Infighting mars budding license plate initiative

Tallahassee, Fla.-A legislative venture designed to fetch millions of dollars for Florida spays and neuters wavers in the wake of a power struggle pitting a consortium of humane, government and veterinary groups against an animal rights outfit that founded the project.

Nan Rich

At presstime, Florida Voices for Animals (FVA) splintered from state Rep. Nan Rich's coalition to create specialty license plates to fund programs lowering state euthanasia rates, which account for 800,000 animal deaths each year.

FVA, charged with gathering 15,000 signatures required for the bill's introduction deadline Dec. 31, wanted more not-for-profit/animal rights representation within the group, which includes the Florida Veterinary Medical Association, Humane Society of the United States, Florida Wildlife Commission and Florida Department of Agriculture. Rich refused to meet FVA demands.

"They have a very strong distaste for what they consider government," she says. "I brought together a coalition of people I thought were important players in the spaying and neutering of animals. I don't consider the veterinary community to be government.

"If you look at the manatee and the panther, those plates bring in $2.5 million a year. That's why it's so depressing that someone would pull out at the last minute and jeopardize why we all got together on this goal in the first place."

With the FVA's dissension so went the measure's much-needed signatures. Rich fears her group won't be able to gather 15,000 names by year's end. What's more, FVA claims it's moving forward with a new license plate bill sponsored by an anonymous state senator. Rich has since contacted her legislative constituents to assure FVA's bill, if introduced, is buried in committee. Considering the contention, she's concerned lawmakers in a state saturated with 88 specialty license plates might not support either measure.

Moving ahead

"We're working very hard to try and put everything back together so we can have a bill that can pass," Rich says. "We're going to move ahead. If we get the signatures in time, this bill will be filed, and I think it will pass. As for the other bill, the Legislature is not likely going to pass a plate for just one small not-for-profit."

FVA head Jim Gisondi sees the controversy differently. He says FVA asked Rich to resign sponsorship when she refused to add more not-for-profits to the board - a complaint generated by activists gathering the bill's signatures and fundraising on behalf of FVA.

The other side

"They were a little worried that the groups on the board would work together and make it difficult to receive grants for the spaying and neutering of stray animals, including feral cats," Gisondi says. "It's about majority vote. Representative Rich can spin it any way she wants to, but all she had to do was appoint one more non-profit and an independent person to the board. Everyone would've been happy.

"It saddens us greatly that there's a possibility this might not come together on either side because of all the fighting. Our goal was to provide free spay/neuter for Florida and to educate residents on the importance of it."