Miami Herald: Florida Supreme Court to hear case over U.S. Sugar land deal
Feb 3, 2010
The Miami Herald published this story on February 3, 2010.
BY CURTIS MORGAN
Even before its justices rule, the Florida Supreme Court has erected a potential legal hurdle to Gov. Charlie Crist’s $536 million land deal with the U.S. Sugar Corp.
The court has agreed to hear a challenge of plans to bankroll the $536 million purchase with bonds issued by the South Florida Water Management District. But the hearing date, April 7, comes a week after a deadline for having a court “validate” the financing.
That won’t necessarily derail the blockbuster land buy, but it could force water managers and the sugar giant to alter deadlines — something both sides have already agreed to do once.
U.S. Sugar spokeswoman Judy Sanchez signaled that the company was open to extensions to complete the purchase of 73,000 acres of sugar fields and citrus groves. Water district spokesman Randy Smith issued a brief statement that water managers were pleased the Supreme Court had set a hearing date.
Thom Rumberger, chairman of the Everglades Trust, said environmentalists were disappointed the court had not agreed to take up the case earlier, but he was hopeful the district would agree to extend deadlines, which might require another vote by the governing board on the controversial deal.
Water managers say the land, which eventually will be used for reservoirs and pollution treatment marshes, is critical to resolve water supply and quality problems that have long plagued the Everglades, Lake Okeechobee and coastal estuaries.
The Miccosukee Tribe and U.S. Sugar rival Florida Crystals Corp., which filed a lawsuit challenging the deal, argue the land deal is a multibillion-dollar boondoggle for taxpayers and that the financially strapped state doesn’t have money to build Everglades restoration projects on the land.