Orlando Sentinel: Money Big Sugar is using to shore up Rod Smith alarming

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http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/opinion/orl-ed29106aug29,0,1845244.story?track=mostemailedlink

EDITORIAL

Not so sweet

Our position: The money Big Sugar is using to shore up Rod Smith is alarming.

August 29, 2006

When Big Sugar invests more than $1 million of its hard-earned profits, it knows what it wants in return. This year, Big Sugar seems to want to own Rod Smith.

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Smith vows he won't be influenced by the estimated $1.7 million in ads attacking his opponent, which were purchased by groups funded by U.S. Sugar and a subsidiary. But it is naive to think that Mr. Smith -- with just $75,000 in his campaign account entering the final week of the primary -- won't be beholden to sugar growers after their attacks on his opponent, U.S. Rep. Jim Davis.

Far from disassociating himself from these sneaky broadsides, Mr. Smith cooperated by sending to the front groups photos to be used in ads. But if you still believe in Mr. Smith's independence, there's some South Florida swampland you may want to buy. And Big Sugar may be able to sell it to you if Mr. Smith gets elected.

Sugar companies control some 700,000 acres in the Everglades Agricultural Area south of Lake Okeechobee. They would love to turn wide swaths of that into houses. The governor appoints the secretary of the Department of Community Affairs, the state agency that oversees development. Given Mr. Smith's atrocious record on environmental issues and his eagerness to take Big Sugar's help, it's easy to guess what kind of DCA secretary he would appoint.

Then there's the ongoing Everglades cleanup under an agreement with the federal government. Big Sugar wants the next governor to fight to remove a federal judge and his magistrate from overseeing the cleanup. Mr. Smith says he wants to keep the federal judge, but it's hard to believe him. He supported a 2003 state law that has weaker Everglades water-quality standards. As long as a federal judge continues to call the shots, stronger standards outlined in the agreement will be enforced.

Big Sugar hates that and now, Mr. Smith owes it something. It's no wonder U.S. Sugar is trying desperately to influence this election.