A Special Section of 904 Magazine & the Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce

Elections Have
Consequences.
Amendment 4 is no
exception. Should it pass,
business as we know it in
Florida will change—and
not for the better.
 In November, a proposed
constitutional amendment
could have you voting
on hundreds of land
development issues every
year. Here’s the 411 on
AMENDMENT 4.

EVERY BY MAXINE McBRIDE

COUNTS
When Florida voters go to the polls in November,
they will vote for a new governor and U.S. senator.
They will also decide the fate of Amendment 4, also
known as the Florida Hometown Democracy Land
Use Amendment. If approved, the amendment
would require voter approval on all changes to local
government comprehensive land-use plans. In
other words, this “Vote on Everything” amendment
would force Floridians—not the representatives
they elect—to decide on thousands of technical
comprehensive plan changes each year.
There is a lot of confusion about this initiative
and its impact on Florida and its citizens. We’ve
answered some frequently asked questions so that
you can head to the polls informed and prepared.

60 Jacksonville Magazine’s 904 * August 2010

HAVE QUESTIONS?
WE’VE GOT ANSWERS.
Q: How would Amendment 4 affect my business, my
community and me?
VOICES OF OPPOSITION
If Amendment 4 passes, it will be the end of economic
A: Approval of Amendment 4 would require voters to growth in Northeast Florida. Job losses would create
approve development decisions about where to build roads, a difficult climate for businesses and a permanent
homes and businesses. Citizens would be required to vote on recession for our state. New businesses will find it
community improvements, additional schools, parks and virtually impossible to move to Florida and existing
police stations. In Duval County, it would have meant dozens businesses will find it nearly impossible to grow.
of additional ballot items in 2009, costing taxpayers Amendment 4 would be a disaster to our business
thousands of dollars. community.”
—Wally Lee, president, Jacksonville Regional Chamber
Q: How would Amendment 4 affect Florida’s economy? of Commerce
A: According to a study conducted by The Washington
Economics Group (WEG), Amendment 4 will reduce Florida’s
economic output by $34 billion annually. It would severely “Amendment 4 will leave Florida in a permanent
inhibit the ability to recruit businesses and cause significant recession; resulting in increased taxes, job loss and
delays for businesses to receive approval for development reduced services. Here in Northeast Florida, NEFAR
projects. Instead of spending the time and extra legal members have been working hard to help the housing
market recover. Those efforts are starting to pay off
expenses that would be needed to permit a facility in Florida,
as we are seeing the market slowly come back. If
many businesses would probably move to another state.
Amendment 4 is enacted, our progress will not only
Q: Would Amendment 4 affect jobs? be stopped, it will be reversed and homeowners will
see their values plummet. Many local families who
A: Florida’s Agency for Workforce Innovation puts Florida’s are struggling to hold onto their homes may not be
jobless rate at 11 percent. Amendment 4 would drive it even able to bear the cost of Amendment 4.”
higher. A study by WEG says Amendment 4 will likely cost —Carol Hill, 2010 president, Northeast Florida Association of Realtors
Florida 267,247 jobs. “Amendment 4’s passage will have
potentially devastating consequences to Florida’s economy “Amendment 4 will devastate Florida’s economy. Our
at a time when the economic situation at both the state and state and county need to be in places of competitive
national levels is uncertain and at a time when attracting advantage. When companies are looking to locate or
new businesses to Florida is essential for the future recovery expand their operations in the Southeastern part of
and prosperity of the state and its residents,” says Tony the country, we need to position ourselves so we are
Villamil, a former economic advisor to Gov. Jeb Bush and at the top of any list. Amendment 4 would severely
the lead economist for WEG. hamper any effort to bring good, high quality jobs to
our area. By costing jobs and contributing to our
Q: Has this been tried anywhere else? state’s record unemployment, this ill-timed, mis-
A: Yes, the small town of St. Pete Beach implemented a local guided proposal has the capacity to crush what is left
version of Amendment 4 in 2006, and it created a chaotic and of Florida’s economic future. As Floridians struggle to make ends meet, the
unpredictable business climate. The measure hurt its econ- last thing our state needs is a proposal that will delay the creation of much-
omy and caused a proliferation of special interest lawsuits. To needed jobs.”
date, the citizens of St. Pete Beach have seen nearly a dozen —Kellie Jo Kilberg, president/CEO, Clay County Chamber of Commerce
lawsuits that have cost local taxpayers almost three-quarters
of a million dollars in legal fees. When St. Pete Beach voters “Amendment 4 will have a negative impact on
approved four pro-economy changes to their comprehensive new business opportunities for Jacksonville. The
plan in 2008, Amendment 4 lawyers sued to overturn the competition for new high-wage business is fierce.
results of the election. Nearly two years later, the people of My experience in business and chairing the JEDC
[Jacksonville Economic Development Commission]
St. Pete Beach are still defending their vote in court.
is that business can accept bad news, but it cannot
Q: Who is behind Amendment 4 and why? accept unpredictability. Our current growth
management decision process is thorough and time
A: Two lawyers created a political action committee (PAC)
consuming. Review of plan amendments takes one
and named it Florida Hometown Democracy. Supporters say to two years. A mandatory referendum will extend
that Amendment 4 will add “another layer of protection this period by up to an additional two years with an uncertain outcome.
against unwanted developments.” New businesses will not subject themselves to this protracted and
expensive uncertainty and will delete Jacksonville from their new location
Q: Who is against Amendment 4 and why?
radar. This referendum would terminally undercut Florida’s ability to
A: Citizens for Lower Taxes and a Stronger Economy, also a compete.”
PAC, is the organized effort to oppose Amendment 4. More —Robert Rhodes, attorney, Foley & Lardner, LLP
than 265 statewide businesses, labor and environmental

