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Florida Homestead Property Tax Exemption: for-pay parks and boat ramps? @ Gilchrist County Workshop 2026-04-20

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A Florida bill could force Florida county parks and boat ramps to be pay for use, and could eliminate 4-H, agricultural extension services, libraries, and even county veteran services.

If passed, HJR 203 would eliminate all property taxes on homestead property except school taxes.

It failed in the Florida Senate, but it will be heard again in a July 2026, legislative special session.

If it passes the legislature, the people will get to vote on this constitutional amendment on the November ballot.

[Florida Homestead Property Tax Exemption: for-pay parks and boat ramps? @ Gilchrist County Workshop, Monday, April 20, 2026]
Florida Homestead Property Tax Exemption: for-pay parks and boat ramps? @ Gilchrist County Workshop, Monday, April 20, 2026

Gilchrist County held a workshop about this on April 20, 2026. Other counties would do well to do the same.

The origin of the word republic is the latin phrase Res publica, which means public thing. It is often translated as commonwealth. I understand people don’t like paying taxes, especially property taxes. But something is needed to fund public services. Florida already does not have income tax.

That leaves a gas tax, increasing millage on everybody else, or, as slide 28 suggests, “100% Fee based parks.” Which wouldn’t help libraries or 4-H.

I don’t know about you, but I prefer people, especially young people, being able to go to the library or to the river without paying, such as to Hart Springs, Otter Springs, or the FL 47 Ramp, aka Santa Fe River Gilchrist County Park Ramp. Otherwise, they will find other, perhaps more troublesome, ways to spend their time.

Oh, and your taxes would still be paying to pipe treated wastewater from Jacksonville into the Suwannee Basin; see:

https://wwals.net/issues/wfnf Continue reading →

WWALS Quarterly Board Meeting 2020-01-12

Announcement
WWALS Quarterly Board Meeting
2 to 4 PM, Sunday, 12 January 2020
South Georgia Regional Library, 2906 Julia Dr, Valdosta, GA 31602
Dial-in Number: (712) 770-5505
Meeting ID: 855-676
facebook event

Outings in Santa Fe River subbasin, on the Suwannee, and at Banks Lake, Light Parade, Gear Swap, BIG Little River Paddle Race, finances, budget, membership, water quality monitoring, water trails, Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest, WWALS Boomerang paddle race, festivals, projects and programs, pipelines, LNG export, titanium mines, phosphate mines, Bill of Rights for Nature, and more.

[WWALS Logo]
WWALS Logo. Yes, S now stands for both Santa Fe and Suwannee, like A stands for both Alapaha and Alapahoochee, and L stands for both Little Rivers (one flowing into the Withlacoochee, the other into the Suwannee).
Our many rivers include four (Alapaha, Withlacoochee, Santa Fe, and Suwannee Rivers), six (plus New and Little Rivers flowing into the Withlacoochee), ten (plus Willacoochee, Alapahoochee, and Little Alapaha Rivers flowing into the Alapaha, and Dead River flowing out of it), thirteen (Black River, Little River, and Gopher River flowing into the Suwannee River), or fifteen (Ichetucknee and New River flowing into the Santa Fe River). Plus many creeks, swamps, lakes, and ponds, including our entire watersheds. wwals.net/maps/

Invited to attend: WWALS members, especially committee members, and the general public.
All WWALS Board Members are expected to attend in person or by telephone.
The more done on the board list, the less time we have to spend in this meeting.

See the WWALS website for board members and committees.

The agenda will be available later.

 -jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

You can join this fun and work by becoming a WWALS member today!

Agenda: WWALS Quarterly Board Meeting 2019-10-20

Here’s the agenda for today’s WWALS Quarterly Board Meeting.

See also PDF.

If you’re going to dial in, the meeting will make a lot more sense with this agenda in front of you. If you’re coming to the physical meeting, there will be paper copies available.

Agenda

WWALS Quarterly Board Meeting

2:00-4:00 PM, Sunday, 20 October 2019

South Georgia Regional Library, 2906 Julia Dr, Valdosta, GA 31602

Dial-in Number: (712) 770-5505

Meeting ID: 855-676

https://wwals.net/?p=48840

https://www.facebook.com/events/2157102204370851/

Addition of Santa Fe River subbasin, WWALS Boomerang Paddle Race, Budget, water quality monitoring, water trails, BIG Little River Paddle Race, Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest, Alapaha Quest, outings, festivals, projects and programs, pipelines, LNG export, titanium mines, phosphate mines, Bill of Rights for Nature, and more.

Invited to attend: WWALS members, especially committee members, and the general public.

All WWALS Board Members are expected to attend in person or by telephone.

The more done on the board list, the less time we have to spend in this meeting.

[Banner]
WWALS Banner. Yes, we will be updating it again to insert Santa Fe before Suwannee.

Board Members:

Continue reading →

WWALS Quarterly Board Meeting 2019-10-20

Announcement
WWALS Quarterly Board Meeting
2 to 4 PM, Sunday, 20 October 2019
South Georgia Regional Library, 2906 Julia Dr, Valdosta, GA 31602
Dial-in Number: (712) 770-5505
Meeting ID: 855-676
facebook event

Addition of Santa Fe River subbasin, WWALS Boomerang Paddle Race, Budget, water quality monitoring, water trails, BIG Little River Paddle Race, Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest, Alapaha Quest, outings, festivals, projects and programs, pipelines, LNG export, titanium mines, phosphate mines, Bill of Rights for Nature, and more.

[Banner]
WWALS Banner. Yes, we will be updating it again to insert Santa Fe before Suwannee.

