By Cindy Jackson
Reporter
October 31, 2019
This issue is “not red or blue . . . but green,” read one slide of a presentation recently given by Pegeen Hanrahan from The Trust for Public Land before the Board of County Commissioners.
Aptly named, The Trust for Public Land (or TPL) is a U.S. nonprofit organization with a mission to “create parks and protect land for people, ensuring healthy, livable communities for generations to come.” Established in 1972, the TPL has worked on 564 successful parks and land conversation ballot measures in the United States – 32 in Florida.
Ms. Hanrahan was before the BOCC to outline how Nassau County might be able to finance land conservation. Her organization has been working closely with the Department of Economic Opportunity and the North Florida Land Trust for a few years and recently completed a feasibility study for the County which was submitted in April 2019.
Common finance mechanisms for land conservation efforts typically fall into three categories – a bond, sales tax and property tax. Hanrahan provided a summary of local ballot measures undertaken in Florida from 1996-2018. The issuance of bonds was by far the most popular vehicle proposed – and 88% of the time, those measures passed.
The feasibility research looks at finance options, conservation priorities, fiscal capacity, political profile and election history in addition to outlining ballot language requirements, timetables and provides a sample of best practices.
All things considered, for Nassau County, the most viable option is a 30-year bond issue at a 4% interest rate with a mill levy increase of 0.204. The cost per year for the average single-family home – just $37.
In 2016, as noted by Ms. Hanrahan, 104 such measures were on ballots across the country. Eighty-four passed . . . generating $11 billion in funds for land conservation parks and restoration. And that was just in one year. TPL’s overall involvement has resulted in over $75 billion being approved – with more than 100 million voters saying yes.
At the end of her presentation the BOCC voted to move forward with placing a land conservation measure on the ballot in Nassau County for the November 2020 election as the ultimate goal. The first step is to advertise and hold a public hearing – tentatively scheduled for December 9th.
But that is just the beginning. Getting a measure on a ballot is not an easy task as there are all sorts of rules and regulations with which to content – including a limitation on word count. As Ms. Hanrahan explained, there will need to be a grass roots effort, a strategy developed, a coalition built, media attention garnered and the list goes on. To put it succinctly, “the county can educate but cannot advocate.”
They say that all politics is local and it appears as though the same is true to land conversation funding. According to the TPL’s Conservation Almanac Database — 48% of the funding provided comes from the local level – compared to states providing 29% and the feds with 23%.
To request a copy of the Feasibility Study, contact Pegeen Hanrahan at [email protected] or call 352-665-5939.
Editor’s Note: Born in Hagerstown, Maryland, Cindy received her BA in Political Science from Dickinson College. Upon graduation, Cindy began her career on Capitol Hill working as a legislative aide and director. She later became a part of the public relations and lobbying team of the American Iron and Steel Institute and served as director of the office of state legislative affairs for the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA). Cindy was involved in economic development with the state of Maryland, and served as executive director of Leadership Washington County. As a community volunteer, Cindy participates in numerous volunteer activities serving as a member of Sunrise Rotary, and as board member of Cummer Amelia Board of Directors.