Thank You Miami Herald for Recognizing that Voters are not Imbeciles! By Geniusofdespair

A recent court ruling said that the public would have to vote on big ticket items that CRA’s districts put out. I mostly don’t like CRA’s so I am happy. I think most of them are boondoggles. According to the Herald (If you don’t know what CRA's are):

There are 178 CRAs created by local governments in Florida to revitalize blighted areas. The agencies collect a portion of the property taxes within defined tax-increment districts to spend on improvements there.

Local Governments usually fudge around and put the money in “OTHER” places or do dumb spending of CRA funds. They are ripe for rip-offs.

In a surprise move, the Herald Editorial Board gave us a compliment (the voters):

Now, the Miami CRA and other redevelopment agencies will have to justify major spending decisions to voters. Responsible CRA leaders need not fear. South Florida voters in the past have ably separated the good from the bad deals in bond-issue referendums.
SEGUE:
So, people, don’t be afraid of the Florida Hometown Democracy petition, sign it, voters “have ably separated the good from the bad deals...”

This is how Hometown Democracy responded to what they characterize as misstatements by Governor Crist:

The Florida Hometown Democracy Amendment will only require referendum on those changes to comprehensive plans that are approved by city and county commissions. It will not require voter approval for “a permit for every new business that wants to go up…” The developer machine is actively spreading this very disinformation that you have apparently swallowed--hook, line and sinker.

Comprehensive plans were supposed to protect Floridians from endless sprawl and overwhelming development, but they don’t work because plan changes are political decisions that should reflect the broad public interest, but our local elected officials just never say no to the growth machine. Plans don’t mean anything when they are constantly subject to change. Plan changes should truly reflect the public interest, and under Florida Hometown Democracy they will.

Further Governor, you should know that a 1999 study added up the residential density in all the comprehensive plans of Florida and found that residential density was built into the plans for 100 million people. So there’s going to be lots of “business” for years to come even if we never change another comprehensive plan.