Invited to attend: WWALS members, especially committee members, and the general public.
All WWALS Board Members are expected to attend in person or by telephone.
The more done on the board list, the less time we have to spend in this meeting.

See the WWALS website for board members and committees.

The agenda will be available later.

 -jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

You can join this fun and work by becoming a WWALS member today!

At VSU: WWALS Quarterly Board Meeting 2019-04-14

Update 2019-04-11: The meeting location has changed, to VSU Odum Library Rm # 2633.

Announcement
WWALS Quarterly Board Meeting
2:00-4PM, Sunday, 14 April 2019
Room 2633, Odum Library, Valdosta State University,
1500 N. Patterson St., Valdosta, GA 31698
Parking: Oak St. Deck, entrance off of N. Oak Street, across from Brookwood Drive.

Odum Library and Parking, VSU Map
Odum Library: green circle top center; Oak St. Deck: blue circle left center.

Dial-in Number (has changed): (712) 770-5505
Meeting ID: 855676
facebook event

Wastewater spills, water quality monitoring, water trails, BIG Little River Paddle Race, Paddle Georgia, Paddle Georgia, Songwriting Contest, WWALS Boomerang, Alapaha Quest, festivals, projects and programs, pipelines, LNG export, phosphate mines, and more.

Invited to attend: WWALS members, especially committee members, and the general public.
All WWALS Board Members are expected to attend in person or by telephone.
The more done on the board list, Continue reading →

WWALS Quarterly Board Meeting 2019-04-14

Update 2019-04-11: The meeting location has changed, to VSU Odum Library Rm # 2633.

Announcement
WWALS Quarterly Board Meeting
2:00-4PM, Sunday, 14 April 2019
Room 2633, Odum Library, Valdosta State University,
1500 N. Patterson St., Valdosta, GA 31698
Parking: Oak St. Deck, entrance off of N. Oak Street, across from Brookwood Drive.

Odum Library and Parking, VSU Map
Odum Library: green circle top center; Oak St. Deck: blue circle left center.

Dial-in Number (has changed): (712) 770-5505
Meeting ID: 855676
facebook event

Wastewater spills, water quality monitoring, water trails, paddle races, songwriting contest, Paddle Georgia, Alapaha Quest, festivals, projects and programs, pipelines, LNG export, phosphate mines, and more.

Invited to attend: WWALS members, especially committee members, and the general public.
All WWALS Board Members are expected to attend in person or by telephone.
The more done on the board list, the less time we have to spend in this meeting.

[Banner]
new WWALS Banner

Board Members: Continue reading →

WWALS Quarterly Board Meeting 2019-01-13

Actually, January 13, 2018.

Announcement
WWALS Quarterly Board Meeting
2:00-4PM, Sunday, 13 January 2019
South Georgia Regional Library, 2906 Julia Dr, Valdosta, GA 31602
Dial-in Number: (641) 715-3580
Meeting ID: 855-676
facebook event

Water quality monitoring, water trails, paddle races, songwriting contest, Paddle Georgia, Alapaha Quest, festivals, projects and programs, pipelines, LNG export, phosphate mines, and more.

Invited to attend: WWALS members, especially committee members, and the general public.
All WWALS Board Members are expected to attend in person or by telephone.
The more done on the board list, the less time we have to spend in this meeting.

WWALS logo

Board Members: Continue reading →

WWALS Quarterly Board Meeting, Draft Agenda 2018-10-21

Draft Agenda
WWALS Quarterly Board Meeting
2:00-4PM, Sunday, 21 October 2018
South Georgia Regional Library, 2906 Julia Dr, Valdosta, GA 31602
Dial-in Number: (641) 715-3580
Meeting ID: 855-676
facebook event

Water quality monitoring, water trails, WWALS Boomerang Paddle Race, Paddle Georgia, Alapaha Quest, festivals, projects and programs, pipelines, LNG export, phosphate mines, and more.

Invited to attend: WWALS members, especially committee members, and the general public.
All WWALS Board Members are expected to attend in person or by telephone.
The more done on the board list, the less time we have to spend in this meeting.

WWALS logo

Board Members: Continue reading →

Updates from Trails Committee Meeting 2018-08-19

Here’s an update on the draft brochures for both WWALS Water Trails, after the recent meeting of the WWALS Water Trails Committee. We could still use more pictures.

Please email pictures to wwalswatershed@gmail.com. Please say who took each picture, when, where, and of what. High resolution, please.

ARWT Mapside, ARWT

If you want to join the WWALS Trails Committee to help continue organizing this work, actually editing the documents shown below, you must be a WWALS member and apply.

What

The Trails Committee is working on brochures for Continue reading →

Brochures: Trails Committee Meeting 2018-08-19

After only four years, we’re almost finished with both WWALS Water Trails! You can help get them done.

The new Chair of the WWALS Trails Committee, Dan Phillips, has called a meeting to work on one of the final steps: designing printed brochures. Anyone can attend, and anyone can send in pictures or suggestions.

Please email pictures to wwalswatershed@gmail.com. Please say who took each picture, when, where, and of what. High resolution, please.

When: 2:30-5PM, Sunday, 19 August 2018

Where: Community Hall 2,
South Georgia Regional Library,
2906 Julia Dr, Valdosta, GA 31602

By phone: Dial-in Number: (641) 715-3580
Meeting ID: 855-676

Event: facebook, meetup

WLRWT Mapside, WLRWT

If you want to join the WWALS Trails Committee to help continue organizing this work, actually editing the documents shown below, you must be Continue reading →