I first met Lesley Blackner in 2008 when she was behind Florida Hometown Democracy. This vote, if it had passed, would have meant that we the people and residents of Florida would have control on what our communities would look like when it came to growth--not three people on a dais. It made sense to me then and it still does more than ever especially when you see what the Palm Beach County Commission has done to our western county.
1,681,393 people voted for the amendment but the monied people caused its defeat. The grassroots didn't stand a chance against all that clout. Special interests with deep pockets were against us back then: The Chamber of Commerce, Realtors, Developers, The League of Cities and even our greedy local business owners got into the act. Katie McGiveron debated around the county for Amendment 4.
Today, Lesley and her husband are in the news. They have filed a $6.5 million lawsuit against Barclays Bank as they allege that the bank did not warn them of the risks.
Read about it...
9 comments:
God bless you ,Lesley. Honest citizens don't stand a chance against corruption.The Palm Beach Post was AGAINST the Hometown Democracy Amendment,as was almost every print paper in the state. You guys at the Post had to protect developers,your bread and butter advertisers,right? We few who actually care about the place where we live will keep fighting the good fight. Again God bless you Lesley,and go count your advertising fees,Post
Two questions I hope you can answer for me... Who were the 3 on the dais on 2008 that you mention above? I moved here in 2012 and don't know the history... Also what greedy business owners are you talking about?
3 people on the dais is a general term that involves all decisions, not just land use changes and development. It represents a simple majority.
All those who did not support this Amendment 4 did so out of greed or ignorance or both.
The amendment was on the ballot in 2010, not 2008.
I am one of the "greedy business owners" who voted against. I did not contribute nor campaign, just spoke to people and let them know what would happen if "4" had passed. Each and every land use amendment or change would have to go to the voters.
Effectively it would have stopped ALL construction and development in Palm Beach County. Happy it was soundly defeated.
It did nothing to address the thousands of people moving to Florida each week and what to do with them. I guess they'd just have to go elsewhere.
While it is true that 3 people on the dias "can" over-rule the planning or zoning board, that generally doesn't happen.
Gridlock is not the answer. The last 8 years should be ample proof of that.
Yes, that was your propaganda back then. The ballot said something to the affect that it establishes that before a local government may adopt a new comprehensive land use plan, or amend a comprehensive land use plan, the proposed plan or amendment shall be subject to vote of the electors of the local government by referendum, following preparation by the local planning agency, consideration by the governing body and notice.
We had a vote on the Heights in our downtown and won it at the ballot. Politicians and lawyers can be very corrupt.
It's too bad that we didn't have the money to promote this amendment.
Some lies never die, anonymous.
Excellent rebuttal Jill.
Lynn, isn't the appeal of the judge's order upholding the city's position the excuse Hudson is using to hold up work on the Gulfstream Property?
Just like amendment 4, even when you lose, you don't admit it. People continue to ask why no work is being done to open the Gulfstream.
I agree he has permission to demolish the old buildings on the West side and he should be doing that, but I also understand that the old hotel may very well be designed differently if he can't get a new hotel with some size to it built next to it.
If a judge rules against you again, will you take it to the Fla. Supreme Court?
I'm not part of the lawsuit.
You guys NEVER did the right thing here. You know it. Everyone knows it.
Torcivia is stalling right now. Hudson Holdings needs all the stall it can get with NO buyer for the property.
Hey anon at 3:45 not only are you a greedy business owner, you are a stupid/lying business owner. I have a feeling that you know the arguments you stated against amendment 4 were total bull crap. But for those of you who actually believed the lies,here's the TRUTH about Amendment 4:
"Each and every land use amendment or change would have had to go to the voters". NO -Only if a developer wanted to bring in something to the community big enough to require a change to that community's COMPREHENSIVE PLAN ( you know that million dollar bible that the people put together saying what they want their community to look like)and only if the governing body of that community said yes to the developer would it go to a vote of the people.Any land use change or amendment allowed in a communities Comprehensive plan would NOT have had to go to the people for a vote. If a commission said NO to the development,then sorry,it's NO.Now this absolutely TERRIFIED the developers who are shoving crap that the community doesn't want down our throats.We all know how easy it is to bribe one or two Commissioners. But a whole Community??????
"Thousands of people moving to Florida would have had no place to go." Again,another load of crap. If ALL new dwelling construction stopped TODAY,Florida would STILL have a ten and in some areas 15 year excess housing supply.
So we have communities spending millions on comprehensive plans that are mandated by law but that are changed at the drop of a hat by a couple of easily swayed commissioners.
So HERE'S the REAL TRUTH about DEVELOPMENT IN FLORIDA:
Commissioners need Developers to give them campaign money . Developers need Commissioners to approve their projects.
And that's life in Florida. Period.
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