COMMENTARY
“What the leaders of big companies like Alico and FPL know is that it is easier to own a politician than to be one.”
MARK SCHUMANN
A story published by TCPalm.com today reports on water farming proposals to be considered by state legislators in January. If approved, the projects will lead to a flood of taxpayer money paying to farm water on private lands. In their story, TCPalm.com reporters Tyler Treadway and Hannah Schwab also reveal the troubling connections between generous political contributions and legislative support for the projects.
One company alone, Alico, has since 2013 donated $608,004 to Florida politicians, mostly Republicans. Gov. Rick Scott’s political committee, Let’s Get to Work, received $230,000 from Alico. Incoming Sen. President Joe Negron’s political committee, Treasure Coast Alliance, received $70,000.
As Treadway and Schwab revealed in their story, Alico has been calculating in making its political contributions, focusing on legislators in leadership positions.
Compared to the cost of storing water on public lands, farming water on private property is hugely expensive. Despite the high cost of paying companies like Alico to “farm” storm water, politicians Alico supports are in favor of the proposed projects. Surprise, surprise, surprise!
For example, Negron told TCPalm.com, “I support water farming because I have seen firsthand the benefits that enhanced water storage provides to our community. My practice is to appropriate a specific amount for dispersed water storage and then leave it up to the (South Florida Water Management District) to rank projects and enter into contracts. I am comfortable with how the district has managed this program with a scientifically based selection process. Yes, I will continue to advocate for water farming in the 2016 session.”
This isn’t the first time someone as greased Negron’s palm. At the very end of the 2014 legislative session, while serving as chairman of the Senate budget committee, Negron slipped $200,000 into the state budget to pay for an audit of the Florida Municipal Power Agency to be conducted by the State Auditor General. Just a few months earlier, Negron received a $50,000 contribution from Florida Power & Light, whose lobbyists pushed for the audit of the company’s long time rival.
What the leaders of big companies like Alico and FPL know is that it is easier to own a politician than to be one.
If you don’t have a subscription to TCPalm.com, it is well worth the $4.99 monthly subscription cost just to read the excellent reporting by Treadway and Schwab on who really owns Sen. Joe Negron.
Indian River Guardian 
Well, if that isn’t a fine howdy do for all of us who have little extra to spare – and aren’t much for complaining. Sadly it doesn’t appear to make any difference what we say to our elected leaders. They just go merrily on their way–accepting big money and licking the boots of those providing that money.
How many Vero and Indian River county politicians are “owned” by FPL? It would be worthwhile and informative if these reporters look at this situation closer to home. It probably would expose why so many politicians defend FPL 24/7.