September 18, 2007
Tomorrow John Thrasher, co-chair of Save Our Constitution, Inc. will debate Ross Burnaman, co-founder of Hometown Democracy at the Silver Slipper luncheon for the Capital Tiger Bay Club. Below is the official press notice. Please join me to show the business community’s support for defeating Hometown Democracy. The cost is $25.00 (cash or check made payable to “Capital Tiger Bay Club”) per person. You have to be a “guest” of a member and so you can use my name as the member. Plan on getting there early as I suspect this might be standing room only!
Media Advisory
September 18, 2007
Elizabeth Hirst,
850-222-3767
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The battle lines will be drawn over the proposed Hometown Democracy amendment, scheduled for debate at the next Capital Tiger Bay Club meeting.
Opposing the amendment will be former Florida Speaker of the House John Thrasher, co-chair of Save our Constitution. Save our Constitution (SOC) is a statewide campaign focused on providing Floridians a legal avenue to change their mind and “revoke” their Hometown Democracy petition signature if they wish, once they know more about an initiative.
The Save Our Constitution campaign is utilizing a new law signed this summer by Governor Crist. It allows signers of a petition, a timeframe of 150 days to sign a second petition which notifies the Supervisor of Election they want their petition signature revoked.
Thrasher will debate Ross Burnaman, co-founder of the proposed amendment, which would require a local public vote on all comprehensive land-use changes. Elected officials would no longer be held accountable for planning decisions. Instead, it would shift this complex burden to a few voters.
“While this amendment may sound All-American on the surface, it is poorly thought out and entirely impractical. If passed, it would force an election on any proposed changes to a local government’s comprehensive plan, no matter the size,” said Thrasher. “It would provide politicians with a forum to blame local voters for excessive growth, traffic, congestion, and other bad land use decisions.”
Opponents of the 2008 ballot initiative say it is an effort to stop all growth in Florida by over-zealous environmental extremists. It would imperil the state’s future business and economic growth and strip Florida citizens of their much-cherished individual private-property rights.
“We have heard that a number of people feel they signed a petition in support of Hometown Democracy under false pretense, without fully understanding the consequences of this deceivingly-titled amendment. We intend to provide Floridians with the full facts and then it will be up to the individual to decide whether their signature will remain or be withdrawn,” said Barney Bishop, president/CEO of Associated Industries and Chairman of SOC.
Details of the debate are as follows:
| Who: | Capital Tiger Bay Club John Thrasher, co-chair, Save our Constitution Ross Burnaman, co-founder, Hometown Democracy committee |
| What: | Debate - Hometown Democracy Proposed Amendment |
| When: | 11:45 a.m. Wednesday, September 19, 2007 |
| Where: | The Silver Slipper Restaurant 531 Silver Slipper Lane Tallahassee |
Paid political advertisement paid for by Save Our Constitution, Inc.
5730 Corporate Way, Suite 214, West Palm Beach, FL 33407
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