Chamber Draws Fire For Growth Initiative
TAMPA - The Florida Chamber of Commerce is backing an amendment to Florida's constitution that critics say is meant to confuse voters about another, similarly worded citizens initiative. "The Florida Growth Management Initiative" is sponsored by a chamber-backed political committee led by a top Republican fundraiser. The amendment's stated purpose is "giving citizens the right to decide local growth-management plan changes." Chamber officials say the proposed amendment would give Floridians an alternative to Hometown Democracy, an initiative that would let residents vote on growth decisions. The chamber and development groups are desperately trying to derail Hometown Democracy, which they say will kill Florida's economy. "We're supporting a smarter, more responsible way to manage growth, versus the irresponsible, reckless approach being taken by Hometown Democracy," said Adam Babington, who leads the chamber's effort on constitutional amendments. Like Hometown Democracy, the chamber-backed amendment would let residents vote on changes to county comprehensive growth plans. The amendment's fine print, however, lays out a series of obstacles that would make such referenda less likely to happen. For instance, residents who want to vote on a comprehensive plan amendment first would have to collect petition signatures equaling 10 percent of the county's electorate. And the petitions could only be signed at the county supervisor of elections office. Hometown Democracy founder Lesley Blackner accused the chamber of using a "tricky subterfuge" to confuse voters about the two initiatives. "They are so worried," said Blackner, a Palm Beach lawyer. "I think they just want to wreak havoc in any way possible." She accused chamber officials of hypocrisy because of their continuing efforts to make it more difficult for citizens to pass constitutional amendments with initiatives. For example, the chamber successfully lobbied the Legislature last year to put an amendment on the ballot requiring a 60 percent favorable vote to pass an initiative. "Their No. 1 goal was to stop citizens from petitioning to change the Florida Constitution; now they're using this Trojan horse," Blackner said. Babington said the chamber is not opposed to initiatives, but rather "it's opposed to bad ideas in our constitution." Hometown Democracy has collected 400,000 petition signatures toward the 611,009 it needs to meet the Feb. 1 deadline. Though only 248,000 of those have been verified by county elections supervisors, opponents and supporters expect the initiative to make the November 2008 ballot. Sponsors of the chamber-backed initiative, Floridians for Smarter Growth, have no signatures verified, according to the Florida Division of Elections. But chamber Executive Director Mark Wilson said in an article in the Florida Real Estate Journal that business groups can raise up to $65 million to defeat Hometown Democracy. To get their initiative on the ballot, the group would need to gather 611,009 signatures, the same as Hometown Democracy. The number is equal to 8 percent of the state's voters in the last presidential election. To raise money, business groups recruited GOP fundraiser Nancy Watkins of Tampa as chair of Floridians for Smarter Growth. Watkins and her husband, Robert, were among top Florida fundraisers for President Bush during the 2004 campaign. Nancy Watkins is considered a national expert on the intricacies of federal campaign finance law. Should both amendments make the 2008 ballot, the chamber-backed measure has language saying it supersedes any amendment that gives people the right to vote on changes to local growth plans. Blackner said she does not think that language will survive the review by the Florida Supreme Court required of all constitutional amendments. The Supreme Court review must happen no later than April 1 of the year the amendment is submitted to voters. Researcher Michael Messano contributed to this report. Reporter Mike Salinero can be reached at msalinero@tampatrib.com or (813) 259-8303. |
