Some tea party members are still undecided about the efficacy of Florida Hometown Democracy Amendment 4. Perhaps we should take a closer look at the effects on Florida if Amendment 4 fails. Without Amendment 4, we will have business as usual. We will continue down the path of overbuilding, which leads to higher taxes and lower quality of life. Our opponents are in the business of building. They want to build houses, even though we have a glut of houses. They want to build strip malls, amid dozens of empty strip malls.
What can we expect if Amendment 4 fails:
The value of our homes will continue to decline. Nothing proposed by Amendment 4's opponents will turn the tide of declining home values.
Local and state governments will continue to expand in size, power, and cost. After all, governments rely on growth to grow themselves. Salaries of county commissioners are based on a state
formula, the biggest component of which is population growth. The structure of local government encourages and feeds on growth.
Rural Florida land, formerly devoted to agriculture, will continue to fall victim to development. Florida is losing farmland to development at alarming rates. According to a tampabay.com article,
"Harvesting Profits Over Crops", University of Florida professor John Reynolds estimates the state is losing 150,000 acres of farmland a year. The article quotes Agriculture and Consumer Services
Secretary Charles Bronson, "If you don't like depending on foreign oil, imagine depending on foreign-grown food".
Rights of citizens will continue to be eroded. Amendment 4 provides a check and balance for citizens against the power of developers, special interests, and land speculators.
1000 Friends of Florida recently rescinded its opposition to Amendment 4. Why? Its position statement says, "Whatever the outcome in November, Florida cannot return to business as usual. The recent economic crisis has proven all too clearly that a growth- and development- driven economy is costly, shortsighted, and untenable over the long haul." Tea partiers would do well do heed these warnings and vote Yes on Amendment 4.
Tea Parties for Amendment 4
