Editorials

Say no to Amendment 4

Hernando Today
Published: October 28, 2010

With Florida's jobless rate approaching 12 percent, 14.8 percent in Hernando County, the outlook for a speedy economic recovery remains bleak.

Passage of Amendment 4, the so-called "Hometown Democracy" amendment, would only derail any recovery beginning to take traction and help compound the many issues continuing to plague Florida's beleaguered economy.

While there is some merit to the proposed amendment in cases where government has done a bad job of controlling growth, giving voters veto power over changes to a city or county land use plan is not the answer.

Having to vote on every land-use change would undoubtedly setback economic growth by causing developers to look to other states to build projects that require a land-use change because of the added time, money and uncertainty involved with an election. It would also give those voters who are passionate about an issue less of a voice by requiring them to organize a citywide or countywide campaign to gain support and more importantly votes for their position. This also doesn't take into account the public expense involved in putting on an election and the likely litigation costs to follow whatever the outcome.

An argument can also be made whether it is wise to put a highly technical land-use issue on as a simple ballot question. After all, comprehensive plans typically consist of dozens of pages of technical and legal details that are not always easily understood by the lay person.

The better option is to leave the decision with those who we've elected to serve our communities. County commissioners and city council members are elected to ensure such proposals are properly vetted by staff. If voters believe elected officials are not acting in the best interests of the community, they can be voted out.

For these reasons, we recommend voters say "No" to Amendment 4 on the Nov. 2 ballot.