TALLAHASSEE, Florida — State officials this week boasted that they have erased Florida’s debt for past environmental land purchases and Everglades restoration — and the environment is better off for it.
Division of Bond Finance Director Ben Watkins told Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Cabinet the state is paying off debt early, putting Florida in a stronger position financially than at any time during his 30 years in government.
“We are in a much better place, in a much more sustainable place, to fund environmental initiatives, primarily land conservation and water quality improvements, than we were previously,” Watkins said.
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“We used to do $300 million a year, whether we needed it or not, for land acquisition, quite honestly governor,” he added.
