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Zoo Wants Tax Money To Stay Open
July 24, 2009
The Zoo Northwest Florida is asking the Santa Rosa County Commission to levy a special tax up to $60 per year on every property owner in a southern portion of the county, plus asking for $250,000 from county governments and agencies in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties. Without a commitment on the money, the Zoo says they will be forced to close as early as August 7.
The property owners that would be forced to pay the tax in Gulf Breeze, Navarre, Holley, Midway and Navarre Beach would receive a gift certificate worth $75 for a family membership to the zoo.
It will be up to the Santa Rosa County Commission to place the special tax on the 2010 ballot with the hopes of bringing in $7.5 million over 10 years.
The zoo is also asking for $125,000 from the Escambia County Commission, $75,000 from the Santa Rosa County Commission and $50,000 from the Santa Rosa County Tourist Development Council.
On Thursday, PETA — the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals — sent a letter to commissioners in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties opposing any funding for the zoo.
Here is the full text of the PETA letter:
Board of County Commissioners
Escambia County
221 Palafox Pl., Ste. 400
Pensacola, FL 32591Dear Ms. Young and Commissioners:
I’m writing on behalf of PETA regarding the The Zoo of Northwest Florida’s pleas for public funding and to urge you to continue denying such requests. Not only is the zoo financially unstable, it also appears to have engaged in a contract that could transfer animals at the zoo to a private owner.
An article in the December 18, 2008, edition of the Pensacola News Journal (enclosed) indicates that the zoo received a $100,000 “loan” from Marcella Leone, owner of a private menagerie in Stamford, Conn. The enclosed documents from the Florida Secured Transaction Registry, filed on December 30, 2008, seem to indicate that the zoo’s animals were used as “collateral” for the loan (the documents specifically mention the zoo’s baby orangutan, Indah). PETA has asked the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to investigate whether this transaction may constitute buying, selling, or otherwise engaging in commercial acts in violation of the Endangered Species Act.
Leone’s facility is not accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and is also not recognized as a sanctuary. All too often, animals at such facilities are passed on to exotic-animal breeders or dealers, private collections, pseudo-sanctuaries, shabby roadside zoos, the pet trade, or other aspects of the exotic-animal industry.
Because the zoo is approximately $4.5 million in debt, it’s difficult to imagine that it will be in a position to pay off the loan any time soon. At what point will Leone claim the baby orangutanor any of the zoo’s other animalsas payment on the loan?
Again, we urge you not to throw good money after bad at a facility that has consistently experienced fiscal difficulties and does not act in the best interests of the animals in its care. Thank you for your consideration of this important matter.
Sincerely,
Lisa Wathne,
Captive Exotic Animal Specialist
Comments
7 Responses to “Zoo Wants Tax Money To Stay Open”
I for one love the zoo and was at this zoo two weeks ago. I saw at no time any animal being mistreated or in any way living in bad conditions. They all appeared very healthy and very happy. With that said on the issue of giving them to other zoos there is a huge problem. The older animals such as the bear and lion and many more who are not taken by other zoos will most likely be put to sleep and discarded. As for the issue of their debt over half of that dept is to the owner of the land. There is no reason that the county cannot work a deal with the land owner to purchase the land and as such keep the zoo up and running with stipulations. Such as that they work with the aza to make sure all the animals get the proper care they need medically and that the upkeep is taken care of. My husband is stationed here in nw florida and many and many of our military families love and attend the zoo regularly. With the proper management of the zoo there is no reason to close it and the businesses around the area would take a heavy hit if it were to close. Not to mention not all the animals will go to another zoo. Zoo’s do not just take in any animal age is a huge factor and if they already have 20 spider monkeys they are not going to take more. If they are actually looking for a bear they will not take in an older bear as a younger one will be there longer. The last resort is a sanctuary if they arent full or to euthanize them. PITA should know that already but probably does not care as it is a zoo. So I guess PITa would rather see the animals put down.
thank you and yes keep the zoo open with stipulations on management and that baby Orangatang better not go to a private collector one it is illeagal and two completely immoral considering how much money the county has made off taxes from people spending money in the town who are going to the zoo and eating out and shopping there. I would have never gone there for anything on a regular basis had the zoo not been there and I will not spend my families money there if it closes no reason too .
Escambia County School board could have voted on it and funded it some it would have made a great play area.
It would be nice if the PETA folks would mind their own business. That PETA wants this zoo closed down is no surprise — they want all zoos (even the San Diego Zoo) closed down. They’re simply anti-zoo!
I don’t know what the right solution is, but I hope a way is found to save The Zoo Northwest Florida — it’s worth saving.
Allen Nyhuis, Coauthor: America’s Best Zoos
I like the Zoo and I wish it could stay open. That said, they need to down-size into something that will be self-supporting. It seems like every other day, someone, in some position or other wants to raise taxes to maintain their status quo.
We need people in leadership positions, whether government or otherwise, who will make the hard choices and prioritize. Fund the number one priority, then if you have any left over, fund the next highest priority, and so on. Then quit whining.
I am not in favor of ANY new taxes to fund ANYTHING until the economy improves, probably not even then.
Privately owned
http://qpublic1.qpublic.net/cgi-bin/santarosa_display.cgi?KEY=20-2S-27-0000-02102-0000
Politically connected
http://www.sunbiz.org/scripts/cordet.exe?action=DETFIL&inq_doc_number=G41513&inq_came_from=NAMFWD&cor_web_names_seq_number=0000&names_name_ind=N&names_cor_number=&names_name_seq=&names_name_ind=&names_comp_name=ANIMALPARK&names_filing_type=
OMG!! This a disgrace that they were able to be over 4 million in debt. Why hasn’t it been dealt with properly and shut down. They owe so many people. Sell the animals to another zoo and pay off your debts.
For once in my life, I agree with PETA. Close it down, send the animals somewhere they can receive proper care.