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Yes on 4's response to Florida TaxWatch's flawed "economic study"

Statement From Florida Hometown Democracy:

This latest so-called economic study is just another attempt on the part of the No on 4 growth machine to make up "facts" to scare voters. With the earlier No on 4 study discredited recently by university economists and PolitiFact, they have ginned up another "estimate" that is as flawed as the earlier so-called study.

What has cost Florida untold jobs and higher taxes is the current system of growth, as Nathaniel Reed, a prominent conservationist and growth management advocate, said in his recent endorsement of Amendment 4. Amendment 4 would end the boom and bust cycle of Florida real estate speculation and provide a more stable economic platform, resulting in more investment in our state, not less. As a 1999 study showed, Florida's comp plans have room for growth for another 100 million Floridians to move here; to say that growth with stop if local governments can no longer willy-nilly change their land use plans is ludicrous given the amount of room for new growth in existing comp plans.

Additionally, Florida TaxWatch is far from an independent broker in this campaign. Several of its board members have given money directly to the No on 4 campaign and others are openly fighting against Amendment 4. TaxWatch is an arm of Florida's retail industry and, as such, is practically part of the No on 4 effort.

Just to give an idea of how intertwined the opponents of Amendment 4 are with TaxWatch, one of the founding members of TaxWatch is Publix, and it has given $200,000 split among the two PACs fighting A4: Citizens for Lower Taxes and a Stronger Economy and Floridians for Smarter Growth.

Here is listing of dates and data obtained from the Florida Division of Elections campaign finance database:

Via Florida Mainstreet Merchants PAC to Citizens for Lower Taxes...

2010 Q1 03/11/2010 75,000.00 PUBLIX SUPER MARKETS PO BOX 407 LAKELAND, FL 33810 GROCERY RETAILER CHE

And $125,000 to Floridians for Smarter Growth

2009 Q4 12/12/09 125000 PUBLIX SUPER MARKETS, INC. P. O. BOX 407 LAKELAND, FL 33802 RETAIL GROCERIES CHE

Publix has two members on the current TaxWatch board, as well as is a founding member.

Also on the Executive Committee of TaxWatch is Rober Coker of US Sugar, which has given $75,000 to our opponents PAC

Rober E. Coker, Senior Vice President, United States Sugar Corporation

$75,000 to Floridians for Smarter Growth Inc.

2007 Q2 4/9/07 25000 UNITED STATES SUGAR CORPORATION 111 PONCE DE LEON AVENUE CLEWISTON, FL 33440 AGRIBUSINESS CHE

2007 Q2 5/29/07 25000 UNITED STATES SUGAR CORPORATION 111 PONCE DE LEON AVENUE CLEWISTON, FL 33440 AGRIBUSINESS CHE

2007 Q4 11/19/07 25000 UNITED STATES SUGAR CORPORATION 111 PONCE DE LEON AVENUE CLEWISTON, FL 33440 AGRIBUSINESS CHE

The upshot is that TaxWatch is not an independent watchdog group, it is the creation of Big Business in Florida and it has been doing its master's bidding in opposition to Amendment 4.

Published in: 4 News on Thursday 21st of October 2010