CPR Special Edition: Letter on Amendment 4

October 25, 2010

CPR recently received a copy of an excellent letter to Florida voters written by one of our members – a young real estate professional who cares deeply about Florida’s economic future. We share it today as a special edition and invite you to pass it along!

Fellow Floridians,

As we approach the elections of November 2^nd, 2010, Floridians are being called upon to make extremely difficult and important decisions. It is truly the most important election cycle of our lives, not only from a national standpoint, but from local aspects as well.

Amendment 4 is a proposed “Vote on Everything” initiative brought forth by a few special interest groups.  Amendment 4 is being referred to as “Florida Hometown Democracy”. Obviously, the intentionally light hearted naming of Amendment 4(Florida Hometown Democracy) is aimed towards tricking and encouraging voters into believing that it is a good proposal. Do not be fooled. It is not. It is a feel good approach to selling and implementing a deadly anti-business and anti-individual property rights agenda.

From the untrained eye it could be perceived that Amendment 4 was a conservation issue. It is not. Further, people assume the passing of Amendment 4 would only negatively affect construction or real estate professionals. This is false. It would negatively affect everyone from the brick layer, to small and large business owners, in every industry. EVERYONE WILL BE NEGATIVELY IMPACTED.

Let’s pretend you owned a corner lot gas station positioned on a busy highway or intersection. Because of current economic conditions, there wasn’t much of a market for the gas station. Profits were low, and it started to become an “eye sore” for the rest of the community. So, naturally, you started looking into alternative uses. Those uses may include, but are not limited to, a pharmacy, hotel, motel, strip center, etc…. Now, let’s say you wanted to replace the gas station, and construct one of these alternative use projects; for our purposes, a Mom and Pop small business. The problem, current comprehensive land uses do not allow for that alternate use. The construction of your new building would bring jobs and economic stimulus to an already economically challenged environment. The construction would allow you the freedom of acting in the best interests of your community. If Amendment 4 were to pass, there would be little chance this would ever get done.

After lobbying for two years to have your proposed minor comprehensive land use changes placed on the general ballot; costing you your invested time and money, you still may never be able to get what you need changed. The passing of Amendment 4 imposes socialism on private property.

This amendment is a non-partisan issue. Regardless of one’s political perspectives, the passing of Amendment 4 would be a disastrous blow to an already staggering Florida economy. Look no further than the City of St. Pete Beach. They passed a similar law only a few years ago; the citizens of St. Pete Beach are now attesting to the devastating blow of their previous actions. It has been a complete and disastrous failure. Taxes have risen, jobs have been lost, and the local economy is in a perpetual downward spiral. If you were to drive down the streets in St. Pete Beach, you would find abandoned buildings and a dead economic base. St. Pete Beach is truly a modern day ghost town.

The complexity of this issue is extremely vast. Attempting to write on all of the negative effects of Amendment 4 would literally take weeks; there are just too many angles to be covered. The passing of Amendment 4 would be nothing less than disastrous from an economic, social and cultural standpoint.

So please go to the polls and vote on November 2^nd and make sure to VOTE NO ON AMENDMENT 4!

For more information, please visit http://www.florida2010.org/

Thank you,

John Evans