Florida NOW says No to 11 Amendments

Post date: Sep 18, 2012 8:09:43 PM

Florida State NOW, after studied review and consideration, voted unanimously to urge a NO vote on the 11 amendments to Florida's Constitution that are on the November Ballot.

"Seven of the eleven amendments have to do with tax and budget issues," said Donna Slutiak, the state president. "Our State Constitution is not the place to address tax and budget policy. Proposals to assist veterans and the surviving spouses of first responders are laudable and the Florida legislature should pass laws to provide support."

While encouraging a NO vote on all of the amendments, of particular concern are amendments 3, 6, and 8.

The titles of these amendments are very deceptive. Amendment 3 entitled "state revenue limitation" is similar to Colorado's Tax Payer Bill of Rights (TABOR) a failed experiment that resulted in massive cuts to education, healthcare and the construction of roads, among other services.

Amendment 6 allows politicians in Tallahassee to intrude into women’s personal medical decisions.

"Amendment 8 is entitled 'Religious Freedom' when it actually allows religious groups and institutions that do not pay taxes to receive tax dollars with no oversight or accountability" said Slutiak.

Remember that it is critical to vote the whole ballot, and vote NO on each amendment! Skipping amendments because they are lengthy or confusing is the same as a YES vote - the 60 percent threshold needed for an amendment to pass is based on the number of votes cast on that amendment.

(This article is extracted from the Florida NOW Press Release.)