Citizens for Lower Taxes and a Stronger Economy, Inc.

 Stagnation is what we are experiencing now with our economy, the worst since the 1930s.

Voting yes on Amendment 4 this November will guarantee the perpetual stagnation of Florida's economy and the inevitable flight of jobs, opportunities and growth to Georgia and other states.

The proponents of Amendment 4 intentionally call it Hometown Democracy to seduce people into voting for it. Everyone loves their hometown and loves democracy, right? However, in our representative form of democracy, we elect representatives to run the daily affairs of government.

Putting every land use decision on the ballot for a city of Jacksonville's size would force voters to make a decision on a number of land use changes, as in the 67 in 2009.

These are usually complex, technical land planning issues (for example, should a specific property be changed from RPI land use to NC land use).

Not knowing enough to make an informed decision, most people will choose to not cast a vote. It will almost always be the vocal minority of NIMBYs (not in my backyard) who will vote no, usually so they can keep the vacant lot next door to their house a privately owned "nature park" for their personal enjoyment.

A majority of no votes in these matters would be an infringement on that landowner's lawful private property rights as much as it would be an infringement on their civil rights if the majority were allowed to discriminate against them on other matters.

Contrary to what most people think, land use requests are denied by local government all the time if they are contrary to good land planning.

Hundreds of professionals devote their entire careers to working on land use and zoning issues: land planners, traffic engineers, landscape architects and many other specialists, in both public and private practice.

Discounting all of their expertise would be shortsighted and inevitably lead to poor land use decisions. Our current system may not be perfect, but it has continued to evolve and improve over time.

Let's not throw the baby out with the bath water and make everything become a popularity contest. On Nov. 2, please cast your vote for jobs and opportunity and a growing economy by voting no on Amendment 4.