Citizens for Lower Taxes and a Stronger Economy, Inc.

When you first hear about Amendment 4, the Hometown Democracy ballot proposal that would require public votes on changes to local growth plans, your gut tells you, "Yeah, I can see the point of voting for that." Ours did. Until we looked into it and quickly came to appreciate what a disaster Hometown Democracy would be for Florida. Granted, the repeated refusal of local governments to honor their comprehensive plans for growth has resulted in the approval of far too many developments that strain local resources, harm wildlife and feed sprawl. And if Hometown Democracy were to pass, it's quite possible the public would reject some unnecessary projects that developer-smitten officials would embrace. But the cost of implementing Hometown Democracy would overwhelm Floridians. Its benefits are fewer than advertised. And the unbridled growth that gave rise to it has ebbed. Voters should reject it.

A new report by Florida TaxWatch is estimating that if Amendment 4 passes on Nov. 2, it could eventually cost more than $1 billion to state taxpayers. The Tallahassee-based non-partisan, nonprofit taxpayer research institute and government watchdog said the proposed change to the state constitution — which would require any comprehensive land-use plan changes proposed by a property owner or developer to go to a public vote before getting approved — reported that the increased costs to local governments to run special elections and the likely ensuing litigation costs would be heavy. And those costs would be passed along to taxpayers.

I had never before put a bumper sticker on my car. But I have one now; its says “Vote No Amendment 4." That’s because I am truly afraid of what Amendment 4 would do to Broward County. Amendment 4 would change Florida’s Constitution to give voters the final say on changes to how any parcel of land can be used. If that sounds simple and democratic, it’s neither. In reality, Amendment 4 would cost jobs, stall the economy and prevent blighted properties from being redeveloped. The effect would be most devastating in Broward County, where it could make land-use changes all but impossible.

Though Florida has some of the nation's best growth management laws, Florida still overbuilt for decades because politics trumped those laws. Under the guise of recovering from the housing crash caused by overbuilding, legislators have worked to make construction even easier. For a group of disgruntled state residents led by Palm Beach lawyer Lesley Blackner, the solution is Amendment 4 - Florida Hometown Democracy. This constitutional change would require public votes on changes to comprehensive plans, the growth blueprints for every county and town in Florida. It sounds good: With political corruption rampant, put the people in charge of development. But the amendment is overreaching and dangerously vague. Supporters have no credible rebuttal to the argument that the proposal would force an endless series of public votes on jargon-laden government minutiae. The Post recommends a NO vote.