Hometown Democracy Will Protect Communities
March 17, 2007
By BEV GRIFFITHS
Tampa Tribune COMMENTARY

Are you fed up with traffic jams, road widening, loss of green space, high-rise condos that look out of place or conversion of farmland to endless rooftops? If you answered yes, what I have to say will interest you.

If the Florida Hometown Democracy Amendment is passed it would let voters in their own communities decide whether their city or county comprehensive land use plan will be changed or adopted.

Currently city council members and county commissioners make those decisions.

Comprehensive plans are supposed to be long-range, but they cannot work if they can be easily changed, which is what is happening in Florida. County commissioners are asked twice a year in Hillsborough County to vote on changes. When commissioners vote to change the comp plan, they are supposed to do so on the grounds that the change will not harm the public interest.

Unfortunately for average citizens, developers are among the biggest campaign contributors to local elected officials. The result is that it's hard for our elected officials to say "no" to developers' requests.

Florida is being paved, like it or not.

With this amendment, the voter will decide if a proposed change will make their community a better place to live. If the majority votes no, the change doesn't happen. It's that simple.

Visit www.floridahometowndemocracy.comto learn more.

Bev Griffiths is chair of Sierra Club Tampa Bay Group.