Incorporation supporters have likened the incorporation wave to the Boston Tea Party—a stand against taxation without representation. They are angered by what they view as bloated and unresponsive county government and want greater control over how their taxes are spent. Proponents argue that the best way to make government responsive to community interests is to make it a community government.

Dan Brown is superintendent of Gulf Islands National Seashore. In a way he’s the “big boss” of the pristine stretch of barrier islands which skirt the Mississippi and northwest Florida coasts. He’s also head honcho of historic local park areas, such as Fort Pickens, Fort Barrancas and the Naval Live Oaks Reserve.