
I show the picture because it is indicative of the massive development push going today in Florida to urbanize all areas of the state. Florida has been heavily urbanized along its coasts for a long time, but now the push is on to destroy the remaining green space down the spine of the state. This is where our aquifer system, the source of some of the freshest water in the world and our beautiful springs, are found and are beginning to falter.
When Rick Scott was running for his second term in office, he announced that he would create jobs and greatly increase the population. His plan is to bring in as many people as Florida can handle and develop new cities and urban enclaves in areas that have heretofore been untouched, areas that are low, flood easily and contain the watershed that feeds the water supply.
As this rapidly takes place, the ambiance of Florida and most of her natural beauty will disappear, replaced by man made objects that can't compare to the gifts of nature. And while development and jobs can be very positive things if handled carefully , the quality and nature of what is underway and the rush to put legislation in place by the compliant legislature, will result in overbuilding, tax burdens and water shortages, with the long term residents of the rural areas suffering the most. But, as is so often the case when Big Government combines with Big Business, nobody cares.
If you would like to know more about what is just getting into high gear in disappearing rural Florida, listen to my three part series on Conservative Report radio which is now available on demand via Blog Talk Radio. The shows deal with over development, the impact on rural residents, the legislative process and how it is unresponsive to the people in these areas, the impact of a poor conservation program, and the threatened water supply. A series of guests have appeared with me who are local folks, personally impacted by the things that are happening and offer great insight and personal experience about this travesty.
The series is called The Plight of Small Landowners and is discussed on my Sunday show, NORTH FLORIDA WRITER TALKS. Here are the netlinks to the shows in order of presentation: tobtr.com/s/7470207, tobtr.com/s/7482753 and tobtr.com/s/7505057.
If you are a rural American, you will gain some good insights into what is happening here in Florida that is likely to impact you wherever you are in America. This problem isn't limited to Florida, it's happening everywhere and it will permanently alter some of the most beautiful land that God has given us, never to be returned to its beautiful state.
Developers come, do their work, make their money and leave. We on the other hand are left behind with urban sprawl, unsightly strip centers and box stores, traffic congestion and noise pollution, dirty water and a loss of dignity while the new enclaves take business away from existing developed areas while bringing in hordes of new residents demanding new services that never pay for themselves and increase the rapid drawdown of drinkable water. Those prior developments then become the next round of ghettos and boarded up businesses as the destructive cycle continues.
Pay attention and get involved, rural life lovers and conservationists, its your country, too. Let's do what we can to insure that development is placed where it is the least harmful to our environs. It is possible to develop new jobs without destroying every square foot of green earth. That is a future that we can all be proud of, urban and rural residents alike, but it's not one we're headed for as government moves headstrong into uncharted water with unintended consequences.
God bless America.