Readers

Thank you for your informative article on Florida's land conservation efforts ["Uncertain Legacy," August, FloridaTrend.com].

Florida TaxWatch has followed the state's land- and water-management initiatives for more than two decades, issuing reports on acquisition of state lands, the Everglades Construction Project and the South Florida and St. Johns River Water Management districts.

Interestingly, your article described increasing reliance on conservation easements over the past five years. In 1997, a Florida TaxWatch analysis of the state's purchase of Keewaydin Island in Collier County raised concerns about the cost of this transaction, which TaxWatch and Florida's auditor general estimated was two to three times its market value in 1993.

Florida TaxWatch hopes that your insightful analysis and similar authoritative reports and recommendations will be swiftly heeded to ensure sound conservation and good fiscal stewardship of Florida's families, businesses and visitors.

Dominic M. Calabro
President/CEO, Florida TaxWatch
Tallahassee

Correction
Rulon Co. relocated from Brunswick, Ga., to the World Commerce Center in St. Johns County.

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