Miami Herald
Posted on Tue, Feb. 02, 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. Last August, a Palm Beach County circuit judge approved the deal, but balked at extending the credit lines as high as the district sought, cutting it by two-thirds to $650 million.
Gaston Cantens, a spokesman for Florida Crystals, said if the board had to vote, he hoped they would use it as an opportunity to walk away.
``If the board wants to change their minds and not go forward, they'd be saving us all from a terrible financial deal,'' he said.
SunSentinel.com
Florida Supreme Court finally takes up fight over U.S. Sugar deal
by Andy Reid on February 1, 2010 07:36 PM
The Florida Supreme Court on Monday announced that on April 7 it would hear the legal challenge to Gov. Charlie Crist’s pending $536 million Everglades restoration land deal.
The land deal, first proposed in June 2008, calls for South Florida taxpayers to pay for buying 73,000 acres from U.S. Sugar Corp. that would be used for restoring water flows to the Everglades.
U.S. Sugar-competitor Florida Crystals and the Miccosukee Tribe are challenging the financing for the deal, arguing it would cost taxpayers too much and further stall already-overdue Everglades restoration plans.
Environmental groups and other supporters call the deal a historic opportunity to acquire strategically located land to build reservoirs and stormwater treatment areas.
The Supreme Court hearing date comes after the March 31 deadline called for in the deal to get court approval for the financing plan. The contract with U.S. Sugar sets a June deadline to close on the deal.
U.S. Sugar representative Judy Sanchez said Monday the company is willing to extend the deal if necessary due to the “lengthy litigation process.”
