VOLUSIA FOREVER TALKING POINTS
For Volusia County Council Meeting, 3/17/26
MAKE IT PERSONAL
If you can, please talk about a Volusia Forever property you have enjoyed or why local land conservation matters TO YOU. Here is a link to the Volusia Forever Transparency Dashboard showing all the conservation land by program since we were first in the nation to tax ourselves to protect environmentally-sensitive land. That was the 1986 Endangered Lands Program. It was followed by Volusia Forever 2000 and then Volusia Forever 2020. 

MOST IMPORTANT MESSAGE – Leave Volusia Forever as it is. It is working as we intended it to.

ADDITIONAL KEY POINTS TO MAKE
• Volusia Forever was approved by more than 75% (three quarters) of voters in 2020.

• Voters knew what they were voting for. They had more than 20 years of experience to go by.

• Voters understand that FOREVER means land will be conserved in perpetuity. That concept shouldn’t be lessened.

• Partnerships stretch our tax dollars and always have. Since its reauthorization, Volusia Forever has garnered $ 4.00 from partner match-funds for every $ 1.00 of taxpayer investment. Partnerships should remain an integral part of the program.

• Issuing bonds is essential. Voters increased the amount because property values are rising. There are more properties ready for acquisition than funds to cover them. If we don’t issue bonds, we will lose those properties forever or pay much, much more for them. Bonds are fiscally responsible.

THANK THE COUNCIL FOR THEIR WORK AND SUPPORT