Several politicians in South Florida, frustrated by what they perceive as a lack of attention from the higher-ups on the political chain regarding climate change, said they want to form a new state.
The Sun-Sentinel reported that the mayor of South Miami as well as members of the South Miami City Commission have called for a legal separation from Florida and the permission to form the nation’s 51st state.
The new state would be called South Florida, First Coast News reported. And it’s all due to the threat of rising sea levels, and the reported failure of northern politicians to properly address the scenario, the southern politicos say.
“It’s very apparent that the attitude of the northern part of the state is that they would just love to saw the state in half and just let us float off into the Caribbean,” South Miami Mayor Philip Stoddard said, the Sun-Sentinel reported.
Vice Mayor Walter Harris proposed the resolution to secede and form a separate state just a few days ago — and it passed the city commission with a 3-2 margin.
The northern-most counties of the newly proposed state include Brevard, Orange, Polk, Hillsborough and Pinellas — mostly from Orlando on down, the Sun-Sentinel reported. The new state would span 24 counties.
The resolution now travels among those 24 counties for approval. If passed, it then would need the nod of Florida’s state politicians, the Sun-Sentinel said.
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
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