State Senator Thad Altman is getting VERY defensive about his focus… or lack thereof on the Indian River Lagoon.
By Jacob Engels
Following a letter we published from a reader in Brevard County regarding Thad Altman’s misguided focus on pushing for the state purchase of Everglades land in South Florida instead of getting funds to clean up the stinky mess in the Indian River Lagoon, the Senator went on the defensive.
In a press release, just one day after we published a letter from a Brevard County resident, Altman labeled the regular everyday citizens opinion a “special interest attack.”
The statement, sent to press and Tallahassee insiders would go on to champion Altman as a protector and advocate of cleaning up the Indian River Lagoon. It argued that Senator Altman secured $10 million dollars for the dredging for the lagoon, Champion of the Indian River Lagoon he must be… correct? FALSE.
The legislation that Altman is referring to was that of State Representative and Speaker of the House Steve Crisafulli, a fellow Brevard County legislator. Official Legislative records show the $10 million in funding for the muck removal of the Indian River Lagoon added in the House by Crisifuli- Altman had nothing to do with it! Altman’s reactionary behavior to a citizens simple observation that the Senator was more driven by pressure from special interests to faciliate a half-a-billion taxpayer funded of purchase of land in South Florida is telling.
He knows that he was caught red-handed fighting for the same land deal that the South Florida Water Management District deemed had no positive effect on restoring the Everglades or protecting Florida’s natural resources.
Quite simply it’s too much money for too little water. A small reservoir south of Lake Okeechobee would be both expensive and ineffective in impacting water quality. Altman knows he was called out by a regular everyday citizen for ignoring problems at home and falling into the Tallahassee vortex of special interest pressure, where tossing aside your local district can earn you big campaign contributions. So, we must ask these three questions.
Why does Thad Altman want to spend close to $500 million dollars of taxpayer money purchasing the wrong land for restoration?
Why does he want to allow the government to seize land from property-owners whom refuse to sell?
Why not get $500 million to clean up the Indian River Lagoon?
You have got some explaining to do Senator.
Jacob Engels, is the Founder of East Orlando Post & Seminole County Post. He is a seasoned political operative who has led numerous statewide political groups and has worked on several high-profile local, statewide, and national races. Jacob has been interviewed on national television & radio programs, with his work having been featured in the Orlando Sentinel, New York Times, Washington Post, Miami Herald and other publications nationwide. He can be reached at info@eastorlandopost.com
