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"Amendment 4 is a call for direct democracy. Representative government can be frustrating but when voters disagree with their representatives' decisions, they can remove them. Some voters may be able to pick through technical staff reports and analyze complex development issues. Most would not. Amendment 4 would harm Florida's economy as the state is trying to recover. There's a problem with growth management in Florida, but Amendment 4 is not the solution."
- Joel Engelhardt-PB Post Editorial Board
But newspapers are in business only because of advertisement. That is how they survive and pay their bills and make an income. Who advertises? Realtors, Chamber of Commerce members (stores), developers...get the drift? It's always about the money and not the sense.
1. It is virtually impossible to remove an incumbent even when he is known to be corrupt. Americans are a forgiving people and always want to give someone another chance. I suggest to Mr. Engelhardt to watch the video "Convicted." Perhaps that concept will sink in. We can get them out when they are convicted or eventually by the vote after years of doing damage. That one vote can change a community forever. The argument to vote the bums out is way too late.
2. He says Amendment 4 would harm the State? How?" What has harmed the State is the unbridled growth that has been allowed in county after county resulting in empty developments, empty commercial buildings, all giving us higher taxes. The Field of Dreams mentality no longer works.
3. Over-development has driven our Florida panther to near extinction. It has encroached on the Everglades; it is depleting our precious resources and our quality of life.
4. Not only is there a problem with growth management in Florida, it is nearly extinct too as the Department of Community Affairs may soon be eliminated. This is the only agency watching out for us...watches out for Florida. Once the DCA gets involved in a city's Comp Plan changes, developers end up agreeing to pay more for roads and schools and add protection for wildlife habitat and groundwater, rewrite plans to make sure projects that are supposed to function like real cities are designed like real cities. Developers don't like that something might cost them more money. Developer groups do not want any strings.
5. When a land-use change is on the ballot, the voters in that community will know whether they want that development or not. It is not complicated and they will not be sifting through documents. That is about the most absurd argument of all. Voters--do you believe that the City should change its land-use in its Comp Plan to allow that Publix supermarket built on Dixie Highway or not? 75 words is all we need to understand what we are voting on, unless, of course, you are the NO group that has no comprehension.
6. Without Amendment 4 in place, developers will be able to bulldoze our State for their self-enrichment and the fantasy "tax base" for local governments. It hasn't worked. Look around as you drive throughout our State.
Vote YES on Amendment 4
Engelhardt- pimp on call. He's under the thumb of his masters. The sad part is, if the Post finally came out in FAVOR of Amendment 4,and other issues that the MAJORITY of Palm Beach County residents want, they wouldn't have to be whores to their advertisers. Newspapers are dying for a reason, Joel.
ReplyDeleteLynn, you are happy to claim editorials or stories in your favor, but attack the papers that don't agree with you. Get real. Florida's newspapers have been covering growth issues for years are more often than not criticial of new growth but they see Amendment 4 for what it is ... bad for Florida. You all identify a real problem but Amendment 4 is not the solution. I sure hope Florida realizes this because it not we will all have a terrible hangover on Nov. 3rd. VOTE NO on 4.
ReplyDeleteNow why would I highlight stories against Amendment 4? This is an advocacy site. I respectfully disagree with you.
ReplyDeleteIf you look at the people behind your Vote NO, you will see why. You guys have lied and twisted the truth beyond all reality. What IS the "real problem" is that you politicians and the rest have destroyed the people's faith. We simply don't believe that you will ever do the right thing by us and by Florida. The truthful picture is everything I have been writing about here.
We have a difficult and impossible task to get 60% when you people have raised so much money to defeat this and to lie about it to boot. And that is another reason why I have little respect for politics. The best guy doesn't always win. When you have one ballot initiative that your group is spending 7plus million to convince the average voters that it is "bad for Florida," why would anyone respect you? Your campaign is nothing but BULL based on a fantasy FEARS...all for the power...all for the money.
FOLLOW THE MONEY and it tells the story. You are relying on the average voter who is not up on the facts of the matter.