Now today, we have Al Levine, President of Gold Coast Builders, dissing Florida Hometown Democracy. Why? Well, HE'S A BUILDER! What do you expect him to do? These guys are like bad pennies. Here is the truth about Florida Hometown Democracy from The Martin County Defender whose owner has given me permission to reprint it--
The Martin County Defender
The e-newsletter for aware citizens - No 84
Florida Hometown Democracy Amendment
GETTING READY FOR THE 2010 BALLOT
Readers will recall that the Florida Hometown Democracy (FHD) amendment to the State constitution is a proposition that will allow citizens to have a say in how their communities change their comprehensive plans for growth. Some 870,000 Florida citizens signed petitions (611,000 certified signatures required) to put FHD on the 2008 ballot, but the underhanded efforts of the state Chamber of Commerce, Associated Industries, certain business/developer interests, and numerous officials kept it off the ballot, but only temporarily.
SMART MONEY CONSPIRES TO ROB YOU OF YOUR VOTE
Here is what a competing business-industry "Floridians for Smart Growth" amendment - designed to prevent citizens from voting on changes - would require: Unlike FHD, a referendum on a Comp Plan Amendment would require 10% of all voters to travel to the office of the Supervisor of Elections to sign a petition within 60 days. The perpetrators know this anti-democracy proposal presents an almost insurmountable voting obstacle.
This proposed amendment, approved 4 to 3 by the Florida Supreme Court on Dec. 18, 2008, disenfranchises Florida active duty military and National Guard who are deployed out of state. The amendment also discriminates against disabled, housebound Florida voters. If approved by 60% of the electorate in 2010, the provision will become part of the Florida Constitution - the ultimate sellout to money interests.
One of the more recent malignant acts of legislature was passage of a law allowing signers to revoke their petitions. The petition revocation law was declared unconstitutional by an appeals court. On Jan. 8, 2009. the Florida Supreme Court will hear a state appeal of that decision. One hopes the high court will affirm. If they do, the roughly 630,000 certified petitions will qualify the FHD amendment to be on the next ballot. If the court overturns, then there would be the costly but attainable gathering of about 40,000 more signatures. One way or another, FHD will be on the 2010 ballot.
GIRDING FOR BATTLE - KNOW THE FACTS
We can expect the same members of the failed growth machine to spend another five million dollars to mislead citizens again about what FHD does - and to attempt to persuade you that making it near impossible for citizen initiatives to get on the ballot is good for you.
SMART MONEY CONSPIRES TO ROB YOU OF YOUR VOTE
Here is what a competing business-industry "Floridians for Smart Growth" amendment - designed to prevent citizens from voting on changes - would require: Unlike FHD, a referendum on a Comp Plan Amendment would require 10% of all voters to travel to the office of the Supervisor of Elections to sign a petition within 60 days. The perpetrators know this anti-democracy proposal presents an almost insurmountable voting obstacle.
This proposed amendment, approved 4 to 3 by the Florida Supreme Court on Dec. 18, 2008, disenfranchises Florida active duty military and National Guard who are deployed out of state. The amendment also discriminates against disabled, housebound Florida voters. If approved by 60% of the electorate in 2010, the provision will become part of the Florida Constitution - the ultimate sellout to money interests.
Boiled down to its essentials, the Smart Money Growth Amendment will destroy citizen petition initiatives, but retain constitutional amendments by the lobbyist-dominated legislature. In sharp contrast, FHD would automatically empower the people by giving all residents a chance to vote on a limited number of local growth issues.State legislatures, beneficiaries of hefty campaign contributions from the so-called "Smart Growth" players, have done all they could to erode the 1985 Growth Management Act, which requires counties to have a Comprehensive Plan for growth. They have been modifying the Act for years to favor the growth machine. So instead of the Plan controlling growth, growth has been controlling the Plan. We can look back and see how that has led Florida to disaster.
One of the more recent malignant acts of legislature was passage of a law allowing signers to revoke their petitions. The petition revocation law was declared unconstitutional by an appeals court. On Jan. 8, 2009. the Florida Supreme Court will hear a state appeal of that decision. One hopes the high court will affirm. If they do, the roughly 630,000 certified petitions will qualify the FHD amendment to be on the next ballot. If the court overturns, then there would be the costly but attainable gathering of about 40,000 more signatures. One way or another, FHD will be on the 2010 ballot.
GIRDING FOR BATTLE - KNOW THE FACTS
We can expect the same members of the failed growth machine to spend another five million dollars to mislead citizens again about what FHD does - and to attempt to persuade you that making it near impossible for citizen initiatives to get on the ballot is good for you.
