The Santa Rosa County Board of County Commissioners has made one thing abundantly clear: they don’t work for you. They don’t care what you think. And they certainly don’t care about protecting your wallet.
On Thursday, they’re expected to vote on their Capital Improvement Plan, which includes construction of a toll booth on Navarre Beach Bridge. Let’s call it what it is: a cash grab. Once again, Navarre and the south end of the county are being treated as nothing more than a revenue stream to fund the commissioners’ pet projects.
This plan is rotten to the core for several reasons. First, the funding they’re using was intended to begin the PD&E study to replace the bridge—a required step toward securing a new one. In fact, the board’s own 2024 approved capital improvement projects clearly show that the money originally came from Local Option Sales Tax (LOST) revenue. That’s right—what was sold to the public as a tax to fund real infrastructure needs was reallocated on February 24, 2025, to toll the existing bridge instead.
Now, on this year’s capital improvement list, that same toll project conveniently shows up under “Capital Fund.” The commissioners want you to believe it’s coming from somewhere new—but the record is clear. It started with LOST, which will be up for renewal on the ballot next year. Bottom line: yes, the board definitely used LOST money to levy a toll on us.
And let’s not forget the hypocrisy. When it came to spending $46 million for public pool projects, one commissioner bragged about listening to public opinion as his justification for support. But when thousands of residents oppose tolling Navarre Beach Bridge, suddenly public opinion means nothing. The double standard is staggering!
One citizen said it best on Monday: Sherry Chapman, a 2024 campaign contributor to Commissioner Kerry Smith, told the board that if a commissioner is agitated by citizens speaking out, then perhaps they are in the wrong seat. She’s absolutely right! We elected our commissioners to represent us, not ignore us. If they truly wanted to hear from citizens, they wouldn’t schedule their meetings in the morning or midday, when working families can’t attend.
Why aren’t there tolls on other projects? Why is Navarre singled out? Because the BOCC sees this community as their personal ATM. They will bleed it dry until voters stop them!
Make no mistake: those currently running the BOCC are not acting in the public’s interest. They are addicted to spending, obsessed with control, and indifferent to the people who actually pay the bills.
The residents of Santa Rosa County must not stay silent. We cannot depend on our current District 4 Commissioner Ray Eddington to fight for us. Raise your voices. Show up. Demand accountability.
And when re-election day comes next year for Eddington and Smith, remember who sold out Navarre’s new bridge and lined county coffers with your hard-earned money.
If we let them get away with this, it won’t stop here.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Col. Craig J. Walker, USAF (Retired) first moved to Navarre in 1997. During his military career he logged over 4,000 hours in various aircraft and was awarded two Distinguished Flying Crosses (both with Valor), for his actions during Operation Enduring Freedom. In May 2025 he was inducted into the Air Commando Hall of Fame. He’s now retired and living in Holley By The Sea.
