Our Chat with Matt The Welder

Because nothing goes without saying, we want to preface this post by stating (unequivocally) that our beloved BLOG has neither religious nor political affiliations. We simply believe that community is built upon diversity and interdependence, and our job is to build consensus, not create division. That being said, as an entity, Mindful SWFL is civic-minded. While we may represent a SWFL community, our belief in the preservation and sanctity of the natural resources statewide should be mentioned. Florida is comprised of numerous communities, all of which are connected..just like our residents! That being said, let us begin our ‘Chat with Matt the Welder‘.

Matt Taylor is a candidate for Florida’s Commissioner of Agriculture. He is conscientious, astute, and particularly well-informed as to exactly how the Florida political “machine” functions. To be certain, far too many of Florida’s politicos are quite self-serving! From funding special interests to more obvious ‘quid-pro-quo’ deals between politicians and big developers, Florida has been busily growing at an nearly exponential rate over that last decade. And while growth is a normal part of progress, unchecked growth and irresponsible planning have left our beloved State of Florida facing many daunting realities. Both Florida’s wetlands and water supply are in serious peril. And continuing with a ‘business as usual’ approach will, most likely, prove catastrophic.

Enter ‘Matt the Welder‘, a young, intelligent gentleman who isn’t willing to play stupid, ignore obvious signs, or just go away. Matt has thought about how, exactly, he can be most effective in bringing some sensibility to Florida’s legislative body. 

I’m here to clean-up a mess, so my job will be to fix things! My job is (also) to bring a backbone to the Department of Agriculture.

To say that Matt has ruffled some feathers would be understatement! He has, single-handedly, managed to get more than a few politician’s attention! As a family man, Matt has concerns about the Florida that his kids will inherit. Matt would enjoy spending time with his family in some of Florida’s lovely State Parks or springs, but he’s worried that pollution in the form of chemicals, radioactive waste, and ineffectual land management will soon decimate the beauty of Florida as a destination!

When I interviewed Matt, I had three questions I wanted to ask him.

1. “Over-development is driven by powerful financial interests. As Commissioner of Agriculture, what specific authorities would you use on Day One to slow or stop irresponsible land conversion..?“

Matt Taylor was very quick to share that as Commission of Agriculture, he would enjoy a seat within the state’s Cabinet. Only there would it become possible for him to solicit the Legislature with regard to a possible moratorium on new development. Standing on the realities of an unsustainable pattern of growth, he also mentioned the necessity of oversight where family and rural land development is concerned, citing numerous examples of where the state has historically failed to effectively protect wetlands and other areas, leading to where we presently stand. Floridians are facing invasive, indiscreet, and profit-concentric development by home builders upon land once used Mosaic Phosphate for storage of their radioactive, highly acidic, waste products by getting the reclaimed land’s restrictions changed or removed. Matt alluded to Florida’s current Commission of Agriculture appearing highly ‘suspect’ where these back door deals are concerned.

2. “How do you plan to build a winning coalition that includes farmers, tradespeople, conservationists, and working families — not just environmental advocates?”

Matt immediately reminded me of something I knew too well. When I mentioned that building the support he needed crossed many sociopolitical lines, he replied; “Yes, but EVERYBODY NEEDS CLEAN WATER, so it is really a non-political issue!” I had to agree as I certainly believe the same.

We spoke for a long while about chemicals, phosphate mining, and the FWC’s unregulated and harmful spraying of Florida’s rivers, streams, and waterways with harmful poison. Matt mentioned how the Commissioner of Agriculture has regulation over ALL pesticides where the State is concerned, thereby observing a control mechanism that could be wielded to stop our waterways being ‘Sprayed to Death’.

Speaking to coalition building, Matt spoke of how land stewardship protects jobs, water access, food prices, and long-term property values, as well as Florida’s homeowners’ safety. Intelligently, Matt was keenly aware that those issues were also NOT political ones!

3. “If you’re elected, what is a measurable statewide change you believe Floridians would see within your first two years that proves over-development is no longer being rubber-stamped?”

“That’s a difficult question, and not because I wouldn’t love to list several lofty initiatives that would be significant progress, but because the reality is (most likely) going to provide challenges for me to negotiate prior to initiating any legislative efforts.” “I’m here to clean-up a mess, so my job will be to fix things!” As we spoke further, Matt thought about his job specifically in waking up Florida’s Bureaucrats and agreed that shining a light on an issue can solicit a swift response. In closing, Matt stated; “My job is to bring a backbone to the Department of Agriculture!“

**Editor’s Note – As a non-political publication, we can NEITHER take a stand on issues of a political nature, NOR endorse a candidate for a political office position, such as Florida Commissioner of Agriculture. However, I enjoyed speaking with Matt Taylor and hope that he will continue to educate Floridians as to exactly how our state politicians operate. / Thank You, Mr. Matt Taylor for your time and professionalism!