August 2010 * Jacksonville Magazine’s 904 61

 “As a physician, I must always consider what is “Amendment 4 would have a serious and immediate
in the best interest of my patients. Does a treat- impact that would not only keep Jacksonville from an
ment really cure the problem or does it only economic recovery but may worsen the current condi-
mask the symptoms temporarily? While there tions, setting our community back economically for
may be room for improvement in the planning years to come. It would also put Jacksonville at an
process, the economic hardships that Amend- even further disadvantage in drawing new businesses
ment 4 will bring are no cure for the challenges to the area, further putting jobs and economic
of properly managing Florida’s future growth.” expansion at risk.”
—Dr. William Rupp, CEO, Mayo Clinic —Mary Tappouni, president, Breaking Ground Contracting

organizations—including the Jacksonville Amendment 4 poses a grave Q: What are the costs associated with this
Regional Chamber of Commerce—have expressed amendment?
threat to Florida’s unique
opposition to Amendment 4. Opponents of A: Amendment 4 means higher property taxes and
quality of life, the stability of higher costs for all of Florida’s working families.
Amendment 4 say it will stifle growth and
deepen the state’s economic woes. its communities and the Under Amendment 4, local government (both
prosperity of its economy. city and county) would be required to hold expen-
Q: Supporters of Amendment 4 say it sive referenda on hundreds, and in some cases,
gives decision-making power to ordinary The Jacksonville Regional
thousands of amendments every year. Voters will
citizens—is that true? Chamber of Commerce will be asked to vote not only on big development
A: No, and this can be seen by what happened work in coordination with other projects but also on all minor or technical
in St. Pete Beach, which adopted a local version changes to their local comprehensive plan. More
of Amendment 4 in 2006. “Amendment 4 hasn’t
organizations within the commu-
elections require more tax dollars to pay for them.
empowered citizens; it’s empowered Political nity, its regional partners and
Action Committees,” says Ward Friszolowski, Citizens for Lower Taxes and a Q: Is it realistic to expect voters to approve
every change to hundreds of comprehensive
former St. Pete Beach mayor. Currently, local Stronger Economy to defeat this land-use plans?
neighborhood associations have greater influ-
ence in the development approval process, ballot initiative in 2010. The A: A review of state records shows Florida would
Chamber urges its members average more than 10,000 local referendum
resulting in multiple meetings, public hearings
items on local ballots throughout the state every
and negotiations between developers and and the community to vote year if Amendment 4 passes. That means local
neighbors. But if Amendment 4 passes, voters
“NO” on Amendment 4 on voters would be expected to vote on 150 to 200
living in other parts of the city or county will
November 2, 2010. comprehensive land-use plan amendments per
have just as much influence as those living in
year.
the neighborhood being affected. To help, contact the
Chamber at 366-6626 or visit Q: Would Amendment 4 provide benefits to
Q: When will it be on the ballot? the environment or urban planning?
A: The initiative will appear on the November 2 opportunityjacksonville.com A: No, Amendment 4 would lead to the piece-
ballot as Amendment 4. In order to pass, the to join the regional Speaker’s meal planning that promotes sprawl, not pre-
amendment needs at least 60 percent of total Bureau, Writer’s Bureau and vent it. For this reason, leading environmental
votes cast. If approved, the amendment becomes organizations such as 1,000 Friends of Florida
social media networks.
effective immediately. have raised objections. #

KNOW theLINGO
“Even though I took a couple of urban planning
courses in college, I am no more qualified to
make decisions on land use any more than a
land-use planner is qualified to make interpre-
tations on the internal revenue code. Amendment
4 is going to force untrained people into making BALLOT TITLE:
land-use decisions and voting based on the REFERENDA REQUIRED FOR
whims of special interest groups.” ADOPTION AND AMENDMENT
—Keith Johnson, CPA OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT
COMPREHENSIVE LAND USE PLANS.
BALLOT SUMMARY: Establishes that before a
local government may adopt a new comprehensive land use plan, or
“If you like the recession, you’ll love Amendment amend a comprehensive land use plan, the proposed plan or amend-
4. This amendment will cost jobs, hurt taxpayers ment shall be subject to vote of the electors of the local government
and make it more expensive to live in Florida.” by referendum, following preparation by the local planning agency,
—Mark Wilson, president, Florida Chamber of consideration by the governing body and notice. Provides definitions.
Commerce
Pd.pol.adv. Sponsored by Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce Inc., 3 Independent Drive,
Jacksonville, FL 32202 and provided in-kind to Citizens for Lower Taxes and a Stronger Economy Inc.

62 Jacksonville Magazine’s 904 * August 2010