Whenever you're told that something is too complicated or too technical to be concerned about, it's time to read the fine print — and get a grip on your wallet.

Lesley Blackner, president of Florida Hometown Democracy, recently spoke here about a movement to get an amendment to the state constitution on the ballot that would require any amendment to a comprehensive plan to be approved by voters in a public referendum.

In an interview by Opinion Editor Carl Wernicke in the News Journal, she was asked why, when hundreds of amendments can be proposed for a comp plan, does the public need to get involved in that level of detail. Wouldn't that result in a ballot cluttered with stuff the public doesn't even care about?

we'd better care. What happens to the comp plan determines what our county will become.

Hundreds of amendments have indeed been made to Escambia County's Comprehensive Plan. The real question, though, is how many were even necessary. How many actually served the public's interest?

Most amendments are pushed through by the building industry. Suffice it to say that the purpose is not to make their jobs more difficult.

After county staff prepares draft amendments reflecting the requested changes, they are considered by the Planning Board. It consists of seven members appointed by the commissioners.

Traditionally, one or two token members represent the general public, and the rest are de facto surrogates of the building industry. Can you say "rubber stamp"?

Planning Board recommendations are seldom rejected by the Board of County Commissioners.

Some of the amendments are submitted periodically to the state Department of Community Affairs for review as part of the Evaluation and Appraisal Report. So-called "small scale amendments" can be submitted at any time.

A comprehensive plan provides broad policy guidance regarding land development. The Land Development Code can be changed by local ordinance, but must be consistent with the comprehensive plan. The plan is analogous to a constitution, and therefore subject to more rigorous scrutiny with respect to changes. Unfortunately, most comp plan amendments are simply made to accommodate changes already planned to the Land Development Code.

I liked Ms. Blackner's response to the question of whether voters are qualified to make this kind of determination. She said, "There's a notion out there nowadays that we're not really citizens, we're just consumers, and that somehow voting is onerous and a burden."

Her statement summarizes better than I could the paternalistic and condescending way government officials think of us.

A viewpoint the following week, arguing against Florida Hometown Democracy's objective, was a regurgitation of the tired talking points of big development. The fundamental fact is that citizens presently have only token input to the process, while planning boards are stacked with development interests and our elected officials dutifully carry industry's water.

The building industry will spare no expense to keep this amendment off the ballot and fight its passage should it make it to the voter. Florida Hometown Democracy has about half of the 611,000 petition signatures required to get it on the ballot. Get more info or add your name to the petition at www.floridahometowndemocracy.com or call toll free 1-(866)-779-5513.

Byron Keesler is a former member of the Escambia County Planning Board. He is a member of Taxpayers For Effective Government.