What is Amendment 4?

Amendment 4 is a proposed citizen’s amendment to the Florida Constitution, sponsored by Florida Hometown Democracy, a non-partisan, grass-roots group. The Amendment will be on the statewide ballot on November 2, 2010. Amendment 4 will give you a new vote on your community’s future.

Every community in Florida has a master plan, called the local comprehensive land use plan, that sets out where growth will occur. Unfortunately, corporations and speculators pump money into campaigns, and politicians hand them approvals to build wherever they want.

Voters need a seat at the table. We’re the ones who watch tax dollars go to extend the police, fire, water, sewer, schools and roads to new developments. We should get a vote before we’re forced to pay. Hometown Democracy ensures that local residents will get a vote when politicians change (amend) the plan.

Hometown Democracy will not halt growth in Florida. What it will do is curb reckless real-estate speculation that leaves taxpayers footing the bill. Our homes and communities are too important to leave in the hands of politicians, lobbyists hired by developers, and special interests. Together, we can stop rubber-stamped approvals that clog roads, crowd schools, and wreck natural areas.

If we all vote yes on Amendment 4, we can take power back for the people.

For additional information visit: http://floridahometowndemocracy.com/

Please check out Hometown Democracy’s newest videos:

— We should have the right to vote on new growth before we have to pay for it

— Amendment 4 empowers citizens with the right to vote on local land use decisions

Debunking the "No on 4"
Adapted from Joe McClash, a Manatee County Commissioner who favors Amendment 4

Lie Number One: Voters must "Vote on everything."

NOT TRUE! Only Comprehensive land use Plan amendments will need to be voted on. There is no requirement to vote on items that are zoning issues. The opponents’ use of this lie has people believing that if they want to build a house or add a room, it would have to be voted on in a referendum. Just not true!

Lie Number Two: "Will drive jobless rates higher."

Florida has the ability to more than triple its population without one more Comp Plan change, so this is just not true! And wasn’t it the "run wild development" that caused this great recession we are in now – speculation and over-development which created the worst crisis since the great depression?

Lie Number Three: "Would mean higher property taxes."

If anything will drive taxes higher, it would be more development. Several studies show new residential development costs 40% to 50% more in taxes than we receive, which leaves existing taxpayers to subsidize developers.

Lie Number Four: "Local government will be required to hold expensive referendums. More elections require more tax dollars."

The fact is, no expensive referendums are required. Every two years we have a primary and general election. There is even a Presidential primary "Super Tuesday" in March every four years. Amendment 4 would allow citizens to give their stamp of approval as part of the existing elections. The process allows that if a developer is in such a rush to change our community’s comp plan, they can request a special election – at their cost.

Lie Number Five: "Ultimately Amendment 4 would force local and state governments to raise taxes or cut services."

This is already happening under our current economy with the devaluation of property values caused primarily from over-development. Amendment 4 will allow a process for citizens to give their stamp of approval on only those comprehensive land use changes that have the initial approval of their elected officials. There would be no reason to believe all these changes would be voted against. However, some could be voted down if citizens like their current plan over the developers’ proposed change.

— View the complete article: Amendment 4: the Truth Behind the Lies by Joe McClash
Source: The Bradenton Times, Published: August 22, 2010

The success of Yankeetown shows what Hometown Democracy Amendment 4 would help accomplish on a statewide scale if Floridians pass it Nov. 2.

In 2007 the citizens of Yankeetown decided that massive land development proposal decisions were too important to leave solely in the hands of the politicians. They wanted to have a seat at the table – a chance to vote – to veto or approve these proposals.

Amendment 4 is our last best chance to save what’s left of the unique character of our communities, to protect our home values, and to stem the rising tide of property taxes. Help spread the word to everyone you know to vote YES! on Amendment 4 on the statewide ballot Nov. 2.

You’ll be happy to vote for Amendment 4;
it could save your community from influence-peddlers
BY Ed Candela, TCPalm.com. July 31, 2010.

If people could rely on elected officials to actually represent their constituents instead of special interests, there would be no need for Florida Hometown Democracy Amendment 4.

Our local version of Florida Hometown Democracy Amendment 4, in the Levy County community of Yankeetown, has been a success, and I want to caution readers not to buy the scare tactics now being used to try to trick people to vote against Amendment 4. You should definitely vote yes on Amendment 4 on the statewide ballot Nov. 2.  You will be glad you did.

