There have been quite a few comments lately, both "pro" and "con", on Florida Hometown Democracy-- the constitutional amendment that is gaining signatures by petition to qualify for the 2008 state-wide ballot. The measure would give voters the decision on changes to Comprehensive Land Use changes-- like the ones that the county commission just approved outside the Urban Development Boundary in Miami-Dade.
I am a strong proponent of Florida Hometown Democracy. I've watched for two decades how local legislatures, controlled by developers and their bankers, have ruined Florida with zoning changes to permit sprawl in wetlands.
Up in Martin County, former county commissioner Maggie Hurchalla just published an editorial that clearly states the point of view that I support. Click on the 'more' button, to read it and comment. (click on our link, to the right, to print out and mail your signed petition for FHD.)
Hometown Democracy: People want right to say no
By Maggy Hurchalla, guest columnist ---STUART NEWS
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
It's easy to tell who the bad guys are in the Hometown Democracy debate. They lie so viciously and creatively that they make normal dirty politics seem friendly. They are committing huge piles of money to say and do whatever is necessary to stop Florida Hometown Democracy from getting on the ballot. They clearly believe that people will vote for it and it will slow growth.
And then there are the innocents — the frustrated, angry public that have watched the best planning laws in the country turn into bureaucratic pablum. They want the right to just say "no."
What's puzzling are the good guys caught in between. Tom Pelham, one of Florida's better state planning directors in the past, is fighting Hometown Democracy while warning the Legislature that growth management in Florida has failed. 1000 Friends of Florida is reluctantly and ever so politely not a friend of Hometown Democracy. The American Planning Association state chapter is afraid of it.
When your thoughtful friends question a decision, it's time to stop and think. I have thought long and hard over all the arguments against it. I think my hopeful friends in the middle are wrong.
Opponents go on and on about how difficult it will be to vote on each and every comprehensive plan amendment. They miss the point that local governments are handing out amendments like chewing gum. The problem is that we have too many amendments.
Everyone agrees that our local plan is our constitution. We should treat it like one. We should be conservative in making changes. We should let the people vote on those changes.
It's very clear from the opposition that there will be far fewer amendments proposed if the public gets the right to say "no."
As long as there are 8,000 plan amendments around the state every year, there will be chaos. We're watching it happen. Comp plan amendments should be rare. They should happen every two years at the general election. They should be something the public can understand. Our politicians have proved rather dramatically that they are not smarter than we are on planning issues.
Doubters of Hometown Democracy propose a list of bold legislative changes that would restore the public's role in planning without giving them the "draconian" power to say "no".
I think any of us who have watched the Legislature in recent years can say with complete confidence that there is not a snowball's chance in hell that any of those reforms will pass, unless Hometown Democracy makes it onto the ballot for next November.
Go to: www.floridahometowndemocracy.com or call the toll-free number for petitions: 866-779-5513. Download a petition and mail it in ASAP. E-mail your friends. Beg your neighbors. Time is running out.
And when we get it on the ballot, we will see whether the Legislature can meet the challenge to make growth management work for people instead of developers. If they can't, then we know for sure that we need Hometown Democracy.
Opponents keep saying that letting the people vote will turn over important planning decisions to the side that has the most money for advertising. I find that viewpoint incredibly offensive in terms of its attitude toward voters and democracy in general.
But if we get on the ballot, the November election will produce an unbiased answer to the accusation that voters can always be bought.
The campaign is clearly going to be David versus Goliath. The opponents of Florida Hometown Democracy have already shown that they will be the big bad mean Goliath with most of the money on their side.
So if the people of Florida vote overwhelmingly for the Hometown Democracy amendment, they will have proved that democracy and honesty can win over big money.
That's a happy thought.
Hurchalla, a former Martin County commissioner who lives in Port Salerno, co-authored Martin County's comprehensive plan and has been a longtime statewide advocate for conservation and land preservation.
6 comments:
I know you got excited when you saw that someone finally commented on this topic, but don't you think the lack of respnose is possibly an indication of the fact that most people are not interested in you constantly trying to cram this DFA crap down their throats?
We love cramming things down people's throats -- would you like to meet somewhere?
I watched the county meeting on TV today. What a bunch of jerks. We need this petition to neutralize them. The only good thing at the meeting was that lawyer from Miami Beach driving them all crazy with questions.
Your "constant" neighborhood Moderate reminds me of a cockey upper-class parent who screams & moans at his kid who is not winning his tennis match knowing his kid whom he has taught fairly well at the sport, but now his kid is behind in the match playing
an "unknown" and Dad is furious. The kid is like his Dad throwing his racquet & cussing even the linesman.
I like moderate...he is entertaining...and on rare occasions I agree with him. I have a challenge for you moderate. go to the link i have on friday's post. look at at least 20 photographs, let me know what you think of nuclear power.
"Opponents keep saying that letting the people vote will turn over important planning decisions to the side that has the most money for advertising. I find that viewpoint incredibly offensive in terms of its attitude toward voters and democracy in general."
You find it offensive yet our wanna-be Presidents spends MILLIONS doing just that . . . And generally, we measure their success by how much money they can spend and generally assume those that can spend more have a better chance of winning, while when someone wins and spent relative little, we're amazed and call it an astonishing victory. . . .
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