Amendment 4 is Bad for Your Hometown

The past three years have shown Floridians that the state's economy is absolutely reliant on growth, and when the real estate and construction industries get sick, every other industry gets sick with them. The recession we continue to experience was brought about by a collapse in the housing market, which was due to a number of factors including an over-valued real estate market, bad loans and tightening credit markets.

The ripple effect of the housing collapse has impacted every single segment of the Sunshine State's economy including tourism, manufacturing, retail, restaurants and healthcare.  Today, unemployment in our state has surpassed 11 percent and indications are it will continue to increase.

Two questions voters will answer in the 2010 election are, "Do you like it this way, and do you want to make this economic situation permanent?"  For those who support Amendment 4 on the 2010 ballot, the answer is simply, yes.

Amendment 4, better known has Hometown Democracy, will require every change to a local government's comprehensive land use plan be approved by voters.  This means that hundreds or maybe even thousands of zoning and variance requests will appear on the ballot each and every election.

The result of such a requirement will be exactly what supporters of Hometown Democracy intend - an end to growth and development in Florida.

They say otherwise. They say the citizens should have a voice in determining what kinds and amounts of growth they want in their communities. But recent history suggests otherwise.

In St. Pete Beach, voters approved a measure similar to Hometown Democracy.  In June of 2008, voters decisively approved four changes to their local comprehensive land-use plan in an attempt to improve the deteriorating economic conditions in their town. Over a year later, six different lawsuits to overturn the election results have been filed by supporters of so-called voter choice.  The revitalization projects are on hold, the taxpayers are spending millions of dollars defending themselves against the lawsuits and the economic situation worsens.

Florida can ill-afford such a system be placed in the state Constitution.

For more information or to get involved and protect your business, e-mail Allen.Douglas@nfib.org.