Let's help protect undeveloped Central FL and our interior/rural riding areas

If you think that our elected senators and representatives care one bit for the choices of average voters, you are sadly misinformed.

Just look what happened after the 2014 Florida Water and Land Conservation Initiative was approved by 75% of voters: the funds have been moved to other budgets and spent elsewhere.

Don't get me started on the 2016 Florida Medical Marijuana Legalization Initiative, again approved by voters with a super majority only to have been implemented to benefit a few politically connected growers and dispensaries.

That’s why voting for the same people again and again expecting different results is truly insane....

Doesn't matter who you vote for... big $$$ will turn "your" candidate into one of "their" people.

Money talks... walks.

Hate to be so cynical but I've been around long enough to know that's how chit works with our gubmint.

We're sooo fucked!

absolute power corrupts absolutely..

I visited my friend in 1990 in Cape Coral and it wasn't too bad as far as traffic. Went back there in 2008 and holy shit. To call it a population explosion would be a serious understatement. Six lane roads clogged with cars, traffic signals at every intersection, and strip malls EVERYWHERE. The weather is nice, but it reminded me of driving through Midtown Manhattan. It's just people are fleeing the Northeast and moving there. I know of over 20 people that moved to Florida and I know of at least 10 more that will be moving there soon. At some point, I think, all of Florida will look like a huge city.

Now revisit that pile 11 years later....

I don't want to alarm residents of Florida, but your state, in many NJ resident's eyes, is the Promise Land. There are two different types of people living in NJ, those that want to move there and those that are moving there. I have a guy I work with that's been telling me almost every day since the summer that he can't wait to move to Florida after his parents sell their house. Expect 5 more new residents soon.

It's okay. The Floridians are moving out and ruining North Carolina.

^

Is there anyplace with warm weather in the USA that is a decent place to live?
I still love many things about Florida.

^^ New Mexico? ... if I did not surf I would look there or maybe AZ? it was nice as well (born there).
^^^^^^"It's okay. The Floridians are moving out and ruining North Carolina."^^^^^^

I drive on Lyons road between Lake Worth and west Delray Beach everyday (now Lake Worth Beach, woooooo) and it's sad to watch what little areas of farm/open field are literally being turned over by zoning boards day by day and now one area already under construction for some new massive development (+50, starting in the mid 400s!). My S/O and I have had a lot of conversations lately, mainly towards "when" do we move somewhere to North FL or beyond instead of "why".

My family moved out of Homestead back in 1993 after Andrew and came up here to Live Oak. The storm was a big contributing factor, but the bigger one was the over reach of the national park service in big cypress. My father owned private land out in the park he legally purchased and built on back in the day. The park service become so belligerent in "accidentally" burning down people's legal owned and built camps and homes during "controlled" burns, endlessly restricting use of the air boat and buggy trails, and plain-out harassment if you weren't a granola bar hippie like the rest of the rangers. They didn't want people out in the woods. They damn sure didn't want people out in the woods using it or enjoying it ways they didn't personally approve of!

North FL was such a better environment people and philosophy wise. The zoning density for most counties up here is 1 per 5 acres (as low as 1 per 40 acres in some areas!!), unless you're in an actual platted out neighborhood. Things are spread out more, it's a slower pace of life, tons of rivers, springs, and outdoor things to do and just generally all around better living. My father was born and raised and lived his whole life in South FL and saw it change so much over the decades he was there, but after we moved up here, he never went back again. Jobs and industry aren't on every corner, but that's the trade-off.

A friend of mine owned a hunt camp similar to your family's and was burnt out by one of those 'oopsie sorry we burnt your chit down' fires.... He and many others despised those rangers who think they own the land.
A few years later, the Keys Guides Association had a meeting, one of many, with the park superintendent about the future use of Florida Bay. This particular meeting was one of those feel good meetings whereby the 'plebeians' are allowed to vote on one of a few use plans. That decision had already been made of course no matter the vote..

I told them that the charter of the Everglades stated that the land is there for use by the people in perpetuity. Something those losers didn't appreciate much. I also told them that the park wasn't their private fiefdom in which they ruled like despots. Much applause after that. I am glad I quit the guiding business as fishing in Florida Bay is not like it used to be and the regulations are ridiculous.

I had the same conversation with my son today while driving down Northlake blvd. They cut the trees by the road and now you can see the massive development they are building. Looks like the size of boca. He said maybe we should think about moving.

Have I got a deal for you....

I grew up there. Joined the Navy in 97 and never looked back. Fuck that place.

The panhandle

No sir, we don’t have any current openings in the panhandle, and not taking applications either