Backers of a ballot initiative to purchase environmentally sensitive land in Charlotte County meet this evening. They’ll discuss ways to the sell the public on the new tax. On November 7th Charlotte voters will be asked to approve a small property tax increase to fund “Conservation Charlotte”. The money would be earmarked to buy land to preserve and protect it. Conservation Biologist Ed Freeman of the nonprofit group PEER – Protecting the Environment through Ecological Research is one of the referendum’s sponsors.

“Right now there’s no dedicated funding source for protect lands in charlotte county …this will give the county a 77 million dollar bonding authority so they can bond and protect lands quickly when the opportunity arises.”

Voters in neighboring Sarasota and Lee Counties have approved similar referendums. Freeman says the millage increase would add about 40 dollars a year in taxes on a 200 thousand dollar home. Supporters meet at 5:30 tonight at the SunTrust Bank in Murdock.

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Charlotte County voters will be asked to follow the example set by neighboring Lee and Sarasota counties this November 7th. They’ll decide whether to tax themselves to purchase environmentally-sensitive land. Environmentalist Ed Freeman says it’s a quality-of-life vote.

“This would provide a means for the residents of charlotte county to protect the areas special to charlotte county residents themselves on a local basis – it would provide a local program to protect smaller parcels and linkage parcels – that are important to the people of charlotte county.”

The referendum would add about 20 dollars for each 100 thousand dollars of taxable property. It has the support of the Charlotte County Commission. Right now the commission has no dedicated funding source for environmental land acquisition.