PRESS STATEMENT by Florida Hometown Democracy: FHD to ask for rehearing on Florida Chamber of Commerce sponsored, "Vote on Nothing" petition.
In a close, 4-3 ruling this week, the Florida Supreme Court narrowly upheld the constitutional amendment proposed by "Floridians for Smarter Growth." That Chamber-backed petition was created to foil Florida Hometown Democracy, the people's reform constitutional amendment that would allow local voters to approve or reject comprehensive growth plan amendments approved by their local elected officials.
In contrast, the "Vote on Nothing" proposal allows a referendum on a growth plan amendment only if 10% of the electorate travel to the office of the supervisor of elections to sign a petition within 60 days of the date of the first signature on the petition. The Hometown Democracy sponsors predict that, because of those impossible logistical hurdles to clear, a referendum occurring under those circumstances would be highly unlikely, which, they assert, is the Chamber's plan in the first place. Florida Hometown Democracy will seek a rehearing.
The full opinion is available at this link:
PALM BEACH POST
December 21, 2008
LETTER-------PROVOKED BY THE POST
Putting land-use issues on ballot is cure system seeks
Editorial writer Joel Engelhardt has railed about Florida's corrupt land-use process for years. In his recent column, he stated the obvious when he compared Florida land use to Chicago politics . ("Get paid, but not like Blagojevich," Dec. 11)
When it comes to land use, Florida's elected officials too easily can use their office as a vehicle for self-enrichment and self-promotion. Because developers need local governments to approve their plans, they make it their business to own the political process. Not surprisingly, keeping the development machine lubed and oiled is job No. 1 for many local officials.
The past decade demonstrates the toxic effects of pay-to-play government letting developers go wild: corrupt land-use changes, overdevelopment and a collapsed real-estate market. But Mr. Engelhardt never has a solution to the problem, beyond suggesting better commissioners. And he still is skeptical about Florida Hometown Democracy, the proposed constitutional amendment that puts approved comprehensive plan amendments to the voters.
This reform would genuinely reduce influence peddling and developer-dominated politics, because it would give voters the power to decide whether they want their comprehensive plan changed. Hometown Democracy's potential power is illustrated by the fact that the developer machine spent millions to block it from qualifying for the ballot in 2008. Hometown Democracy now has sufficient signatures and will finally be on the 2010 ballot.
How many corruption cases do we need, and how much more overbuilding to satisfy developers must we endure to get Mr. Engelhardt to finally acknowledge the need for Florida Hometown Democracy?
LESLEY BLACKNER
Palm Beach
Editor's note: Lesley Blackner is president of Florida Hometown Democracy Inc.
1 comment:
Leslie is my friend. She is a committed person, a brilliant lawyer and she cares for Florida's future, not just for her children but for us all. That was her motive for developing FHD. She is a remarkable woman.
Put her on the list of another person in the news that I LIKE.
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