Vote no on charter

Vote no on charter

Publication Date: 08/03/08

St. Johns County voters will decide on Aug. 26 if they want a home rule government by local charter rather than remain under a state constitution driven form of government.

Proponents of the charter say it gives the power to the people in these ways:

* Allows citizen recall of County Commissioners.

* Requires that candidates live in the respective commission district from which they seek election when they file.

* Limits campaign contributions to $250 per contributor.

* Allows three ways for proposing charter changes: citizen initiative, County Commission vote, and a Charter Review committee.

* Keeps constitutional officers -- sheriff, property appraiser, supervisor of elections, tax collector and clerk of courts -- elected independently.

A grass roots committee spent three years developing and refining the charter with community input. Committee members say that if a majority of voters favor any or all of the three separate charter amendments, the charter also could include any or all of these: nonpartisan County Commission elections, term limits on commissioners and a super majority (majority plus one) for exceeding the 35-foot height limit on coastal construction. Those amendments came from the County Commission.

Opponents see the charter as incomplete. It is often referred to by opponents as a "vanilla" charter.

They also are concerned that there is no economic analysis of the cost of changing over the government from constitutional to charter. Opponents also see the potential for more taxation, a future referendum to make the constitutional officers appointed, and the passage of charter amendments by a simple rather than a super majority, for example.

When you cut through all the verbiage, the decision comes down to this: Why now? What's the real motivation behind this charter? Why are we already amending a charter that hasn't been adopted?

We are not against the charter form of government, just this charter.

We agree with the opponents that this charter is incomplete. Vote no on the charter.

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The St. Augustine Record's endorsements for the Aug. 26 primary election will be published on the following days:

Today, St. Johns County charter referendum

Monday, Anastasia Mosquito Control District, Seat 3

Tuesday, St. Augustine Beach bond referendum

Wednesday, County Judge

Thursday, State Attorney

Friday, School Board, District 2, District 5

Saturday, St. Augustine Mayor and City Commission, Seat 2

Sunday, Aug. 10, St. Johns County Commission, District 1, District 3, District 5.

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The videos of the editorial board interviews with candidates will start on the day the editorial is published. Please go to www.staugustine.com to see the videos.

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