In the June 10 column ["Realtors oppose Amendment 4", by the Orlando Regional Realtor Association], the author makes a lot of false claims about Florida Hometown Democracy Amendment 4, which will be on the statewide ballot Nov. 2.
Florida Hometown Democracy is a nonpartisan Florida citizen's movement, and the real estate speculators and their politician friends don't like that one bit! They are afraid of the voters having oversight on their dealings.
With Amendment 4, we're simply saying: give us citizens a "seat at the table" - a chance to vote. We're the ones who pay tax dollars to extend the schools, police, fire, water, sewer and roads to all these new developments that politicians keep approving. Is a new development affordable to our community? We should get a vote before we're forced to pay.
Big Business has raised $6 million so far to try to defeat Amendment 4 and deny us our right to vote. Ask yourself: Why are they so scared of common-sense taxpayer oversight?
The truth is, our homes and our communities are too important to leave in the hands of speculators and politicians. When it affects my taxes, I want to vote on it.
Amendment 4 simply adds one important step to the existing planning process. Here's how it will work: After consideration by local planning agencies, city or county commissions will study, hold public hearings, and vote on proposed changes to the overall land-use plan (local comprehensive land-use plan) just like they do now. The new step is that once a commission approves a plan change, voters will get to approve or veto it at the next regularly scheduled Election Day. That's it.
Amendment 4 only applies to land-use changes to the long-term comprehensive land-use plan. It doesn't apply to rezonings, variances, site plan approvals, plats, building permits or other types of development approvals. Every local government already has a land-use plan, most developed over decades of planning effort. Politicians should be able to explain to voters why it is in the public interest to change the status quo long-term plan for the locality.
I am working to pass this important reform in November, and I hope you will, too. Look around Florida at the overbuilt, empty storefronts and foreclosures, and you can see we need a change. Florida Hometown Democracy's Amendment 4 is that change, and if we all vote for it we will get a voice. You can learn the facts by going to our website, www.floridahometowndemocracy.com. Volunteer, donate and get involved.
Ross Burnaman Co-founder of Florida Hometown Democracy
