eLauderhill News Recommends . . Candidates, Florida Constitution Amendments & Broward Charter Changes

In the Nov. 2 General Elections, voters will be faced with a very long ballot. Early voting begins Oct. 18.

Rather than give a detail of every race, and recommendation, eLauderhill News is providing recommendations only in the following races (those running against a write-in are not included since it is commonly accepted that the named candidate has already won):

US Senate - Charlie Crist - NPA
Florida Governor - Alex Sink - Dem
Attorney General - Dan Gelber - Dem
Commissioner of Agriculture - Scott Maddox - Dem
State Senator District 32 - Jeremy Ring - Dem
State Representative District 96 - Ari Porth Dem
County Court Judge Group 1 - John D. Fry
County Court Judge Group 26 - F.J. McLawrence
Lauderhill City Commission Seat 2 - Joel Leshinsky
Lauderhill City Commission Seat 3 - M. Margaret Bates

FLORIDA CONSTITUTION AMENDMENTS


Amendment #1 - Repeal of Public Campaign Financing requirements - NO.

Amendment #2 - Homestead ad valorem tax credit for deployed military personnel -YES

Amendment #4 - Referenda required for adoption and amendment of local government comprehensive land use plans - NO. In Broward County alone it would virtual stop all future land use changes even when wanted by the public, and it is feared the public would pay for the ballot initiatives in their city and county-wide.

Amendment #5 - Standards for Legislature to follow in legislative redistricting -YES

Amendment #6 - Standards for Legislature to follow in congressional redistricting - YES

Amendment #8 - Revision of the class size requirements for public schools - YES

Referendum - A Non Binding Referendum calling for an Amendment to the US Constitution to require a balanced federal budget without raising taxes - NO. Not because we don't agree with the concept, on the contrary. However, the language on the ballot is not the same as the explanation, and therefore is believed misleading.

BROWARD COUNTY CHARTER REFERENDUMS:

#1 Charter Review Commission and Management and Efficiency Study Commission should meet every 10 years instead of 6 years - NO. Though it costs more, the public needs to be able to make changes to their government through such procedures more often.

#2 County Ethics Code shall control over Municipal Ethic Codes - No. Not because there shouldn't be a Municipal Ethic Code, but that the Charter Review Commission made changes that were written specifically for the County, and not Municipalities. Instead the same independent board of residents should create such a Code and not the County Commissioners who were resistant to create a code of their own.

#3 Broward County Constitituional Officers to be subject to the Broward County Code of Ethics - Yes.

#4 Establish a Charter Officer of Inspector General to investigate county and municipal misconduct and gross mismangement - Yes. However it should have been a Constitutional Officer.

#5 To send direction to the Legislature that Broward County Residents want the County to be able to show on the tax bill the share of property taxes that is attributable to Constitutional Officers - Yes.