8/18/2007....ALERT against signing Hometown Democracy Petition

Say NO to signing a petition on Hometown Democracy Amendment. A group called “Florida Hometown Democracy” is gathering signatures for a Constitutional amendment requiring a referendum on any proposed change in comprehensive land-use plans. 

Those are the “comp plans” that guide the type and location of development in a city or county. Currently, this decision making responsibility is shared by elected officials, planners,and planning boards in most areas in Florida. As part of the process local residents serve on planning boards and conduct thorough reviews of development proposals balancing  interrelated concerns including economic development and environmental quality. These decisions are made after extensive hearings and reports from experts on land development and input from the public.  This proposed amendment would place decisions about growth and development in the hands of voters.   Each time a development is proposed, a special election would be called and the voters would say yea or nay.

Most voters can’t possibly do the research necessary to make an informed decision and vote on every single development proposal in their community. Passage of this amendment would turn Florida into a statewide experiment in what’s called, “ballot box zoning” which, in effect in other parts of the United States, has fueled sky high housing costs similar to San Francisco where the median housing price now stands at $620,000. This proposed amendment is a direct assault on private property rights.  Our current planning system offers property owners the opportunity for appeals and formal procedures for regulating development. Thousands of tax payers dollars would be spent in setting up special elections.

With higher housing costs, people would leave the area in droves, and  as residents leave the area, commerce loses business and the tax base is eroded. This results in higher taxes for those residents remaining in the area. Just remember to say NO to any petition that says “Hometown Democracy”;  or infers anything similar to “you don’t want to become another Ft Lauderdale”..

Passage of this amendment would kill the entire economy of Florida. 

Please ALERT your friends and neighbors of this potential disaster.

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