Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis tried to distance himself from a controversial proposal to construct golf programs and motels in state parks, saying he didn’t approve the proposals earlier than they had been “leaked.”
“It was not accepted by me, I by no means noticed that,” DeSantis stated at an Aug. 28 news conference in Winter Haven. “They’re going again to the drafting board. … They’re not doing something this yr. They’re going to return and principally hearken to people. Plenty of that stuff was half-baked and was not prepared for prime time. And it was deliberately leaked out to a left-wing group to attempt to create a story.”
The proposal for some state parks sparked outrage amongst residents. DeSantis made it sound as if the “half-baked” plan was leaked earlier than it was prepared. However the division’s tried public rollout exhibits this was a proposal in its remaining phases.
The state printed its full plans on a authorities web site alongside an announcement for simultaneous public conferences throughout Florida inside a matter of days. Officers within the governor’s workplace confirmed help of the plan at first, and state officers made a collection of social media graphics touting it.
The Tampa Bay Instances broke the story concerning the state park plans Aug. 20, and a number of the particulars had been leaked to the outlet days earlier. By the point the story printed, nonetheless, the Florida Division of Environmental Safety had already issued a press launch and deliberate public conferences.
The division’s Aug. 19 information launch stated its 2024-25 “Nice Outdoor Initiative” would “increase public entry, improve outside actions and supply new lodging choices.”
The subsequent day the division uploaded proposals to its web site for the 9 parks.
The proposed plans included constructing golf programs, pickleball courts, disc golf programs and motels within the parks. A number of golf programs had been pitched for Jonathan Dickinson State Park in Martin County and 350-room motels had been proposed for Anastasia State Park in St. Augustine and TopSail Hill Protect State Park in Santa Rosa Seashore.
The Florida Division of State despatched a notification Aug. 20 saying plans to carry Aug. 27 public conferences concerning the proposed plans throughout the state. The division marketed the initiative on its social media accounts beginning Aug. 19.
Information of the proposed plans drew condemnation from both Republican and Democratic politicians and sparked protests all through the state.
The division canceled the general public conferences and withdrew the plans for golf programs at Jonathan Dickinson State Park.
The Tampa Bay Instances wrote its first story Aug. 20 and has printed a series of follow-up reports. In its first story, the newspaper reported it had obtained copies of leaked paperwork detailing the proposed plans and wrote that the leaked paperwork had circulated extra broadly, sparking dialogue on social media.
DeSantis’ feedback on the Aug. 28 information convention reversed his administration’s preliminary protection of the initiative in an Aug. 22 statement to the Times.
“Teddy Roosevelt believed that public parks had been for the profit and pleasure of the folks, and we agree with him,” spokesperson Jeremy Redfern instructed the newspaper. “No administration has finished greater than we’ve got to preserve Florida’s pure assets, develop conservation lands, and hold our surroundings pristine. Nevertheless it’s excessive time we made public lands extra accessible to the general public.”
On Aug. 29, in response to PolitiFact’s questions on DeSantis’ saying the proposals had been unapproved and leaked, Redfern stated, “the governor’s feedback converse for themselves.”
The governor appoints the secretary of Florida’s Department of Environmental Protection. Statewide initiatives by the company are usually vetted and accepted by the governor’s workplace earlier than being shared with the general public.
Eric Draper, who served as Florida’s state parks director from 2017 to 2021, stated usually the state’s Division of Environmental Safety secretary has conversations straight with the governor’s workplace. Generally it’s with the governor’s coverage chief of environmental affairs, or it might be with the chief of workers, he stated.
“Both method, these initiatives are run by the governor’s workplace, if not began on the governor’s workplace,” Draper stated. “The division doesn’t do something, by way of initiatives, with out getting some route from them.”
PolitiFact contacted the company about its communications with the governor’s workplace however didn’t obtain a response by publication.
Our ruling
DeSantis stated the environmental safety company’s proposal to place golf programs, motels in Florida state parks “was one thing that was leaked. … a whole lot of that stuff was half-baked and was not prepared for prime time.”
DeSantis’ remarks depart the impression that the proposed plan to transform state parkland into different makes use of was simply an thought on the chalkboard in its preliminary phases and leaked prematurely.
However the initiative to construct golf programs, pickleball courts, disc golf programs, motels and extra in Florida’s state parks was not simply an undeveloped thought. There have been plans, paperwork and public conferences scheduled concurrently throughout the state.
This got here to the general public’s consideration as a plan in its remaining phases that was first reported on publicly by the Tampa Bay Instances, and it was later acknowledged and promoted by an company DeSantis oversees as governor. The Instances obtained ideas for its reporting, but it surely didn’t report on the leaked paperwork till the state introduced the initiative was forthcoming.
DeSantis’ assertion comprises a component of fact however ignores vital info that might give a special impression. We fee it Principally False.
This truth examine was initially published by PolitiFact, which is a part of the Poynter Institute. See the sources for this truth examine here.
