The offer from the six large orange growers is dependent on the FDOC bowing out of the advertising business, which takes up about 80 per cent of its annual budget. The growers would then drop their demand for a $100million refund of the taxes paid since September 1999, reported the Lakeland Ledger this week.
Informal indications at this stage are that the Florida Citrus Commission which governs the FDOC is unlikely to accept the offer, although the commission is not scheduled to meet until the end of the month.
Meanwhile, the six growers' counsel met with state governor Jeb Bush's office to discuss their lawsuit and 'correct an impression' that they were unwilling to settle the suit unless they received the tax refund.
The governor's representatives described the meeting as a courtesy visit and stressed that Bush was not asked to intervene in the suit.
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