Originally Posted 12 September 2007
Tampa Bay On-Line
John Thrasher, a former state House speaker and now a lobbyist who represents real estate development interests, has sent out a mass mailing suggesting the growth-limiting Hometown Democracy amendment is actually intended to benefit “big developers” and calling voters “special interests.”
The letter went to voters who signed petitions to put the amendment on the ballot. It sought to convince them to revoke their signatures.
The amendment is intended by sponsors to limit growth by allowing voters to vote on changes to counties’ growth plans. But Thrasher’s letter portrays it as a tool intended to benefit the development industry.
The letter contends the amendment “would allow big developers to ruin Florida’s scenic beauty.”
“The special interests (many of them out-of-state) have much to gain from passing this Amendment,” the letter says. He says the amendment would allow them to “turn our beautiful state into a dumping ground for special interests.”
Thrasher’s letter says the amendment “turns all power over use of Florida’s lands to certain ‘electors,’ “ without explaining that “electors” is the legal term for registered voters.
“Guess who the ‘electors’ will be,” it says. “The special interests and their slick lawyers will rig the system to put our future in the hands of their cronies.”
The letter apparently is intended to create confusion over the amendment by portraying it as beneficial to the development industry, when in fact, the industry is eager to defeat it, fearing voters will oppose proposals for more development.
“It’s urgently important for you to act on this today,” the letter says. “So please fill out, sign and mail your petition revocation form right now, before you put this letter aside and possibly forget it.”
Thrasher, a Republican who was known as a champion of the party’s conservative wing, now represents Associated Industries of Florida, the state’s most powerful and prominent business trade group; The St. Joe Company, the state’s largest landowner, now developing thousands of acres of north Florida; the construction engineering firm Post, Buckley, Schuh & Jernigan; Walt Disney World Corp.; Gemstone Development Corporation, and other construction and development related companies.
He sent out the letter as a representative of Save Our Constitution, a political action committee set up to defeat the amendment. Its chairman is Associated Industries President Barney Bishop.
Thrasher didn’t return a call for comment on the letter Wednesday.
The amendment petition currently has 331,058 validated signatures, out of 611,009 needed to go on the 2008 ballot.
COMMENTS
Posted by Iris Fleat, Tampa on 09/14 at 08:31 PM
Everyone who signed the petition and received a letter just send back the empty envolope and let him receive empty promises as he did to us. By the way the envelope was prepaid so it will not cost you a cent. If you want to be more creative just put in the envelope a plain piece of paper.
Posted by Ronald Woodard, Ocala, Fl on 09/12 at 07:54 PM
John Thrasher is a complete sellout and a disgrace to this state. Mr. Thrasher represents everything wrong with politics. Thrasher is a bottom-feeding hypocrite.
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