http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wfsu/local-wfsu-933062.mp3
Tallahassee, FL – Amendment 4, the so called "Hometown Democracy" amendment saw defeat on election night. Trimmel Gomes reports the amendment would have required local votes before changes to local comprehensive growth plans, and opponents are now saying voters realized the devil was in the details.
The Vote No on 4 Campaign was led by Ryan Houck, who said his victory simply came down to letting voters know all about the unintended consequences of the amendment.
"Voters are not the least bit interested in passing an amendment that would hold an entire sector of Florida's Economy hostage," he said. "We don't want to pour sand in our state business engine, we want to keep Florida going, we want to attract jobs, we want to diversify our economy and rejecting Amendment 4 is the first step to getting our economy back on track."
The Yes on 4 campaign' issued a statement saying that despite their disappointment, they respect the voters judgment at the ballot box. Leslie Blackner, the president of Florida Hometown Democracy, says this marks the end of the movement and it's now up to the state's elected leaders and residents to find answers to sprawl and overbuilding in the state.