In a bold move, the City of Punta Gorda is taking action against a proposed water utility bill that could undermine its control over the water system. The city council voted to bring on lobbyist David Childs from the Ballard Partners firm for approximately $8,500. They want to make sure their concerns are heard loud and clear before this legislation makes waves in Tallahassee.
City leaders are sounding the alarm about the new bill sponsored by state Rep. Vanessa Oliver, claiming it might not just define service boundaries but actually shift control of water operations outside city limits. Nobody wants that—especially when potential legal and financial implications hang in the balance. Utilities Director Tom Spencer notes that they weren’t consulted during the bill’s drafting process, raising concerns about how this could impact costs and governance for the city’s water utility.
With the legislative session kicking off on January 13, Punta Gorda hopes hiring an outside lobbyist at this stage will ensure their message is communicated effectively to lawmakers. It’s a classic case of “better safe than sorry,” and we can’t blame them for making waves to protect their precious resource. Water you gonna do about it?
