Chambers across Florida continue the fight against Amendment 4, a ballot measure that would have voters - not the representatives they elected - approve any amendments to the local land use plan, which every Florida community is obligated to have. In practice this means citizens would regularly decide hundreds of technical land-use and zoning issues at the ballot box every year. For more details about Florida Amendment 4, check out Ballotpedia.
Supporters have labeled the amendment "Hometown Democracy." Opponents have called it the "Vote on Everything” amendment.
In the Monday Florida Times-Union, columnist Abel Harding said this about Amendment 4:
"There are ways to get Florida’s economy back on track, but grinding future development to a halt isn’t one of them. Yet, that’s exactly what Amendment 4, the proposed constitutional amendment commonly billed as “hometown democracy,” would do.
Florida’s had some doozies over the years, but this one’s in a league of its own."
This is not a new issue for Florida; the campaign for Hometown Democracy started in 2007. Supporters failed to collect enough petition signatures to get the constitutional amendment on the 2008 ballot, but they have not gone away. Voters will decide this November and chambers are working hard to make sure they vote no.
"Amendment 4 is the road is economic gridlock, job loss and a steepened recession. It may have been paved with good intentions, but it is not a road that Florida can afford to take. The Greater Boca Raton Chamber of Commerce encourages you to Vote No on 4."
Troy M. McLellan, CCE, Greater Boca Raton Chamber of Commerce President & CEO
The Florida Chamber has a wealth of information about the issue at: http://www.flchamber.com/VoteNoAmendment4.asp
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