Thursday, November 02, 2006

The Maze of Amendments

Local Referendum:
1/2 cent Sales Tax for indigent health care: (This will make Leon County the highest sales tax county in the state, children are not qualified, there is no provision for eliminating the tax if no one signs up, only about 8,000 will qualify, lasts for 15 years)
I vote "NO"
[If you want to give to indigent health care write a check to TMH for 0.5% of your income]

Amendments:
Most Amendments should not even be on the ballot. It should not be so easy to amend the Florida constitution. The State Legislature should handle most of these issues. Most amendments are on the ballot because they couldn't make it through congress. Voters for some odd reason almost always vote yes on amendments which is why we get "pregnant pig" and "bullet train" amendments passed.
For these reasons I vote "NO" on almost all amendments.

NO.1
Changes budget procedures to limit use of nonrecurring revenue. (I agree with the basics of this very complex amendment. If an average person with a Masters Degree can't understand it don't vote for it. This should definitely be in the legislature not an amendment)
I'm voting "NO"

NO. 3
Makes it more difficult to pass amendments [by 60% instead of 50%] (Since I think it is too easy to pass amendments ....)
I'm voting "Yes"

NO. 4
Dedicates $57 mill and more each year to anti-tobacco campaigns (I, like most people, am against kids [and adults] smoking but this should be legislated. That money will come from what now goes to the general budget, and in my opinion is much too much $)
I'm voting "NO"

NO. 6
Increased Homestead Exemption for low-income seniors. (everybody wants to help out low-income seniors [although even wealthy seniors tend to have low "incomes"] but this should be legislated not amended)
I'm voting "NO"

NO. 7
Gives homestead tax break for disabled veterans. (I am all for giving tax breaks to disabled veterans, however this should be legislated not amended)
I'm voting "NO"

NO. 8
Bars eminent domain [government forcibly buying property] for private purposes. i.e. Leon county can't force you to sell your house because they want a Walmart [which earns more taxes] built there instead. (Because this is private citizens rights issue not likely to ever be legislated since it takes power away from the state and local governments...)
I'm voting "Yes"

fin


2 comments:

Beaux Avery said...

Hey Spencer. How is it going? I like your take on the issues. I agree with you on most of them. It is very cool that you put in the time (much less blogged about it.) I am a political junkie myself. Where did you go for your research on the Judges? Do you typically vote Republican? Just curious.

beauxavery@gmail.com
www.beauxavery.blogspot.com

Spencer said...

Beaux, Thanks, I'm glad you found the blog useful. I am a political conservative and since republicans tend to be more conservative than democrats, I tend to vote republican. I tried to hyperlink most of my references. I got most of my research off the web although I did listen and watch debates on radio and TV.