I am writing in reference to a recent guest column denouncing Florida Hometown Democracy Amendment 4, which will appear on the November ballot. The author, mouthpiece for the cacophony of developers, land speculators, financiers, and government officials opposing this amendment, makes the claim that there is value in the fact that these groups are diverse. Diverse they may be, but they are uniform in their one goal of denying citizens the right to vote on our county’s comprehensive plan and amendments to the plan. It’s no surprise they oppose Amendment 4; they are part of the problem. They are vested in the current system of "build and tax", and the possibility of a voter-veto threatens their delicate balance, honed for decades.
Some government officials oppose this amendment because of government’s reliance on unbridled growth. Government uses population growth as an excuse to expand -- and it never deflates. For example, in the last decade, Clay County’s population increased 33 percent, but the county budget increased 166 per cent. Conversely, the development industry relies on government to help it mount the hurdles of laws, regulations, and pesky citizens. A never-ending round of tax and fee hikes are essential to support this curious symbiotic relationship of government and development.
The author, citing a study touted all over the state by folks like himself, states that Amendment 4 will cost jobs. The study is questionable, however, because the impact of Amendment 4 is immeasurable. The author knows, but obfuscates, the fact that growth is already factored into the comprehensive plan. For example, the Clay County Comprehensive Plan, approved in February, provides for 151,000 homes, over twice the 57,000 existing homes. Amendment 4 will not stop this growth because citizens will vote only on changes outside the comp plan. What is in the plan, stays. Developers, after all, do not have an innate right to build outside the comp plan. Developing outside the comp plan has led to sprawl and uncontrolled growth, costing taxpayers for the increased demands on police, fire, schools, water, sewage, and roads.
The author states Amendment 4 will devastate Florida’s economy. Various articles and news accounts, however, have shown that Florida has suffered more than most states in the U.S. and more than all states in the Southeast during these hard economic times. This is because of our state’s excessive reliance on growth as the major industry. Florida has suffered because of the absence, not future, of Amendment 4.
Another canard of the author is the accusation that, under Amendment 4, there will be hundreds of changes on the ballot. Does anyone realistically believe that our commissioners have been voting on hundreds of comp plan changes each year? It is ironic that the folks complaining about too many changes are the very ones requesting the changes.
In truth, voters will vote in packages of changes, just as do the commissioners. Only land use changes, not zoning and variances, will be voted on. So, how many changes will that be? The most truthful answer to this question comes from the county’s planning department. I requested the number of changes to the county’s comp plan the last five years and found the number to average 11 per year, and even then, the requirements of Amendment 4 will not include technical, administrative, or zoning changes.
Overdevelopment does not pay for itself. Clay County has a glut of houses and one of the highest foreclosure rates in Northeast Florida.
More housing developments will not solve these problems. In truth, more development will increase taxes and grow the size, power, and cost of government. Amendment 4 believes citizens should have a seat at the decision-making table before we are asked to pay more for overdevelopment.
For more information, access www.floridahometowndemocracy.com
