Billionaire island of Bezos & Kushner fights over sewage

INDIAN CREEK VILLAGE, FLORIDA: On a man-made island north of Miami, the titans of various industries have found their refuge. Jeff Bezos, the Amazon founder, has collected a trio of properties along the same shoreline as the football legend Tom Brady and President Trump's daughter and son-in-law, Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner.A community of only a few dozen homes, the latest of which sold for $110 million as a vacant lot, Indian Creek Village has emerged as the US' premier enclave for billionaires willing to pay any price to achieve the pinnacle of privacy, security and luxury. A gated bridge blocks the public from access, and a police force uses cameras and radar to monitor anyone who approaches. But one amenity of modern life has remained surprisingly elusive.

In a place where many of the estates have more than 10 toilets, nobody has quite figured out how to dispose of what comes out of them.Septic systems along the shores of Biscayne Bay have for decades been a source of pollution. Indian Creek, known as the "Billionaire Bunker," finally came up with a plan to get rid of the septic tanks and export the island's waste through the sewer pipes of the neighbouring town, Surfside. But to Indian Creek's surprise, Surfside wanted $10 million for the privilege.

Officials there contended the fee was a contribution to the historical cost of a system that Surfside created and maintained. Indian Creek leaders called it extortion. Quietly, they went to the state Capitol. In the battle between the island billionaires and the neighbouring millionaires, Indian Creek is on the cusp of prevailing. Buried deep in a large transportation bill approved by the state legislature is a new legal measure prohibiting municipalities from blocking or charging for the installation of certain sewer lines - like the one Indian Creek wants to build.The bill, which would force Surfside to accept its neighbour's sewage, is now headed to the state's Republican governor, Ron DeSantis. Indian Creek's village council is filled with major Republican political allies. One of them is Kushner, who was quietly appointed to the council last year. In his earlier political life, Kushner played a critical White House role. His agenda now features discussions about municipal contracts and mutual aid agreements.