Exercising Your Right isn’t as Easy as You Think
Ever gone to the voting polls and realize you don’t know what half of the amendments entail because the wording is so confusing, or you don’t know who these judges and commissioners are?! I’m hella guilty of that, and for good reason. I didn’t know what source to trust and there’s nothing in the mail, or in a TV commercial that was going to convince me that I was making a well informed decision. Whether it’s your 15th or 1st time voting, EVERYONE NEEDS TO VOTE, on or before November 6th! I voted today, and I decided I want to help. I’ll be breaking down these amendments and give you some sources so you can research the local and state reps who are running for office. Florida needs to make some serious changes, especially with the unpredictable and scary hurricanes, and the declining resources provided for public education. And if you aren’t a Florida resident, by all means, comment and let’s start a conversation and help each other out by sharing information as to where you can vote. List some helpful sources you have found as well!
Amendment 1: “Small property tax break for some owners of more expensive homes, likely higher tax rates for all or big cuts to local programs.”
Basically what this states is that if one owns million dollar home(s), and you vote yes, then you give the wealthy a tax break because they own Kardashian-sized homes. In turn, it would increase EVERYONE’S taxes and most likely cut public servant jobs, like firefighters, police officers and school teachers, ya know, the rest of the 99%. WOW, that was bias, just click on the link and form your own opinion.
Amendment 2: “Makes permanent a 10% cap on tax increases for non-homestead property.”
At first I was really confused because I’m not a property owner therefore I don’t know anything about owning property. But after some serious digging, I believe I have a grasp on it, but this source I found explained it better than me. If you vote yes then they “make permanent the 10 percent limit on increases in tax value for non-homestead property, thus reducing tax bills. Continue to deny local governments (excluding school districts) tax revenue they would otherwise collect from rising property values.” If you vote no, then they “End the practice of limiting tax increases on non-homestead property by limiting property-value increases to 10 percent. Possibly lead to higher tax bills for non-homestead property, resulting in additional revenue to local governments of about $700 million, according to the state Revenue Estimating Conference.” Phew that one was exhausting.
Amendment 3: Ensures that people, not politicians, control decisions about casino gambling in Florida. This amendment would require a constitutional amendment, through a citizen initiative only, for any new casino gambling in Florida.
I mean this one was pretty self explanatory. Vote Yes, and we the people decide whether or not we want a casino in our backyard. Vote No and you allow other people to make that choice for you.
Amendment 4: Restores the eligibility to vote to Floridians who have done their time and paid their debt – including parole, probation, and restitution. These are our family members, friends, and neighbors who have earned the opportunity to participate in and give back to their communities.
The question is, should we allow convicted felons the right to vote? I personally know a few, they’ve paid their debt to society, and I believe they should be able to exercise their right to vote, just as long as they aren’t child sex offenders or murderers, I’m totally down for voting Yes, but if you aren’t, then go ahead and circle NO <insert eye roll here>.
Amendment 5: Requires an almost impossible 2/3 legislative vote to end tax breaks for big corporations or for the state to pay for improving schools or emergency responses to weather or environmental crises. Severely restricts the ability of the state to invest in critical areas including high-quality public schools, affordable health care, modernized roads and transit, environmental protection and affordable housing, to name a few.
I mean I’m really into the state coming through with some money for roads, schools and affordable healthcare, but I decided to do a literal copy and paste straight from the source so that you all can make the call and form your own opinion.
Vote Yes and “Require that any new or increased taxes or fees be voted on in stand-alone bills. Exclude local governments from any supermajority requirements if they choose to raise taxes or fees.”
Vote No and “Allow the Legislature to continue approving increased or new taxes and fees through a simple majority vote. Allow the Legislature to continue bundling tax and fee increases with bills that include other measures.”
Amendment 6: Expands the scope of victims’ rights in our constitution and broadens the definition of victim to include corporate entities and financial offenses, and thus creates for the first time constitutional rights for corporations in our criminal justice system. Additionally, it eliminates an existing constitutional protection that ensures that the rights of the accused are not interfered with. It is bundled with raising the judicial retirement age and abolishing judicial deference to state agencies.
For the record I think these amendments need to stop being bundled together. It’s not fair and if you agree with one and not the other it puts the voter in a very sticky situation. Please click on the image so you can read a very thorough breakdown of the 3 in 1 amendment.
Amendment 7: Creates an onerous supermajority requirement for universities to impose new or increase existing student fees; enshrines in the Florida Constitution guidelines for the State College System; mandates that employers or the state pay a death benefit to first responders and members of the military killed in the line of duty.
Like I mentioned previously, the bundling is simply not fair and it’s wearing me out. This one especially really grinded my gears. As for me, I’m not ok with college raising student fees, college is expensive enough, but I am very much for public servants, such as first-responders and military family’s to be given a monetary benefit should their loved one be killed during duty. This one was a tough one to vote on, but unfortunately you have to pick yes or no.
I have no idea as to why, but apparently the Florida Supreme Court took away Amendment 8. Did anyone know what it was about? If so, holler at me. I’d like to know the deets!
Amendment 9: Protects Florida’s world famous coastline and beaches by prohibiting oil drilling in Florida’s state waters. Also, protects indoor air quality by including tobacco vaping in the existing prohibition of tobacco smoking in enclosed indoor workplaces.
Another self-explanatory Amendment. Do you support or not support off shore drilling? Are you disturbed when you see pictures of dead sea life floating atop the ocean water covered in oil? Do you enjoy clean Florida beaches? Do you vacation here because you love going to the beach? If you answer is YES to the last 3 questions, then your vote is YES! Oh and if you vote yes then you also have to agree that vaping while you work inside an office should be banned. ENOUGH WITH THE BUNDLING!!!!!!
Bundles multiple subjects together, but most notably this amendment would force all Florida counties to elect the positions of sheriff, tax collector, property appraiser, supervisor of elections and clerk of courts, even if their local charters as approved by local citizens and policy-makers have chosen not to.
This Amendment is like a college final. A 4 part question, and you only can give one answer. What a rip! You guys I’m getting really exhausting. Please just click on the image and give yourself some time to really soak it all in.
Bundles multiple subjects together: repeals a nearly century-old, discriminatory provision that allowed the Florida legislature to restrict the property rights of non-citizens; allows for criminal justice reforms to apply retroactively, thus allowing for ameliorative sentencing reforms to apply to incarcerated individuals serving lengthy sentences that the legislature determines are not warranted; deletes obsolete language.
Click the link! Get to reading!
Helps end the revolving door between public officials and lobbying firms by expanding from two to six years the time that many public officials would have to wait before they could lobby state government.
Lobbyist need to quit controlling our politicians, but you know the drill, click and read!
Bans wagering on all types of dog racing, notably greyhound racing, to be phased in effective Dec. 31, 2020. Passage of this amendment would allow dog tracks to continue offering other types of gambling.
I mean seriously if you vote NO, you are a rotten human being. Dogs needs to loved on and cuddled, not used for capital gain. Don’t be a dick!
So as you all can see/read this is a lot to know. I for one, was exhausted after reading up on it all. But it’s important and important things take time. Also, please peep the Tampa Bay times article link below so you know your local electees (I have no clue if thats a word but I just totally made that up)!
Happy Voting! Ya Girl,