Over the weekend, I fielded several calls regard the amended Florida Senate Bill 364 concerning the Triumph funds. The amendment came from Panama City Sen. George Gainer and was passed by the Senate Appropriations Committee late last week.
The amended bill gives the Board of County Commissioners in the eight Northwest Florida counties most affected by the 2010 oil spill 40 percent — or $120 million — of the first $300 million from the settlement. Each county receives the five-percent ($15 million each), regardless of population or coast line.
The bill also gives the commissioners four percent of all future Triumph dollars.
The concept of Triumph Gulf Coast independently deciding, based on a published criteria, what projects would best benefit the entire Panhandle appears to be slipping away.
I will have Sen. Doug Broxson on “Pensacola Speaks” this afternoon at 5:10 – on 1370 WCOA.
Lets hope the county has the foresight and vision to spend the money to impact long term diversification of the local economy —– which is the stated criteria —— instead of ball fields and boat ramps and subsidizing the annual budget.