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Articles by: Gil Smart

‘Parksgate’ fiasco demands an investigation

September 5, 2024

By now you may know the name of James Gaddis, the Florida DEP whistleblower who leaked the plan to “develop” Florida’s state parks. Gaddis, as you probably also know, was fired by FDEP for revealing the plan, which Gov. Ron…

Aftermath: We beat controversial parks plan – but it’s never really over

August 29, 2024

The roar of outrage that greeted Gov. Ron DeSantis’ plan to develop our state parks was a sight to behold. For the time being, at least, we won; the outcry forced DeSantis to hit the brakes. But make no mistake,…

He blinked: DeSantis backs down on disastrous state parks plan

August 28, 2024

You did it! Just a day after huge crowds of Floridians flocked to rallies around the state demanding Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Florida DEP scrap a controversial plan to develop our state parks, DeSantis told the DEP to rework…

What is DeSantis thinking with disastrous parks proposal?

August 26, 2024

In backing the ultra-controversial plan for “improvements” at Florida State Parks – golf courses at Jonathan Dickinson State Park; huge 350-room “lodges”/hotels at Anastasia and Topsail Hill Preserve state parks, and more – Gov. Ron. DeSantis walked straight into a…

Update: D-Day for FL state parks postponed, no meetings Tuesday Aug. 27

August 23, 2024

Update: As of 4 p.m. Friday, Aug. 23, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection has POSTPONED all public meetings around the state on its “Great Outdoors Initiative” and hopes to reschedule them the week of Sept. 2 at larger venues,…

Update: D-Day for FL state parks pushed back, no meetings Tuesday Aug. 27

August 23, 2024

Update: As of 4 p.m. Friday, Aug. 23, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection has POSTPONED all public meetings around the state on its “Great Outdoors Initiative” and hopes to reschedule them the week of Sept. 2 at larger venues,…

Post-election reax: DLC wins big; growth concerns trump ‘dirty money’

August 21, 2024

In Florida’s primary election Tuesday, incumbent Miami-Dade Mayor (and VoteWater endorsee!) Daniella Levine Cava cruised easily, with 58 percent of the vote. Our other endorsee, Cindy Lerner, is headed to a November runoff as neither she nor incumbent Raquel Regalado…

Florida’s primary tomorrow: Our Miami-Dade endorsements and more

August 19, 2024

Tomorrow is a big day for the clean-water cause, so get out there and Vote Water! In Miami-Dade County, that means voting for incumbent Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, and challenger Cindy Lerner in the race for the County Commission District…

We did it: LOSOM is now the law of the land

August 14, 2024

Five years ago we had an opportunity for change. We seized it. And now, at long last, that change has come. On Monday the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers South Atlantic Division Commander signed a Record of Decision for the…

Digging for ‘dirty money’: How to find out much your county commission candidates got

August 8, 2024

At VoteWater we focus on “dirty money” because politicians who take money from polluting special interests are more likely to vote for those special interests, and against clean water. There’s a direct correlation. Our “Dirty Money Project” — tracking campaign…

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