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Jacksonville Business Journal, September 2, 2008

Judge dismisses Hometown Democracy lawsuit

A federal judge in Tallahassee has ruled the growth management proposal known as the Hometown Democracy initiative will not be on the Nov. 4 ballot.

Judge Stephen Mickle dismissed a lawsuit by Florida Hometown Democracy Inc., which is trying to get its proposed constitutional amendment on the ballot. The amendment would require voter approval for changes in local growth management plans.

The lawsuit challenged the Feb. 1 deadline for verifying petition signatures. The group fell about 65,000 signatures short.

"Hometown Democracy failed with the voters and failed in the courts," said Ryan Houck, executive director of Floridians for Smarter Growth, the group that organized opposition to the proposed amendment. "This is a win for the people of Florida who have already said 'No thanks' to this proposal three election cycles in a row."

Proponents of the amendment were not immediately available for comment, but said previously that if they cannot get the issue on the 2008 ballot they will aim for 2010.