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Hillsborough Votes Green

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 10, 2008

Prior to Election Day, Hillsborough County Administrator Pat Bean and several county commissioners expressed doubts that voters would extend the small property tax used to buy and preserve environmentally sensitive lands.

Obviously, county officials underestimated Hillsborough voters and the value they place in the ELAPP program, which has preserved close to 45,000 acres of mangrove-lined shoreline, hardwood hammocks, river swamp, wetlands and lakes.

A whopping 79 percent of citizens approved the extension of the Environmental Lands Acquisition and Protection Program, which is paid for by a quarter-mill property tax that was slated to expire in 2011.

Twice before - in 1987 and 1990 - voters passed the tax by an overwhelming majority. But this year, in the midst of the worst economic downturn in decades, county leaders believed people cared more about their pocketbooks than about buying special tracts of land to keep them undeveloped forever.

The vote should be a wake-up call to those who think Hillsborough residents don't care about the environment or the uncontrolled sprawl.

Concern for the environment likely played a role in the defeat of Hillsborough County Commissioner Brian Blair, who led an attack on wetlands protections and became a champion for developers. His opponent, newcomer Kevin Beckner, stressed that he would be an independent thinker and not at the beck and call of special interests.

So take note, county leaders. The people of Hillsborough care about the environment more than you know. Even during tough economic times, they are not willing to bulldoze the county's natural treasures.

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