Opportunities for Action & New Polling on Amendment 4!

CPR is pleased to share several opportunities for action…PLUS New Polling on Amendment 4!

ST. JOHNS COUNTY – CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE:

Show support for property owners Donna & Scott Wendler by attending a public hearing regarding their “Bert Harris Act” petition to the City of St. Augustine. The Commission meeting is tonight – Monday, October 25, 2010 at 5 p.m. at St. Augustine City Hall (75 King Street, Alcazar Room, St. Augustine).  This case is the perfect example of small business owners having their dreams trampled by government officials unconcerned with the economic consequences of their decisions. During the past decade, city officials have approved numerous positive redevelopment projects in its downtown corridor (and is supporting other current projects)…but for some inexplicable reason they denied the Wendler family the ability to pursue their American Dream. The Wendlers have owned property in the downtown district for some time, including a downtown art gallery. They were seeking to create a charming and historically-appropriate boutique hotel along a blighted corridor as you enter the downtown district. The entire city is preparing for a huge 450^th anniversary celebration. The Wendlers offered the existing, deteriorating structures on their properties for free to anyone who felt these buildings were historic and who would move them. The Wendlers even offered to move 3 of the arguably-historic structures at their own cost, if anyone would take them. No individual or historic preservation organization wanted these buildings. The City still denied the Wendlers’ application to use their land to pursue their dream. The Wendlers’ are now petitioning for economic damages resulting from the City’s decision under Florida’s Bert J. Harris, Jr. Private Property Rights Protection Act.

SEMINOLE COUNTY – CITY OF WINTER SPRINGS:

A property owner is seeking public support for their “Town Park” application to construct a quality seniors housing community in the Winter Springs Town Center contiguous to the Florida Trail bridge crossover on 434.  NIMBY neighbors are opposing this owner’s rights to use their land – even after the owner agreed to amend the application to reduce the number of proposed units by almost half and to create seniors-only housing. Show your support for private property rights and support for much-needed capital investment and jobs by attending tonight’s Winter Springs City Commission meeting this evening at 5 p.m. (City Hall – 1126 E. State Road 434, Winter Springs). If you have any questions, please call Jeff Morgan at 407-578-0177or via email jmorgan@cpgconstruction.com.

STATEWIDE:

If you have not yet personally communicated to the friends, family members and business contacts your e-rolodex on the issue of Amendment 4 – NOW is the time to do so!

Early voting has already begun.  Help educate voters on the threat posed by Amendment 4 by sending a simple email message out to your personal and professional e-contacts.  You can use CPR’s “4 Fast Facts About Amendment 4” (available at http://www.proprights.com/) or any of the terrific videos or materials available via the official “NO on 4” Campaign website http://www.florida2010.org/.

NEW POLLING ON AMENDMENT 4:  ZOGBY POLL RELEASED TODAY!

A Zogby poll released today shows our collective statewide education effort is working! There is dwindling support for this ill-conceived amendment among likely voters. The Zogby poll indicates the level of voter support for Amendment 4 has dropped to 37.7%, with 41.8% now opposing, and 20.5% undecided. This is a drop of more than 10 pts. from September polling! Proponents of Amendment 4 must garner 60% of the statewide vote for the measure to pass.)

Let’s make certain voters know exactly what the impact of Amendment 4 will be on property rights and Florida’s economy. We each have a role to play in the final stretch!

Reader responses welcomed! carolsaviak@aol.com