Florida anti-growth initiative (Amendment 4) goes down in defeat

November 04, 2010 | By PACIFIC LEGAL FOUNDATION

Author: Alan DeSerio

Florida voters were faced this week with a myriad of ballot choices affecting the future of the State. One of them was Amendment 4. Draped with banners of "home town democracy," the proposal seemed innocuous enough, promising to give "the people" the ability to control future growth in Florida.  In simple, and often undefined terms, the proposal would have amended the Florida Constitution to require Floridians to vote on every new comprehensive land use plan and any amendment to an existing plan in a costly referendum.  Every plan and every amendment would have required a public vote, paid for with already limited taxpayer funds.

Those who saw the potential devastating consequences of the proposal, including Pacific Legal Foundation, mounted an effective campaign to educate the voting public about the proposal and the heavy toll it would have taken on Florida taxpayers and the economy.  As Palm Beach Daily News reported, Amendment 4 went down in defeat, with 67% voting against and just 33% voting in favor.