Amendment 4 and what it will do to Florida

August 3, 2010

Amendment 4, an amendment that would, if passed, require all comp-plan changes be approved by voters through a local referendum, will appear on the official ballot on November 2, 2010. The official ballot summary is as follows: "Establishes that before a local government may adopt a new comprehensive land use plan, or amend a comprehensive land use plan, the proposed plan or amendment shall be subject to vote of the electors of the local government by referendum, following preparation by the local planning agency, consideration by the governing body and notice.

Many who oppose the amendment are warning that Amendment 4 will ultimately hurt the economy in Florida by stopping development. The Florida Department of Community Affairs (DCA) has been bombarded with proposals from local governments to change their comprehensive land-use plans in an effort to receive approval before November when Amendment 4 hits the ballots. The amendment will need at least 60% approval from voters in order to become a law.

According to the VP of public policy for the Florida Realtors, John Sebree, Uniformly, our members are very strongly against this, were a pretty bipartisan group. But everybody agrees this is going to change things dramatically. Florida Realtors has contributed $1 million into the political committee, headed by Citizens for Lower Taxes and a Stronger Economy, aimed at fighting the amendment. To date the committee has collected nearly $5.7 million while Hometown Democracy, the campaign that proposed Amendment 4 has collected nearly $1.6 million.

According to Doug Buck, Director of Governmental Affairs at the Florida Home Builders Association, "Everybody in this state is affected by construction. Were going to do all we can so citizens understand what this amendment will do to this states economy.