IN YOUR CORNER

We congratulate the Martin County Commission for taking the actions required to resume the Land Use Study that was awarded and then stopped in the face of local opposition, late last year. Many speakers at the Board of Commissioners meeting on February 7 th voiced objections to continuing the study, and/or tried to mandate inclusion of additional unrelated items. Not only is the study necessary, the same Comprehensive Plan, whose other provisions are often cited by many of the study’s opponents, mandates it. Also, adding emotional and politically sensitive issues such as the future of Witham Field, would only make the study more difficult, expensive and dilute the value of the results.

We have great difficulty understanding the rationale for not comprehensively studying what virtually all recognize as a major problem: how to protect Martin County from the ravages of over-development. This and future Commissions will make crucial decisions that have a major impact on what Martin County will look like 10-50 years from now. It is very seldom that better decisions will be made when less data is available and fewer options evaluated.

We are often critical of the widespread use of expensive consultants by local governments. In fact, when the contract for the Land Use Study was negotiated, we commented on the contract being let, even though it was in excess of the advertised maximum. However, this is one case where we believe the expense may be justified, if a non-partisan evaluation and documentation of options is achieved. Only a credible, independent organization that is totally outside of, and unaffected by the local political process, has the potential to produce the comprehensive evaluation needed.

In the last few years we have seen many undesirable changes taking place in Martin County. All of them portend serious challenges to our future. The roads have become extremely crowded, as major additions to the transportation infrastructure, such as the Indian Street Bridge, have been delayed. Affordable housing has become extremely scarce as home prices soar, and rapidly raising taxes and insurance make rental property a poor investment. Releases of fresh water from Lake Okeechobee and local pollution have often caused our waterways to become algae ridden eyesores. The amount of money available for conservation has gone down, while the cost of vacant land, especially inside the Urban Services Boundary, has dramatically increased. Citing public use facilities and schools has become a difficult and expensive process. Agricultural land has also dramatically increased in value while the combination of canker and competition has reduced the profitability of using the land for farming.

We hold no preconceived notion as to what the consultants will find, nor are we committed to endorsing their recommendations. We do believe that the obvious alternative of proceeding without unbiased research and focused planning has little chance of reversing these trends.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Your Taxpayers Association is planning to award a $1,000 scholarship to a deserving graduate from one of our Martin County public high schools that will be attending college during the 2006-07 school year. Criteria for award includes a subjective evaluation of the whole person to include grade point average, SAT scores, letters of recommendation and financial need. Final selection will be based on a 600-word essay that will be evaluated for inclusion as one of our “In Your Corner” editorials. This year’s subject is “How to make local government/school district more efficient”. The initial award is for one year with the option of the winner re-competing for additional years. Interested students should contact their high school guidance counselor as soon as possible for an official application.