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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Ryan Houck/407-496-4035
2/26/08

FSG APPOINTS NEW DIRECTOR FOR HOMETOWN FIGHT

(ORLANDO, FL � February 26, 2007) Floridians for Smarter Growth (FSG) today announced that Ryan Houck, the group's political director, would replace executive director Michael Caputo as head of the statewide campaign to defeat Hometown Democracy. With Hometown Democracy leaders avowed to push on to the 2010 ballot, FSG enters a new phase to assure the smarter growth message is heard across Florida.

"Floridians for Smarter Growth has been remarkably effective under Michael Caputo's leadership. His vision and voice helped us turn an uphill battle for 2008 into a fair fight for 2010," FSG treasurer and Florida Chamber of Commerce president Mark Wilson said. "For the next several months, our campaign must expand its reach deeper into the secondary markets we'll need for a victory in November 2010. Since Ryan Houck built our remarkable county-by-county campaign team in just nine months, we're asking him to continue his work as the leader of our effort."

"Today it is clear: the more Floridians know about the Hometown Democracy amendment, the more they oppose it," Houck said. "I look forward to working with the 500-plus Floridians already active in our campaign to further strengthen our coalition and defeat the Vote on Everything amendment at the polls."

Concluding his assignment, former executive director Michael Caputo has returned home to Miami, Florida from the campaign's Orlando headquarters. As head of Caputo Public Relations (CaputoPR.com), he'll volunteer with FSG's Miami-Dade organization as an executive committee member and visibility chairman.

Floridians for Smarter Growth was founded by Sunshine State community and business leaders to fight extreme special interests bound to destroy Florida's unique quality-of-life under the guise of the Hometown Democracy amendment. Please visit www.FLSmarterGrowth.org for more information and to download, sign, and submit the Smarter Growth petition.

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