CRESTVIEW — Five years after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, Okaloosa County is poised to receive funds from BP's settlement with affected states and counties.
But state politics could mean money earmarked to compensate Northwest Florida counties could be redirected to Central and South Florida's metropolitan areas.
Speaking to the Crestview Area Chamber of Commerce Airport Committee, Dennis Mitchell, an associate of Crestview Technology Air Park developers Dr. Paul Hsu and Bob Keller, said a meeting of the three men and Mayor David Cadle with state Sen. Don Gaetz brought troubling information.
“The first thing he tells us is, ‘Guess what guys? You have a 50-50 chance of seeing that money come into your county,’” Mitchell said.
“What I do believe is that when hundreds of millions of dollars are on the table, politicians will instinctively reach for the money to fund projects in their own areas,” Gaetz stated in an email to the News Bulletin.
CREATING PARITY
Mitchell said some of the economic settlement money — a separate fund from RESTORE Act money — by legislation skips state control and goes directly to affected counties.
Some of the money can be used to create parity with neighboring states, such as Alabama, that lure major businesses through existing programs including tax incentives and fee waivers, Mitchell said.
“They can say, ‘We’ll go in debt. We’ll float a bond. Whatever it takes to get you to come here,’” Mitchell said. “This BP money represents our once-in-a-lifetime chance to have parity and go out there and compete with those folks.”
But according to Mitchell, Gaetz said he worries legislators from Central and South Florida counties may try to divert some or all of the $1.5 billion Florida portion to their districts.
“That’s why it’s so important for business leaders and local government officials in our area to work with our legislative delegation to protect the economic damage award we have secured in law and in the courts,” Gaetz’s email stated.
POSSIBLE HELP
Gaetz told the men there is hope for assuring the county retains its money.
“As someone who has helped the governor achieve major tax cuts and economic development gains, Rep. Matt Gaetz (Gaetz's son) is in an excellent position to advocate for Northwest Florida’s interests,” Don Gaetz stated in his email.
The stakes are enormous for attracting high-paying jobs to the area, particularly at Crestview Bob Sikes Airport. A C-TAP hangar expansion could bring between 200 and 600 high-paying technology jobs to the Crestview area.
“That is about a $12- to $36 million payroll,” Mitchell said.
Additionally, the money can develop a technology corridor along Interstate 10, U.S. Highway 90 and the CSX Railroad line, he said.
“You can't do that down at the beach,” Mitchell said, referring to South Okaloosa County. “It can't just be one isolated project. We have to build an economic development east-west zone.”
DIVERSIFIED ECONOMY
Mitchell said the C-TAP partners recognize that the county’s economic base has to diversify from its dependence on tourism and the military, and with room to grow, the north county is the logical expansion area.
“We have to diversify business, but we have to diversify geographically,” Mitchell said. “We can't just keep piling everything on Highway 98. You just can’t overcome the air space issues, the transportation issues or the storm water issues. We don't have that problem up here.”
The BP compensation is key to launching such economic diversification and competing with neighboring states, Mitchell said.
Besides, South Florida already got its share of money during the oil spill aftermath when tourists avoided Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa and Walton counties’ beaches, he said.
“This is the money that belongs in Northwest Florida,” Mitchell said. “It does not belong in Miami or Jacksonville or Tampa. Bless their hearts, they already got their money. Our tourists went down there and spent it.”
“But, in the end, our part of the state only wins when we build coalitions with legislators who sleep in the eastern time zone,” Gaetz said.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Politics may cost Okaloosa County awarded BP funds (VIDEO)