Expect a rolling barrage of ads and speeches by Floridians for Smarter Growth (FSG) against Amendment 4, which allows citizens, not just developers and their politicians, to control growth and protect home values. FSG can lobby against Amendment 4. However, they are entitled to their own opinion, but not their own facts, as Senator Moynihan said.
The supposed fact FSG peddles is that Amendment 4 requires popular vote on “everything.” Not true. It requires a vote only on land use changes to comprehensive plans. Amendment 4 specifically says so twice in its summary, seven times in its text. FSG bases its false claim on Supreme Court comments concerning a too broad sentence that the court deleted when it approved a more narrowly focused Amendment 4.
Floridians for Smarter Growth is a front for the over development industry that has done so much economic harm. Florida Chamber of Commerce and Associated Industries of Florida finance FSG. This is well known. What is not well known is the personal financial interest of many of those parroting the FSG falsehood. They write letters and speak before county boards in favor of pro-developer laws. Among those who rarely mention their financial connection to developers are landowners, lawyers, accountants, architects, Realtors, planners, environmental consultants, PR flacks, builders, engineers, contractors, landscapers, politicians receiving pro-developer campaign contributions, bankers and investors – plus their families and friends.
These folks are a small part of the population, but they are organized and motivated to speak loudly from the pocketbook. The rest of us would be better able to put what they say in perspective if we knew their existing or potential financial affiliation. When someone speaks against an amendment that allows residents to have a say in community growth, we should wonder what their developer connection is.
Al Forman
Palm City
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