MILTON — Santa Rosa County Commission Chairman Rob Williamson and Milton Mayor Wesley Meiss want to ensure Santa Rosa County gets its fair share of BP oil spill funds through Triumph Gulf Coast.
Triumph is the five-member group of trustees responsible for spending 75 percent, or $1.5 billion, of approximately $2 billion in damages that BP must pay to Florida due to the 2010 oil spill.
Williamson and Meiss expressed their wishes Tuesday during a legislative delegation meeting including Florida State Reps. Jayer Williamson and Frank White, and State Sen. Doug Broxson. The delegation met so the public could make their needs known to the state.
“What can we do to help support you as relates to Triumph funding?” Rob Williamson said.
“These funds going to the panhandle are important and fair to our area,” Meiss said.
He also recognized Sen. George Gainer (R-Panama City) and Broxson for Senate Bill 364, which will ensure $300 million of the $400 million released last summer will go to the eight disproportionately affected counties if it passes, as reported in the Northwest Florida Daily News.
Those counties are Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Walton, Escambia, Bay, Gulf, Wakulla and Franklin.
Jayer Williamson and White said the best thing local politicians could do is keep communication open.
“Our position is it’s our money,” Broxson said. “I’m anxious to transfer (the money) to work for what’s best in the panhandle.”
Call 995-3698 to reach Jayer Williamson. Call 626-3113 to reach Broxson. Contact White at info@frankwhite.com.
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: County delegation on oil spill funds: 'It's our money'