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TCPalm, August 11, 2007

Hometown Democracy: Don't judge issue by its title


By ROBERT MINSKY
Guest columnist

One of my concerns about our future is what I call the Horizon Factor.

Some issues are right at your doorstep and can't be ignored. Unfortunately, by then it might be too late to get involved or to change it. That is why it is so important to extend your horizons to see what is coming down the path, get educated, and, if nothing else, make informed decisions when the issue comes to the forefront.

A classic example is the proposed Florida Hometown Democracy initiative.

It first appeared prior to the 2006 election, but because of a problem with proposed referendum language, the Florida Supreme Court disqualified it from appearing on the ballot. It did not go away, and there is every indication that it will be on the 2008 ballot.

The name itself is a misnomer. FHD actually is counterproductive to democracy as we know it. In short, the proposal is to put all comprehensive plans and amendments subject to a public referendum. Sounds great and very democratic, but further thought might bring up several concerns and questions.

Democracy today means that the people elect officials and authorize them to make decisions relative to comprehensive plans and amendments. To vote on proposed plans and amendments, a tremendous effort and expense comes into play.

First, the planning department studies the amendment and prepares a packet for the Planning and Zoning Board. After P&Z; studies the issue, it will make recommendations to the City Council. Council members will review the information and recommendations so they can make an informed vote at the two required public meetings. The issue will be discussed in-depth with the public and staff before a vote is taken.

If the change is significant, the amendment will be sent to the Regional Planning Council for evaluation. The RPC is made up of professional planners and elected officials from the Treasure Coast. The RPC also will have a public meeting, taking public input, researching all material from staff members, the city and, in many cases, the people initiating the action.

The resulting action by the RPC, along with all the other material, is sent to the state Department of Community Affairs. The DCA will review everything and determine if it agrees or disagrees with the intended action by the municipality. If it disagrees, it will advise the city and the RPC where it detects is a problem. If disagreement persists, the amendment is subject to an appeal process before it can become binding.

All this is done to make sure the intended action is legal, in the best interests of the public and will not detrimentally impact surrounding areas. This is democracy in action; the people elect and authorize officials to make decisions on their behalf.

The question is, will the voting public make the same effort to get educated before voting on this issue? Who will pay the costs for all the additional referendums that will be required? Will the best interests of the public be served by taking authority away from informed and educated officials and relying instead on the voting emotions of people not as informed?

Is the democracy offered by the FHD better than what we have now? This is as important as any issue you will ever vote on. Please research, ask questions and remember the old adage: You can't tell a book by its cover. Likewise, you can't tell the substance of an issue by its title.

Minsky is former mayor of Port St. Lucie. His term expired in 2006.