Power grab

Spring Lake Improvement District is attempting a corrupt political power grab. This might be the most blatant attempt ever made by a small elected body to hijack a community without the people ever being aware of what is happening. Their actions with respect to this new proposed charter are unconscionable at best.
The board, SLID has admitted that there has been no voter referendum, district vote or survey of property owners. We have started a survey. Those opposed to any more powers, especially to access property, is running at 100 percent. The SLID Board and its manager do not need any more powers. They do need to understand that "they are" responsible only to the people, no one else, and that their only job is to mange a small drainage district, nothing more.
SLID has now, after being turned down, not once but twice by the State Attorney General Bill McCollum, stating that SLID lacked the power to buy a golf course. They now state that the new bill isn't an attempt to get around that advisory opinion.
At the last public meeting, the lobbyist for SLID put forth a bill before Sen. J.D. Alexander, Rep. Baxter Troutman and Rep. Denise Grimsley. They are asking for broad new powers that through assessment powers, would drive many senior citizens, in the future, to lose their homes through foreclosure. They are also asking permission to take over defunct homeowner associations, all of this without a voter referendum, district wide vote or survey of property owners.
"We" the people of Spring Lake were at that meeting with the senator and the two representatives. We opposed the bill and asked that the bill be "killed" at the local level, as it violated the right of Spring Lake home and property owners. Rep. Baxter Troutman agreed that it should be killed at the local level; but we are still waiting to hear from Sen. Alexander and Rep. Denise Grimsley, hoping that they will represent the people and not those of special interest.
Billie E. Jewett
Sebring