A state representative will introduce a bill to the Legislature next year that could eliminate the Lee County Mosquito Control District.
Rep. Paige Kreegel, R-Punta Gorda, plans to outline his legislation Tuesday at the annual Lee County Legislative Delegation meeting at Edison State College.
“It’s time to call it quits and get it back to the county,” Kreegel said, referring to the service of killing mosquitoes.
He said his bill will call for a referendum next fall. “The bill does not abolish the mosquito district. It lets the voters decide whether they want a mosquito control district.”
Shelly Redovan, a spokeswoman for the Lee district, which has its headquarters in Buckingham, said Kreegel didn’t address his concerns with mosquito officials before preparing his bill. “We will listen, and then respond,” she said.
Kreegel contends that the local district spends far too much money to fight the pests.
“The governor shined the spotlight on taxing districts this year,” Kreegel said. “He said look at these ... Do they fulfill their purpose and the needs of the people and are they run efficiently? I think not.”
Kreegel surveyed numerous other counties around the state, and what he found led to his legislation.
“Charlotte County kills mosquitoes out of the Public Works Department for $1.8 million. In Hendry the budget out of public works is $1 million. OK, those counties are smaller than Lee, so I looked at similar-sized or larger counties,” Kreegel said. “Palm Beach ... $1.9 million. Around the state they kill mosquitoes out of the public works departments adequately for less than $2 million ... $3 million to $5 million in a control district.
“Then there’s Lee County,” Kreegel said. “More than $21 million. By far the highest budget in the state. They have an air force larger than most Central American countries.”
Sen. Mike Bennett, R-Bradenton, who represents Lee County in the Legislature, is backing Kreegel in the Senate.
“When I saw the budget I was amazed,” Bennett said. “It is truly a showcase of out-of-control special taxing districts. It’s absolutely amazing.”
District spokeswoman Redovan said the district uses 15 aircraft for spraying, including three DC-3 airplanes. At one time, she said, as many as six of those aircraft were used.
She said there’s a good reason for the large budget.
“You can’t look at total dollars and make an assumption unless you quantify the work,” she said. “We have 56,000 acres of salt marsh area. For example, the seven counties on the east coast from Volusia south have a combined 40,000 acres of salt marsh. We have such a large area to treat.
“We are the biggest larvicider in the state. We do one-third of all the aerial larvicide in Florida.”
Larvicide is sprayed from helicopters on early stage mosquitoes that have yet to mature into flying biters. Salt marsh areas are the prime targets. Airplanes are used to kill adult mosquitoes.
Kreegel,who will leave the state House after the 2012 session because of term limits, said he will bring an open mind to Tuesday’s meeting.
“I am open to arguments,” he said. “The people of Lee County deserve better.”
The Lee mosquito district was established by the Legislature in 1958 and is funded by tax dollars. The current rate is 23 cents per $1,000 of valuation.
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