If you thought debates about taxes or license plate slogans is a modern phenomenon, you would be mistaken. At the semi-annual meeting of the Florida Attractions Association held at Silver Spring on May 23, 1950, there was much to say about taxes, license plates – and a few other issues, too!

Though the state of Florida had been issuing license plates since 1918, the first year Florida’s plate had a slogan, “Sunshine State” was in 1949. In 1950, there was a move to change the slogan to “Keep Florida Green” demonstrating the beginning of the environmental movement. The

 membership of the FAA opposed the move to change the license plate slogan, but lost that battle and for one year, 1951, the state’s plates carried the “Keep Florida Green” slogan. A year later, they returned to Sunshine State and that has been the predominant slogan used for the last 75 years.

The FAA membership also voted to oppose the state’s 3% sales tax be imposed on the admission of amusements such as attractions. In a related position, FAA members were encouraged to contact their US Senators and Representatives to oppose a Federal admissions and transportation tax.  

Hertz U Drive became one of the FAA’s early advertising partners and Silver Springs offered to turn over 100 of their sign boards (billboards) to promote FAA members for a month during the summer. Wasn’t the art on the Silver Springs Billboard foretelling?

And that was the FAA in spring 1950.