Here’s why: Several years ago, our quiet fishing community was targeted for massive development. Yankeetown officials conducted secret meetings with real estate speculators. One of the officials had a secret land sale contract with the developers. Their proposal was so massive it would have destroyed our beautiful Gulf Coast community’s character.

At the time, residents packed town council meetings trying to protect our way of life. But the council was listening to the real estate speculators not to us. In 2007, voters overwhelmingly passed a charter amendment and took back commonsense control.

Today in Yankeetown, when politicians propose major land-use changes to the comprehensive land use plan, voters get the final say to approve or veto the plan. Yankeetown shows what Hometown Democracy Amendment 4 would help accomplish on a statewide scale if Floridians pass it Nov. 2.

Our process hasn’t been contentious - all proposed changes have been approved by voters since the charter amendment passed. One speculator did file lawsuits to try to intimidate us, but the courts threw them out.

It’s up to us to protect our communities, especially with a New York Times analysis finding Florida as the No. 1 state for public corruption. Officials from Levy and Dixie counties recently were convicted of taking bribes from a "developer" who really was an undercover FBI agent.

Yankeetown voters can now vote to protect our community - regardless of who is running our local government at the time.

Under Amendment 4, local city or county commissions will study, conduct public hearings, and vote on proposed changes to the local comprehensive land-use plan just like they do now. Here’s the new Amendment 4 step: Voters will veto or approve their decision on the next regularly scheduled election day. No special elections are required.

Before Yankeetown’s version of Amendment 4 passed, residents felt helpless. Now we’re empowered. Our community is too important to leave in the hands of politicians and lobbyists. Who knows who will be in office in the future? It’s really all about trust. Whom do you trust more, you and your fellow Floridians or special-interest-loving politicians, lobbyists and real estate speculators?

I urge everyone to vote yes to Amendment 4 on Nov. 2. You can learn more at http://floridahometowndemocracy.com/. You will be glad you took a stand. We sure are in Yankeetown!

Ed Candela is a former Yankeetown City Council member.

Florida’s ‘Amendment 4’ Would Give Voters Say on Overbuilding
- by Daniel Indiviglio, staff editor, TheAtlantic.com. Published: September 28, 2010.

Florida was one of the states hit hardest by the collapse of the housing market. In August it had the fourth highest density of homes repossessed by banks. Its real estate prices continue to struggle as inventory grows. To make matters worse, however, builders continue producing more and more houses and condos. But a new referendum called ‘Amendment 4’ that will be voted on in November might help Floridians to have a say on at least that part of the problem. …

Florida Voters Enter Battle on Growth
- By Damien Cave, THE NEW YORK TIMES. Published: September 27, 2010.

BOYNTON BEACH, Fla. – Lesley Blackner drove through a maze of condominium towers, rarely seeing any curtains in the windows, or residents, and tried to contain her anger.

"They’ve crammed as much as they can in here," she said this month, noting that just a few years ago cows grazed on the land west of I-95. "The people around here didn’t want it – they objected. But the City Commission did it anyway."

Even now, with about 300,000 residential units sitting empty around the state, the push to build continues. Since 2007, local governments have approved zoning and other land use changes that would add 550,000 residential units and 1.4 billion square feet of commercial space, state figures show.

So for Ms. Blackner, a Palm Beach lawyer, the real estate crisis is not just the fault of Wall Street, Washington or misguided borrowers; it is also the back-scratching bond between elected officials and builders – a common source of frustration in weak real estate markets around the country wherever developers are still fighting to add more housing. …

The (unmentioned) elephant in the room
The Martin County Defender
The e-newsletter for aware citizens - No. 180

At the 13-hour County Commission meeting on 8/10/10, a flood of words were devoted to finding ways to circumvent DCA rejection of Comp Plan changes benefiting landowners. Yet the two words which underpin the pressure to downgrade Comp Plan protections immediately were never uttered. Even advocates for the changes admitted that it would be years before the development they want would take place.

Why change land use rules now?

It’s those two words: "Amendment 4." Let’s say it louder: Amendment 4. Developer-business special interests know that given the opportunity to veto these harmful changes, voters would say NO. Amendment 4 gives residents that power, so the smart money and their Commission lackeys are trying to beat the Nov. 2 deadline.

