can'-
not be taxed unless it is approved
by referendum.


e important
Opposition to the proposal, in-
cluding the Florida Audubon
Society which strongly supports the
work of water districts, argue that
it is faulty and should be delayed
until November to give the
Legislature a chance to rework it.
SOME OF THE FLAWS the op-
position is worried about is the
result of necessary legislation com-
promise and probably wouldn't
come out much different. For ex-
ample, the proposal provides for a
lower tax ceiling in the panhandle
section of the state where water is
plentiful.
Another criticism is that the
amendment neither controls the
exact millage levy under the one-
mill ceiling, nor assures that it will
actually be levied.
THE SAME COULD be said of
the tax ceilings on cities, counties
and school boards. Constitutions
are supposed to set limits and grant
powers in broad terms, not get into
administrative and legislative
detail. We think the districts will be
properly controlled by the
Legislature which created them.
The voters of Manatee County
can safely support this amend-
ment, knowing that it will actually
lower the taxing powers now given
to the water management district.


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