U.S. Rep. Jeff Miller and Sen. Marco Rubio on Thursday introduced legislation in the House of Representatives and the Senate, respectively, to allow Escambia County the ability to provide the option to convey certain property on Santa Rosa Island that has been leased.

"This is a fairness issue," Miller said. "This legislation will help to ensure that leaseholders currently paying taxes and living and working on Santa Rosa Island have the choice to attain title to their land, while also upholding current conservation agreements and public access to the island's beaches."

The Miller/Rubio legislation seeks to permit leaseholders the option to attain title to property so that leaseholders and local governments can jointly address any local tax issues that arise. This bill does not affect the right to public beach access, it does not reopen the Navarre Pass, it does not remove restriction on conservation areas, nor does it change the boundaries of the Gulf Islands National Seashore, nor negatively impact the mission of the National Park Service.

"Santa Rosa Island residents should have title to properties they are already taxed on, and this bill intends to remove obstacles the government has put up in the way of this," Rubio added. "With the input of officials in the region and impacted members of the community, we've developed this solution to provide people with options to the land so they can move on with their lives."

Santa Rosa Island Authority board member Thomas Campanella said he thinks the legislation could reach beyond Escambia County.

"If it goes through then there are dire consequences to all the leased lands in the United States," he said. "This would impact the Daytona Beach Speedway, Miami International Airport. All the grazing lands out west that people have leases on."

If the lease fees that pay to maintain the beaches, then Escambia County will have to find the money somewhere else, he said.

Tom Alman of the Lafitte Cove homeowner's association had similar concerns.

"The consequence of fee simple ownership is it will deprive the (SRIA) from much-needed revenue to pay for events and much-needed maintenance," he said. "I'm for fee simple ownership, but I'm conflicted and concerned about the county's commitment to stepping up. I'm concerned about that and everybody else is, too."

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