Note on Amendments to Florida 2024 November Ballot
by Jennifer Sullivan

A quick reference to slip in your wallet:

NO on 1,2,5 and 6

YES on 3 and 4

Amendment #1 Wants to make school board elections partisan.

We recommend a NO.

This is another one of our state legislature's old try try again measures, which simply means that our "leaders" did not get what they wanted.

This makes it fishy already.

We voted no in 1998  and we should vote no again.

If you've ever taken the time to attend a school board meeting, you'd find that there is enough partisan politics at work. Signaling a party that may be in the majority to voters will most likely not get us the better candidate. What voters will get could very well be a person with a mandate to destroy public schools by whatever means that they can and being on the school board gives them that power.

The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) is a Libertarian based group with the goal of infiltrating school boards and small governments to dissolve public works of various kinds. Founders are the notorious Koch brothers.

In short, there are very worthy candidates that have been dedicated to the school system and who have done volunteer work for the schools. Candidates that perhaps teachers unions support, regardless of party affiliation. These better candidates will not be able to afford the fees, as individuals and the amount of money that a political party can throw in. Non- partisan races always cost less and given how expensive elections have become, we do ourselves and our children no favors by making a cost prohibitive situation. 

Amendment #2 Making Hunting and Fishing a constitutional right in Florida.

NO 

It's already totally legal to hunt and fish in Florida! All one needs is a license, whose nominal fee benefits the state with our Fish and Wildlife Department that performs the functions of regulating the seasons for hunting. This to preserve species that are, or could be, threatened by random hunting. This function would then have to be paid for by our taxpayer funds or maybe these jobs would be eliminated.

If it's a "right" no license would actually be required. Thus claiming this "right" could decimate species in an out of control manner. Any US citizen could come to Florida and have this "right" and Florida would just open the door for this?

We can not see real hunters and fishermen getting behind this, as they understand the rules have a reason. Overfishing is already a problem. Black bears and panthers already need protection. Make it a "right" and there is nothing standing in the way of any rules. 

Including neighborhood hunting, if you happen to live near areas where various animals live, thus endangering people out for a hike or just in their backyards!  

Amendment #3 Legalization of Recreational Marijuana

YES

Let us count the ways. First it is legal for medical use and that should tell us something. If it is beneficial for numerous ailments, how can it be harmful to adults over 21?

There are many studies showing that it is non-addicting. Sugar is the most addicting substance actually and it's freely given to children.;

A major reason is basic safety. People will and do buy this on the black market where it can be laced with fentanyl. If sold legally, it will be clean. Laws that have made this beneficial substance illegal have needlessly wrecked  so many lives with imprisonment and felony records 

Being that it is legal in at least 28 other states is just another reason that we should not be a place for possible criminality should one be traveling and we are a tourist state.

Our governor does not like the smell, but there is no smoking in public so this should not weigh in.

Amendment #4 Abortion access

YES

This simply means the safety of legal abortions performed in clean environments by trained medical personnel within the accepted time frame of 24 weeks. This is far from the false claims that babies are aborted just prior to birth or other scare and guilt tactics.

For too long women have been second class citizens, by many laws, and it is not the time to send them back to being little more than property that is subjected to a top down authority.

It should be up to the woman alone or whoever she wants advice from, not a mandate for no choice at all. 

Interestingly, the same people who want less government in our lives want to force their way into this private domain that should be protected by our Constitution and Bill of Rights. Contrary to what many people want to believe, we are not a nation under any religious doctrine. If abortions are against your religion, it is a good thing that our society doesn't want to force one on you.  

Amendment # 5 Another Exemption For Homeowners 

NO

It sounds great to get more exemptions, but you will end up paying for it somehow. Less tax revenue brings less road repair and other needed public services. Water bills will shoot  up, mileage rates higher, etc.

It just gives this impression that our legislature is cutting taxes in a big way. If you do not own the home that you live in (renter) you get nothing. This is something to keep in mind as a voter.

Amendment # 6 Public Financing for Governor or the State Cabinet 

NO

Similar to Amendment #1 in concept, this wants to repeal the public financing that we voted for. As our legislature, again, is wanting things their way, They need to understand that they are working for us and we should not have to be burdened with voting, repeatedly, for things. 

It's insulting, actually. We, Greens, feel that we need MORE publicly funded elections, not less. Our elections are the most expensive in the world, as corporations and millionaires buy our leaders and actual citizens get less and less say.

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