amendment 1

Florida voters face a number of amendments on the ballot this fall-including Amendment 5. The proposed amendment would require a two thirds majority vote in each chamber of the Florida legislature to enact new taxes and fees or increase existing ones. Economic analyst Hank Fishkind tells 90.7’s Matthew Peddie what’s really needed is an overhaul of the tax system.

Environmentalists are calling for more spending on land and water conservation as the Florida Legislature ends its session Friday.They say the $82 billion state budget lawmakers approved contains more spending than last year's on Amendment 1 but still not enough.

Environmental advocate Chuck O’Neal is running for the state senate. He launched his campaign Tuesday for the District 11 seat currently held by Alan Hays.

Environmentalists say the governor's $79 billion proposed budget doesn't include enough for land acquisition.They're criticizing his spending on Amendment 1, the state constitutional amendment dedicated to land and water conservation.

Environmentalists are considering suing over Amendment 1 funding as the Florida Legislature reaches an agreement on an $80 billion state budget.They say the budget does not include enough conservation funding and ignores the intent of voters who overwhelming supported the state constitutional amendment in November.

Senate President Andy Gardiner is calling for transparency and accountability on Amendment 1 as the Legislature prepares to reconvene next week in a special session.His comments come as environmentalists plan rallies statewide Saturday including in Orlando and Melbourne.

When the Florida Legislature reconvenes in two weeks in a special session centered on the state budget a large part of the debate will be about Amendment 1.That's the state constitutional amendment that mandates a 20-year, $22-billion conservation effort, the nation's largest ever. Seventy-five percent of voters supported the amendment in November.But now environmentalists say lawmakers want to spend the money in ways voters never intended.

The Florida House and Senate budgets- which passed last week- include money for conservation and land acquisition. But environmental advocates say it’s not enough.

A Senate proposal on how to spend new land conservation funding is drawing criticism for focusing more on restoration and management and less on buying and preserving new land.Senators met Thursday in Tallahassee to discuss the proposed Amendment 1 spending.

Among the biggest decisions lawmakers face as the legislative session starts Tuesday is how to implement the nation's largest state-based conservation effort.Amendment 1 initiates a 20-year, $22 billion dollar effort to preserve land and water. Voters overwhelmingly supported the state constitutional amendment in November.But not everyone agrees on how the money should be spent.