Everglades Trust board member disagrees with backing DeSantis
When the Everglades Trust announced Tuesday it was supporting Republican Ron DeSantis for governor over Democrat Andrew Gillum, heads were scratched and some environmentalists were aghast.
Even one of the Trust’s three board members, Gainesville’s Jon Mills, disagreed with the organization’s position that DeSantis will be more willing to fight “Big Sugar” to help clean and restore the massive South Florida wetland.
“I don’t want to discuss the internal position-making process — let’s just say I am supporting Gillum-King. I think they are the best environmental ticket and best for the Everglades,” Mills said. “Their responses on Everglades issues are exactly correct and I am optimistic they will do a good job in making environmentally related appointments.”
The Trust’s announcement caught some off-guard. Democrats generally earn the support of environmental groups — Gillum and running mate Chris King have been endorsed by the Sierra Club, for instance.
Meanwhile, DeSantis was boosted to the Republican nomination by the endorsement from President Trump, who once said climate change was a hoax perpetrated by China. Trump this week said the climate is warming but could reverse course on its own.
Trust Executive Director Kimberly Mitchell said in a press release announcing the DeSantis endorsement that he will take on Florida’s sugar industry, which contributes to water quality and quantity problems impacting the Everglades.
“The Everglades and coastal estuaries couldn’t care less about partisan politics, so the Trust doesn’t. They are in desperate need of a hero – and they found one in Ron DeSantis,” Mitchell said. “Ron understands the critical infrastructure projects that must be undertaken and expedited, with the ability to make them a top priority, and already has a track record of standing up to an industry that is physically and politically blocking the reconnection of Lake Okeechobee to the Everglades – Big Sugar.”
The Trust’s website lists the criteria it uses to evaluate candidates including whether they are funded by or have allegiance to the sugar industry, whether they understand the urgency of Everglades restoration and whether they trust independent science or will be swayed by sugar-funded research.
Mills also serves on the board of the nonprofit advocacy group the Everglades Foundation, but the foundation is a separate legal entity. The Trust has also endorsed number of Democrats including Nikki Fried for agriculture commissioner, Sean Shaw for attorney general and Gainesville’s Kayser Enneking for the Florida Senate.
Mills is a former state representative and House speaker, serving as chairman of the Natural Resources Committee. He is a former dean of the University of Florida College of Law and is director of the college’s Center for Governmental Responsibility. He has been involved with the Everglades Foundation for decades and is a member of its board along with rocker Jimmy Buffett.
Mills would not say whether the Trust’s endorsement of DeSantis will impact his future on the board.
Editor's note: This story has been edited to clarify the relationship between the Everglades Trust and the Everglades Foundation. The two are not directly affiiliated.