JMI Policy Director Robert Sanchez quoted on the defeat of Amendment 4 in Heartland Institute’s Out of the Storm News article “Florida’s Voters Reject ‘Hometown Democracy’ Measure” by Steve Stanek.Excerpt:
. . . “The ultimate result was a collective sigh of relief from Florida’s business community,” said Robert F. Sanchez, policy director at the James Madison Institute in Tallahassee, Florida.Sanchez said thousands of Florida businesses and people who rely on them for jobs “felt the effects of the nationwide recession and didn’t want this amendment delaying the recovery when it finally occurs.”. . . Proponents pitched the measure as a way to counter the political influence they allege developers have over Florida’s city and county officials. . .The business community countered that the amendment would damage Florida’s business climate and cost the state jobs in the midst of a recession and in the future. . .. . .