Hometown Democracy amendment burdened by technicalities

Editor,

The recent article regarding the court’s rejection of a lawsuit by the backers of the Hometown Democracy amendment is just another example of the times in which we live. The amendment itself is a valiant attempt to pry the hands of developers off the State of Florida’s ever-decreasing land and resources. As a believer in the goals of the amendment, I am sorry that it will not appear on this year’s ballot.

The “not so funny” aspect was that the judge rejected the lawsuit because it did not name the 67 Florida supervisors of elections, who are presumably responsible for verifying petition signatures. Either the legal counsel for the proponents of the amendment didn’t do their homework, or the counsel for the opponents paid attention in law school – or is there something more subtle going on?

In any case, the only real winners turned out to be the legal people themselves. Both sides probably paid large sums of money to their lawyers involved in the battle, and I dare to say that the opponents (developers and business interests) could more easily afford the costs.

There will most likely be other legal actions filed that will, in turn, add to the incomes of the lawyers on both sides. Our litigation-oriented society has become one in which the usual “true winners” are not those of us fighting for what is right, but those who serve as the “mercenaries” in the struggle.

Charles (Roger) Hardin
Melbourne Beach Properties Inc.
Melbourne Beach

Editor’s note: The Florida Association of Realtors opposes the Hometown Democracy amendment believing it would dramatically raise election costs and put hundreds of referendums before voters in a single election. In would make it more difficult to build roads and infrastructure, and passage of the amendment could hamper efforts to build affordable housing.

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