Come November, voters could be faced with another decision regarding how much they want to spend to conserve land in Manatee County.
In 2020, residents overwhelmingly passed the Conservation and Parks Referendum with 71% of voters in favor of being taxed an additional .15 mills and allowing Manatee County to bond up to $50 million to acquire land “to protect drinking water sources and water quality, preserve fish and wildlife habitat, prevent stormwater runoff pollution and provide parks.”
Trust for Public Land, a national nonprofit founded in 1972, helped Manatee County get the referendum on the ballot in 2020. On Jan. 6, commissioners voted to request additional assistance from the nonprofit because funds are running low…