FLARA Voter Guide
Proposed Florida Constitutional Amendments and Referendum
November 2, 2010 General Election Ballot
Note to FLARA members: Amendments 5 and 6 are very important amendments that will reform Florida's elections. Every FLARA member should make it a priority to go to the polls on November 2 to vote for Amendments 5 and 6 and to bring others with you.
Amendments 5 and 6 are the most important proposed constitutional amendments ever to be placed on a ballot in Florida.
Amendment 1 --- Vote "NO" ---- this amendment repeals Florida's system of public financing for statewide elections. In 1998, this provision was added to the Constitution by the voters. This provision helps "level the playing field" against candidates who receive large corporate and private donations. Large corporate and private donations undermine competitive elections, which are the foundation for our democracy. To help ensure fair elections, vote "NO" on this amendment.
Amendment 2 --- Vote "YES" --- this amendment increases the homestead tax exemption for members of the military and reserves who are deployed outside the United States. The homestead tax reduction is to be based on the amount of time they are out of the country. This is good public policy that helps members of the military and the reserves who are fighting terrorism in countries such as Iraq and Afghanistan and those are deployed in other foreign countries. The financial impact on local government is minimal. Vote "YES" on this good amendment.
Amendment 4 --- "FLARA Does Not Have a Position" --- this amendment is known as "Hometown Democracy." This measure was placed on the ballot by citizen petition. It provides that voters would have final approval over amendments to local "comprehensive plans" that permit developments such as new housing subdivisions, shopping centers, and large discount stores. Because developers may be able to influence local government in the approval of plan amendments, "Hometown Democracy" gives voters the final say so. This amendment should improve the quality of local planning and give local communities the ability to halt unwanted growth that would degrade the environment or quality of life.
Although approval of this amendment could reduce economic activity and future jobs if voters do not approve comprehensive plan amendments that create new construction projects, approval of this amendment will foster better local planning and allow voters to kill controversial projects that a majority of voters do not want.
Amendments 5 and 6 --- Vote "YES" --- these amendments were also placed on the ballot by citizen petition. Their purpose is to create "fair districts" for the Legislature and Congress. The amendments state that districts cannot be drawn by the Legislature to "favor or disfavor" an incumbent or a political party. These amendments are needed to eliminate "gerrymandering" or the practice of drawing "safe" districts for incumbents, which has been the practice of the Legislature for many years. Because of how they draw the districts, legislators do not have to fear any serious election opposition so they vote according to instructions from their parties or, worse, special interests. In the last six years, out of 420 elections for the legislature, only 3 incumbents were defeated. Under our current system, voters do not have a voice.
Amendments 5 and 6 will fix the current system and restore real democracy to Florida. Republican, Democratic and Independent voters signed almost 1.7 million petitions to place FairDistricts Amendments 5 and 6 on ballot. These amendments will create constitutional rules or “standards” for the legislature to follow when it re-draws the lines for legislative and congressional districts. No longer will politicians be able to drawing district lines to favor themselves or their allies or to use redistricting to draw their adversaries out of office.
Vote "YES" on Amendments 5 and 6. These extremely important amendments are supported by the League of Women Voters, the NAACP, Common Cause and others.
Amendment 8 --- "FLARA Does Not Have a Position" --- this amendment relaxes class size requirements in Florida's pubic schools that were approved by voters in 2002. It would permit our public schools to use school-wide average class sizes rather than strict per-classroom limits. The amendment would permit schools to increases the maximum allowable number of students in each class by using school-wide averages rather than per-class maximums. A school could exceed the class size requirement in one class if the excess is balanced by another class with less than the required maximum.
Supporters include school boards, school superintendents and the Legislature who are concerned about the increased funds for teachers and classroom facilities that are needed to comply with current law. Opponents include teachers and the Florida Education Association Association who advocate for maintaining current law, that was approved by the voters in 2002, because smaller class sizes promote better learning environments.
Given the budget problems faced by state and local government due to the "great recession," it is very difficult to either raise revenue or to reduce funding for health, criminal justice, or other necessary programs to provide additional funds to schools for them to meet the class size requirements of current law. What the legislature should do is to raise revenue by eliminating subsidies to professional sport teams, close corporate tax loopholes, collect taxes on out-of-state internet sales and take other steps to make our tax system fairer and less regressive. However, prospects for this occurring appear doubtful. While current law requirements are reasonable, and small class sizes no doubt promote better learning requirements, the current economic situation makes this amendment an option for voters to consider because of Florida's current economic difficulties.
Referendum 1 --- Vote "NO" --- this referendum was placed on the ballot by the Florida Legislature. If approved by Florida voters, it would express support for amending the U.S. Constitution to require a balanced budget without raising taxes. If this were to be done, there would be substantial reductions to important government programs that protect the health, safety and welfare of the American people. Many economists view deficit spending as a necessary economic tool to stimulate job growth and to pay for important government programs when economic conditions necessitate such action. The federal government has used deficit spending many times in the past when needed, such as to finance the protection of our country in World War II. This is a politically motivated referendum that was placed on the ballot by extremist fiscal conservatives in the Florida legislature. Voters should reject this absurd and irresponsible referendum.
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