Tampabay.com
NOVEMBER 12, 2009

Business groups blast 'federal water tax'

Especially in this economy, everything is labeled a "tax" if you don't want it. Add this one to the list: The Environmental Protection Agency's plans to uphold clean water laws and limit how much nutrient pollution is allowed in Florida's waterways.

A group of big business and anti-tax interests, joined by former state DEP secretaries Virginia Wetherell and Colleen Castille, warned the yet-unannounced regulations would amount to a "federal water tax" that would hurt the economy. They are calling on the state's congressional delegation to stop the EPA from imposing restrictions -- which they argue with questionable math -- would cost Florida utilities $50 billion with consumer footing the bill.

For more, read this piece when the EPA intervened to end a lawsuit filed by environmental groups in 2008. In the meantime, marvel at this great Web site name the group launched: www.donttaxflorida.com. Surprisingly, it wasn't taken until PR guru Ron Sachs bought it Nov. 10.

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For Florida political news today, the Buzz is your can't-miss-it source. Tampa Bay Times writers offer the latest in Florida politics, the Florida Legislature and the Rick Scott administration. Keep in mind: This is a public forum sponsored and maintained by the Tampa Bay Times. When you post comments here, what you say becomes public and could appear in the newspaper. You are not engaging in private communication with candidates or Times staffers.

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