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Frequently Asked Questions

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The Real Facts About Florida Hometown Democracy’s Amendment 4

Florida Hometown Democracy is the sponsor of Amendment 4, a proposed amendment to the Florida Constitution that will be on the November 2010 ballot. Amendment 4 will give voters oversight control over how their communities grow. Under Amendment 4, your city or county commission will study and vote as usual on proposed changes to the local comprehensive land use plan, which is a blueprint for future development. Plan changes approved by the commission will then be submitted to you - the voter -- on the ballot at the next regularly scheduled Election Day. You will either veto or approve them. It’s that simple. Amendment 4 doesn’t require special elections.

What is Hometown Democracy?

Hometown Democracy is a nonpartisan, grassroots group of committed volunteers across Florida. We believe that when politicians approve new developments in a community, voters should get a seat at...

What is a comprehensive land use plan and what is a plan amendment?

The answer is simple. Every community in Florida has an overall master plan (called a comprehensive land use plan) that sets out where growth will occur over the next 20 years. Hometown...

What plans exactly will Hometown Democracy affect?

The opposition is trying to scare voters into thinking that Amendment 4 will impact minor rezoning, individual development approvals and the like, but it won’t. What Amendment 4 WILL do is...

How many times will I have to vote?

Amendment 4 requires voter approval only for changes to the overall master plan (local comprehensive plan). On average, there are two to three plan changes a year.

How much will this cost?

Amendment 4 doesn’t cost voters or local governments anything because it doesn’t require special elections. Votes will happen on the next regularly scheduled Election Day.

I don't want to be burdened with voting if it's not directly in my neighborhood.

All voters pay tax dollars for county-wide services. When a new development requires new roads, sewer, schools, police and fire services, we all pay, whether it is in our neighborhood or not. Is a...

How will Hometown Democracy help Florida's economy?

Overdevelopment crashed Florida’s economy, leaving us with empty buildings and foreclosed subdivisions. Our local master plans have plenty of land set aside for development and builders...

We elected our local officials, isn't it our job to trust the decisions that they make?

Our homes and communities are too important to leave in the hands of politicians, lobbyists hired by developers and special interests. Candidates may claim that donations don't influence them, but...

Shouldn't growth and development plans be left to the experts? What do I know about approving a change to a master growth plan?

The land speculators are just scared that voters will stand up for their own interests. They think that voters don’t understand enough to be able to vote on growth and...

Who is the opposition to Amendment 4 and why do they care?

Let’s face it; real estate speculation in Florida is VERY big business. This is the Big Money that overbuilt so much of Florida and crashed our economy, leaving us with foreclosed...