"Developers versus voters for say in Florida's growth" is an excellent summation of the pathetic Chamber of Commerce poison pill constitutional amendment designed to kill off Florida Hometown Democracy. The writer is more tactful. Read for yourself and ask the following question: why has The Miami Herald been completely silent on this issue?
COMMENTARY
Dueling constitutional amendments: Developers versus voters for say in Florida's growth
Lauren Ritchie | COMMENTARY
January 21, 2009
Let's say Lake County commissioners lose their collective minds and approve a pig farm next door to your subdivision.
Or maybe a nuclear-waste disposal facility is seeking approval from Sumter County commissioners to build a nice little plant within sight of Lake Sumter Landing -- never mind that they're willing to build a golf-cart path so everyone can picnic on the front lawn.
Or, more likely, a city government decides to annex a big piece of property and allow yet another subdivision with quarter-acre lots that will jam up your little road and overcrowd your kid's school even more.
What does a homeowner do?
If a development- backed consortium gets its way -- and the state Supreme Court has already ruled it can -- voters will see a "remedy" on the 2010 ballot. Unfortunately, it will be useless because it is designed not to work.
This is all part of a continuing battle between developers who want to make sure they can continue to build anything they want wherever they want and the good guys -- backers of the Florida Hometown Democracy Amendment.
Developers aren't exactly burning through the swamps to build right now, but the war continues because they want to be ready to fire up the bulldozers when the economy ticks back upward.
Red-herring tactic
Florida Hometown Democracy is working to get a constitutional amendment on the 2010 ballot that would force elected officials to ask voters' permission to put sprawling subdivisions in rural areas. Or pig farms next door, or that delightful nuclear-waste plant within sight. In short, any big change.
The nonprofit group behind the amendment has roughly 616,000 petitions to get the initiative on the ballot, and it needs 680,000.
That's why big-money developers and their organization, the Florida Chamber of Commerce, have come up with this second amendment, which is designed to throw voters off the track.
The notion of residents who live here right now having a say over how their state will grow and what types of developments are OK is terrifying to development interests.
It's hardly a secret that most people here aren't thrilled with overcrowded schools and shoddy subdivisions packed against one another. Chances are decent they'll vote "no" for any more of that sort of nonsense.
So development backers created "Floridians for Smarter Growth," which is anything but an organization that would promote good growth.
It is funded by all the usual suspects: the Florida Chamber of Commerce, the Florida Association of Realtors and the National Home Builders Association.
High court's go-ahead
The group is trying to get a competing amendment on the ballot, and in a 4-3 decision on Dec. 18, the Supreme Court said it could.
Never mind that the amendment discriminates against active-duty military people, the disabled and those of us with real jobs that require us to be at work during business hours. No problem. Just details.
What makes this second amendment particularly confusing is that it, too, would allow for a vote on development.
But it would require 10 percent of voters to get into their cars and drive to the supervisor of elections office and in person sign a petition within 60 days of the growth-plan change.Of course, any military voter stationed elsewhere couldn't do that. Lots of disabled people couldn't get there. And plenty of plain old folks with plain old jobs would find it awfully hard to schedule time off work amid life's other demands to drive to Tavares.
In Lake County, passage of the "Smart Growth" amendment would mean 19,000 people would have to care deeply enough to make the trip.
Military lose out
Absurd, isn't it?
The Florida Hometown Democracy Amendment would provide for an automatic vote. No driving required.
Lesley Blackner, a lawyer who leads the fight to put genuine growth decisions in the hands of voters, said the Supreme Court's ruling on the scam amendment completely overlooks the effect on thousands of Florida voters.
"The irony should not be lost on anyone that thousands of Florida active-duty military and National Guard will be barred from participating in a Smart Growth 'democratic' process while deployed abroad, defending American democracy," she said. "Where is George Orwell when you need him?"
What's most troubling about the "Smart Growth" amendment, however, is its clear intent to fake out voters and to confuse the issue so that the Hometown Democracy amendment fails.
Yes to automatic vote
Consider its title: "Florida Growth Management Initiative Giving Citizens the Right to Decide Local Growth Management Plan Changes."
Ha-ha-ha-ha. If passed, this amendment will ensure that nary a single voter -- military or otherwise -- gets a crack at voting on growth changes.
To defeat this bogus proposal, voters will have to be particularly savvy to push the button for the right proposal -- the one that calls for an automatic vote on growth changes.
Need more information on the real growth-limiting proposal? Go to Florida HometownDemocracy. com.
Lauren Ritchie can be reached at Lritchie@orlandosen tinel.com or 352-742-5918.
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