hometown democracy

April 24, 2008 – People cannot take back their support once they sign petitions to get citizen initiatives on a ballot, an appeals court ruled Wednesday in a case over whether voters should have a say in changing infrastructure and development plans.

The 1st District Court of Appeal said a law that lets voters revoke their signatures is unconstitutional, so it overturned a trial court’s ruling.

The Legislature passed the law at the request of business organizations. They then used it to revoke 13,182 signatures obtained by proponents of Hometown Democracy, an initiative that would require voter approval of changes in plans laying out where new roads, homes, businesses and other development can be built. Hometown Democracy sued even before that campaign began.

The appeals court’s seven-page ruling said revoking signatures burdens the initiative process with requirements not found in the Florida Constitution. Instead, the constitution gives citizens the right to propose amendments without legislative assistance.

The law is one of several steps the Legislature has taken in recent years with encouragement from business leaders to make it more difficult to pass initiatives. They contend initiatives such as Hometown Democracy could slow growth and the harm the state’s economy.

The issue may wind up being resolved by the Florida Supreme Court.

Bloggers,

An update on Hometown Democracy hot off the press...

"Tonight the business community won a huge victory when the official
results were posted on the Division of Elections website confirming that
the proponents of Hometown Democracy missed their third chance to be on
the November 2008 ballot!!!!!  They made neither the requisite overall
number of signatures nor did they  make the minimum required number of
Congressional Districts." Released by Save Our Constitution.

May it Rest in Peace.

Adam Babington might not be a name most people'd recognize, but if you're a member of the Chamber of Commerce around Florida, you probably got an e-mail from him today.

Ol' Adam's the Director of Initiatives and Coalitions for the Florida Chamber and his e-mail warns members of that prestigious organization about an evil situation they may encounter as they exercise their American right to vote the Presidential Primary Election. An attempt to "perpetrate widespread fraud," he called it. A "last-ditch effort to fool Florida voters."

What is this statewide voter fraud scheme planned for tomorrow that has Adam sending out e-mails about the sky falling?

I would like to embellish on the update that Karen gave us yesterday on the Hometown Democracy Petition.  My source of information is from the Florida Association of Realtors daily "Early Bird News" which wasn't so early on a humorous note.  Overall it agreed with Karens figures of how many it takes, how many they have, how many they've lost if you round them all up a tad.

What was not in the update that is the press release I read is that Lesley Blackner says she has submitted apx 100,000 signatures beyond the minimum requirement.  The article essentially quotes her saying she doesn't have any faith in the system and "I don't know that I trust these numbers.

I am sort of looking forward to the new year. I don't know that anything catatsrophic is in the wind but we will definitely have much to discuss. Hopefully, for better or worse, the issues will be resolved at the ballot box and may the highest bidder win.

Already we have a few blogging souls so fed up that advocacy of throwing the bums out seems to be the popular sentiment. For once I seem to be with the majority. It's a fine, warm and fuzzy feeling. I'd love to say I had something to do with it but I'm just happy the idea is catching on. We would all benefit with a clean sweep.

War has been declared and the battleground determined. Two of state's most powerful, influential and aggressive generals have mustered their huge volunteer armies of dollars and lies. They have come uninvited into our neighborhoods and homes to enslave us to their religion of greed and force us to plant our fields with the seeds of growth to feed their armies. The generals lead armies that rape our rivers and plunder our valuables, including that most precious right to government of, by and for the people. And they are ready to punish those who resist their warring occupation.

Read this morning's Times-Union article by Deirdre Conner about the proposed Florida Hometown Democracy amendment to the state constitution so you won't be shocked when this war comes knocking on your own front door.

A few weeks ago there was an article in the news about Orlando wanting to tap into the St Johns River to further development.  Last night it was the state of Georgia reporting Atlanta could go dry in 90 days. 

Can you imagine what it would be like to have no running water to your home? 

Something I found out last week that I also did not know before is that the aquifer Florida relies upon is shared by multiple states.

Some of the water being drained from Lake Lanier is coming down into Florida to sustain life for mussels and such. 

Stopping development will not solve this crisis, and it's also not the sole culprit but it surely is a major contributor. Allowing things to remain as they are could send it past the point of  no return.  This is no longer a preventative issue, it is damage control. 

There are those of us who believe we know what we want in our neighborhoods and are willing to support the opportunty to make those decisions.  No professional is needed to tell me what I need in my neighborhood - I already know.

If approved by the voters, it will require future developments statewide to be approved by voters in the area affected instead of elected officials.  What a wonderful way to control growth where you live!

Everyone already knows voters/residents will only turn out when subject at hand directly affects them - where they live or their pockets.  If someone tried to put an unwanted development in your nighborhood, are you saying you would not object?  I doubt it.

HOMETOWN DEMOCRACY PETITION simply puts voters in charge of the place where they live as both the US Supreme and Florida Courts have upheld.   Seize the opportunity given to you to decide otherwise your neighborhood may be next.

If you're tired of urban sprawl, constant land use plans changed over which you had no control, more traffic congestion to name a few, then you'll support the FLORIDA HOMETOWN DEMOCRACY in their efforts to change it for the betterment of your community.

This group was organized by two attorneys with years of experience in land use matters.  Leslie G.  Blackner is senior partner in BLACKNER STONE & ASSOC., in Palm Beach, Florida specializing in Administrative, Environmental and Land Use Law.  Ross S. Burnaman, a Tallahassee attorney, spent years as Staff Attorney for FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY AFFAIRS with responsibility of land use planning.