Give the people power

Daytona Beach News-Journal

Give the people power

By JEFF BOYLE, Ormond Beach

July 22, 2010

In response to Howard Tipton's suggestion that the Hometown Democracy amendment "would distort our ability to attract economic growth to Florida," existing comprehensive land-use plans allow development that would add tens of millions of people to the state population, its roads and its schools. Unfinished or unstarted projects sit idle in every urban area, even affecting our healthy industry of new retirement homes for people moving here from other states. Mr. Tipton condemns the Save Our Homes Amendment that protects those same fixed-income people from being taxed out of their new homes.

Amendment 4, which we will vote on in November, is necessary to address the many cases where developers bought restricted land, then successfully petitioned for comprehensive land- use changes that increased the value of that property exponentially. In Florida, such petitioners may legally contribute to the campaigns of the elected officials who have the power to, then, grant the requested comprehensive land-use changes.

Mr. Tipton disrespects the ability of voters to make land-use decisions that are not as complicated as he says. In 2006, nearly 10,000 Ormond Beach voters overruled the elected body by inserting a 75 foot building height limit in the city charter, where any change will require another vote of the people. CANDO, the political action committee that backed that height limit, had to raise $95,000 in legal fees just to file a legal challenge and get the qualified petition on the ballot. Another $40,000 was raised for a campaign that trusted the vote of the people.

None of that would have been necessary if Amendment-4-like protections had already been in place. The intent of four elected officials to raise the building height limit would have automatically been a question for the ballot.

Editor's note: Boyle is a former Ormond Beach city commissioner and the chairman of Citizens and Neighbors devoted to Ormond (CANDO.)