TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – In the last three decades, voters have saved themselves billions in property taxes, limited how long politicians can stay in office and improved overall health through constitutional amendments, but a yes on Amendment Four on November’s ballot could mark the end of citizen amendments.
In 1992, voters approved Save Our Homes, which caps tax increases at 3 percent on homesteads and saves homeowners about $5 billion a year.
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“Voters have taken matters into their own hands when the politicians have decided that it’s an issue they don’t want to take on, or they oppose,” political strategist John Sowinski said.
Voters have also approved approved citizen initiatives that include term limits, stopping workplace smoking, limiting class sizes, drawing legislative districts fairly, conserving water and land, medical marijuana and giving nonviolent felons the right to vote again.
But any future amendments could be be stifled by Amendment Four on November’s ballot. The amendment would require voters to approve amendments twice, two years apart, before they become law.
“Its pure objective is to eliminate the process," Sowinski said. “To make it totally impractical and implausible for citizen groups to gather signatures to place an issue on the ballot.”
More than $9 million has already gone into getting Amendment Four on the ballot, but exactly who supplied that funding is unclear, with money changing hands between multiple political committees.
“We don’t know a lot about them. And frankly, they need to be transparent as to exactly who they are,” Patricia Brigham, president of the League of Women Voters of Florida, said.
On Thursday, Florida TaxWatch recommended a yes vote.
“So having it go before the voters twice is saying, are your sure? And if you are, then we’ll actually amend our organic law,” said Dominic Calabro, president of the watchdog organization.
Nevada is the only state that requires a do-over, but it’s only for citizen initiatives. Florida’s version would apply to all amendments.