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Nov 3, 12:22 AM

Buying land in danger gets OK

BY JEFF SCHWEERS
FLORIDA TODAY

Brevard County voters overwhelmingly said they want to continue to buy more environmentally endangered lands with their tax dollars.

With 100 percent of the vote in, county Referendum 2 passed 169,822 to 76,172, or 69 percent to 31 percent.

Passage means the county will extend the existing Beaches and Riverfront tax -- due to disappear this year -- for 20 years and shift it into the Environmentally Endangered Lands Program.

Homeowners would continue to pay about 21 cents on every $1,000 of taxable property value to buy and manage an extra $60 million in conservation lands.

In 1990, about 61 percent of Brevard voters approved the EEL program. The tax, which expires in 2011, generates about $5.7 million a year. But county officials say they need more cash on hand to buy the most important habitats before they fill with homes, businesses and other development. EEL controls about 18,000 acres.

Local biologists have targeted an extra 70,000 acres for conservation.