If Floridians approve a constitutional amendment on the November 2010 ballot, local voters would have to vote on every change to a city or county comprehensive plan — the blueprint for development — no matter how innocuous. Ballots would be full of items that have little impact on, and make little sense to, the average voter.
Initiative to give voters control over development makes it on the 2010 ballot
Source:
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Date:
October 6, 2009
The way officials throughout Florida, often at developers' behest, trample local growth plans is maddening. So, it's no wonder Hometown Democracy, a grass-roots movement, got enough public support for a 2010 ballot to alter that landscape. It would require public votes on any changes to local growth plans.
Something's needed to get officials to honor growth-management plans. And Hometown Democracy appears an earnest, provocative and intriguing way of making them do so.
But Floridians would make a big mistake supporting this misguided effort.
The cost to local governments of including the land-use amendments on ballots would soar into the millions. And it would pain Floridians who vote absentee. A ballot that now costs about 90 cents in postage could triple when weighted down by more amendments.
There's a better way.
Hometown democracy: Proposal will hurt the economy
Source:
The Florida Times-Union
Date:
September 24, 2009
In 2006, my hometown, St. Petersburg Beach, became the first community in Florida to adopt a local version of Amendment 4, what some have called "Hometown Democracy."
We were told that the amendment would simply "give the people a say on growth." So, I signed the petition to put it on the ballot. And in 2006, I voted for it.
To call it a "bad decision" would be a spectacular understatement.
Our town is proof that Amendment 4 is designed to stop growth, regardless of what the voters want.
Recently, Floridians learned that the Hometown Democracy amendment has been certified for the 2010 ballot as Amendment 4. As this controversial proposal is debated in communities throughout Florida, it is important that we answer the question: What, exactly, is Amendment 4?
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Hometown Democracy - On the ballot for 2010, it risks too much of Florida
Source:
The Daytona Beach News- Journal
Date:
July 12, 2009
We will not support Amendment 4...
Editorial: Economic harm - Anti-growth proposal would foil recovery
Source:
Bradenton Herald
Date:
July 5, 2009
With Florida already hard-hit with the loss of hundreds of thousands of jobs in the past year — nearing the half million mark — this amendment is rightly called an “anti-jobs” and “vote on everything” attack on the state’s economy.
While the current system of comprehensive planning continues to be flawed, Amendment 4 will not correct the problem. Smart, planned growth is far superior to no growth.
But as tempting as it may be for Floridians to embrace the measure because they're fed up with elected officials' failure to rein in growth, it is the wrong approach. Hometown Democracy identified a problem, but its solution would lead to gridlock.
OUR POSITION: The Hometown Democracy initiative takes a broad, heavy-handed and ultimately unworkable approach to growth management issues.
We may find out soon whether the long-simmering Hometown Democracy growth-control amendment finally makes it to a statewide ballot.
Featured
Voting On Everything Dispirits Tourist Business In Tourist Town
Source:
The Tampa Tribune
Date:
May 28, 2008
That's a main problem with Hometown Democracy, the proposed state amendment that would require local voters to approve all changes in community growth plans. It's hard, if not impossible, to condense a complex plan into meaningful ballot language.
Helping to Stop Admendment 4
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