Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida v. South Florida Water Management District

Summary

The court upheld validation of certificates of participation financing the South Florida Water Management District's acquisition of approximately 73,000 acres for Everglades restoration, concluding that the District had authority to issue the certificates, the acquisition served a public purpose, and the financing structure did not require voter or legislative approval. It reversed validation of $50 million associated with an option to purchase an additional 107,000 acres because the record did not establish a public purpose for that option, and it prohibited substitution of lands implicating a pledge of ad valorem taxing power. Justice Lewis, concurring in the result only, would have required a referendum for the financing and would also have rejected approval of land reserved for undefined future land swaps.