There is good reason for developers and land speculators to be concerned. A poll by South Florida Business Journal asked if readers support Amendment 4. 64# said YES. 29# said NO. 7# said NOT SURE. Realize that these are readers of a business journal, not the Tree Huggers Gazette.

Bailed-Out "Bubble Builders" Funneling Millions into Florida to Deny Citizens The Right to Vote

Nearly $2 million of the $5 million raised by the opponents of Florida Hometown Democracy Amendment 4 since April comes from Wall Street’s biggest construction corporations — corporations that recently received billions in federal bailout money. Another $2.5 million funneled to the Political Committee opposing Amendment 4 during the past four months came from a who’s who of lobbying groups that represent the over-builders/speculators.

These publicly traded construction companies engaged in reckless speculation, over-built many communities, and crashed Florida’s economy. Yet they received huge taxpayer bailouts this year and are now using them to try to deny Floridians the right to vote by funding the opposition to Florida Hometown Democracy Amendment 4.

Development Crowd Panicking Over Amendment 4
BY BUDDY NEVINS

If money is the mother’s milk of politics, the Broward Workshop is bringing together some of the biggest mothers for milking. These political donors will gather at an upscale east Fort Lauderdale restaurant next week to raise money to block Amendment 4.

Your Letters:

LIES AND LIARS AGAINST AMENDMENT 4

Unbelievable! The president of Northeast Florida Association of Realtors (NEFAR) believes that Amendment 4 is going to devastate Florida real estate.

Hello! The development industry — with the help of state, local and federal government officials did that all by themselves. It took a concerted effort by everyone connected to this industry to bring Florida to its economic knees but the development industry now wants to give Amendment 4, if passed, credit for their "looming" disaster.

What nerve!

Amendment 4 - Florida Hometown Democracy is a grassroots, non-partisan citizen’s initiative that will give voters a chance to veto or approve changes to comprehensive land use plans. What’s so bad about that? What a novel idea! Citizens actually being able to veto poorly conceived development and the changes it requires to our comprehensive land use plans.

Compare this to the "build anything anywhere forever cartel" of the development industry, with the willing participation of our elected public servants (elected with the strong financial support of the development industry), and judge for yourself who thrashed real estate in Florida. Our home values (down) and real estate taxes (up) tell the story of development excesses Amendment 4 gives citizens an opportunity to reign in unwanted growth created by an industry making many millions of dollars off the backs of hard working taxpayers. Before you vote in November get to know more about Amendment 4 and the exaggerated claims of real estate associations, chambers of commerce, the development industry, and many of your elected officials (aka public servants?).

Governments and failed industry leadership typically blame others for their excesses. It’s easy to do - just point your finger and say "they did it". Now the industry and government want to say the Amendment 4 citizen’s initiative will kill the economy and jobs that they themselves have already demolished.

Statements that Amendment 4 requires costly taxpayer referendums for every change to a local growth plan are grossly incorrect. Claims about higher taxes and long delays in approvals of schools, hospitals, public safety projects and lost jobs are also false. What voter would veto projects that add benefits and value to the community?

The other side of the coin however, is the fact the development industry wants no restrictions on their ability to "build, build, build".

Voters need a seat (vote) at the table and Amendment 4 provides just that. To learn more about Amendment 4 visit: www.floridahometowndemocracy

Al Abbatiello
A Realtor® for Amendment 4
Fruit Cove, FL 32259
904-287-5577

As this realtor introduced, and as we all know, Real Estate is a prime example of the dealing in the re-sale home market, demonstrating the relationship between "Supply & Demand" in housing.

The past & current Florida mind-set of build, build, build, seriously erodes the value of current homeowners’ investment - and that’s even in a good economy!

Since home ownership is one of the biggest investment most folks ever make, one wants to make sure that investment is as solid as possible.

In the Florida orientation of build, build, build, one’s home will always compete, at a disadvantage, on the resale market with the endless inventory of new homes/new developments. That creates a real estate market that has more planned obsolescence in it than Detroit’s cars of the 50’s, 60’s & 70’s.

A working Realtor could speak more eloquently to this issue than I - s/he earns his/her living off the resale market… one would think that having a strong resale market would be in their best interests as well as ours.

But that’s just my opinion…

Teddi Rusnak
Citrus County, FL