Hometown Democracy - The Political Consultant Relief Act of 2010
Amendment 4 is better known as “Hometown Democracy” and might be the fight of the year. Placed on the ballot by petition, it says voters should have final say over amendments to city and county “comprehensive plans,” which control growth. - St. Pete Times
This should NOT be named “Hometown Democracy”. It should be named the “The Political Consultant Relief Act of 2010.”
Let’s set aside the fact that this proposed amendment is awful public policy.
If it were to pass, political consultants like Ozean will rejoice in the streets. You haven’t been witness to the sheer joy sure to come. You see, these do-gooders are providing the political consulting industry a bail-out package that will make the auto industry green with envy. Each proposed comp plan amendment must be taken to the voters? REALLY? AWESOME!
Political consultants will be forced to take hundreds of hours of testimony on congruency, traffic counts, proportionate fair-share, density levels, zoning classifications, and other EXCITING topics and boil them down to :30 second television commercials, direct mail pieces, website, and occasional radio spots. Political Consultants will be hired to help convince a public, that often can’t bring themselves to the polls, to vote for or against a proposed change in the comp plan. THAT WILL BE FUN……and expensive.
You love political ads? Then PLEASE, vote for the Political Consultant Relief Act of 2010. PLEASE vote for our bail out. My children will thank you.
I do think that the people of Florida are starting to realize how bad this amendment is for Florida, and will vote it down. However, if amendment 4 does pass, Ozean Consulting is poised for rapid expansion!
P.S. the ironic nature of this situation : the potential opportunity of tons of business being provided by do-gooders is not lost on us.
Ozean Media is an award-winning web design firm.
May 30th, 2010 at 6:55 pm
This guy sounds like a “political consultant” As the largest donor to Florida Hometown Democracy I can say that he has appropriately nick-named the effort because it obviously threatens his occupation.
His comments lend even more credence as to why Florida Hometown Democracy must pass. People like this writer do not like it when the public becomes empowered which is in effect the basis of how this country was formed. I suggest the writer, who seems to be anonymous for some reason, move to a country that would accomodate his likings and leave the United States of America as is where We The PEople are in charge, not cronies like this writer. I will be contributing even MORE money to assure this effort succeeds. I earned my money the hard way and this writer obviously has no such ambition preferring some short cut depending on who he is which, again is anonymous. Only cowards hide who they are.
May 30th, 2010 at 7:04 pm
Dear Dr. Rosen,
1) did you even read the post? OF COURSE I am a political consultant.
2) My name is Alex Patton. I am the owner of ozeanconsulting.com The political consulting company linked to in the article. My name is all over this blog.
3) You are going to make me RICH! I don’t want a short cut (I started my businesses out of a spare bedroom and toiled for years), but you are giving me a short cut. Amendment 4 does not threaten my occupation, it is a bail out for political consultants. I thank you.
Thanks for commenting.
May 30th, 2010 at 7:18 pm
Amendment 4 will finally protect Floridians from those who have made horrendous decisions that have affected our communities, our homes and our taxes. The voters will have the final say. If that makes you rich, then you are dreaming. However this amendment will put honesty back into the equation. I don’t think that you understand the amendment at all.
May 30th, 2010 at 7:25 pm
Lynn, I think you do not understand the amendment.
it says voters should have final say over amendments to city and county “comprehensive plans,” which control growth. - st. Pete times
This means that campaigns will need to be launched to inform voters. This is what I do. This is what political consultants do. This costs money. I charge for my services. This amendment creates political campaigns. I make money. The more campaigns, the more money. The more money, I get rich.
THIS IS AWESOME.
It is awful public policy, but if it does pass, my kids goto private colleges of their choice. I can’t lose. If it fails, I and Florida are spared the awful public policy. If it passes, I make buckets of money.
Thank you.
-Alex Patton, political consultant http://www.ozeanconsulting.com
May 30th, 2010 at 7:55 pm
Mr. Patten,
If you make money from this I would like some proof, and if you are making this money consulting county Commissioners BEFORE they make the mistake of approving increasing densities in developers projects, and Commissioners and developers actually listen to you, and don’t….then you would be earning your fee.
If not…then you are insulting, (not consulting) voters intelligence. A4 will win, that’s what the opposition is so worried about.
Joe Florio
May 30th, 2010 at 8:03 pm
Thanks for the comment Mr. Florio.
My name is Alex Patton. not Patten. I am the owner of ozeanconsulting.com, a political consulting firm.
You don’t understand my point. My point is that is A4 passes, EVERYTHING becomes a campaign - whether you are FOR or AGAINST the proposed change to the comp plan. EITHER way, political consultants get RICH.
You see, right now, I am not hired to argue comp plan amendments. Lawyers, Planners, and Engineers are.
But you are setting up a system that is the following:
Vote YES - hire a political consultant.
Vote NO - hire a political consultant.
Either way, hire us, we win, we make money. we get rich. thank you.
May 30th, 2010 at 8:40 pm
Mr ? Patton, I believe that you know EXACTLY what Amendment 4 will do for the taxpayers of Florida. And I believe that consultants like you feel threatened by a system that will no longer be a pay to play nightmare. Only projects that do not comply with a communities Comprehensive Plan will be subject to the approval of the voters. And why not ? Development does not pay for itself. Taxpayers should have the right to approve projects before they are forced to pay for them.So, if a city Commission votes no on a project- no project. If a city Commission votes yes on a project-then the voters get a veto. Don’t be lazy, Patton! Right now you only have to razzle dazzle a select Commissioner or two. When Amendment 4 passes, your magic will actually have to have a worthwhile project in back of it to work.
May 30th, 2010 at 8:41 pm
Alex,
It’s clear that you are self-absorbed. OK, so you write an anti-Amendment 4 piece. Then when people respond to it, you want to get into it with each one of them. You want to have a personal battle with each one of the Amendment 4 supporters. That’s usually not what bloggers do (write incendiary pieces in the hopes that someone will respond so they can fight with commenters).
I can understand why you’re worried about Amendment 4 passing (Mason Dixon poll two weeks ago showed that even with the millions being spent by developers, the public would pass it if the election were held today). It will force developers to build according to existing growth plans instead of changing them and making them less effective. In spite of your attempts to get off on having personal battles about ballot items, I do really hope that you get some clients some day. I’m sure you probably do have some talent.
You know how it goes, people that have to tell everyone who they are (and spell out their name for everyone) and how much they’ve achieved and how big and important their business really is, are usually struggling with esteem/recognition issues. I hope that’s not the case with you.
In case you haven’t realized it yet, we the regular citizens are voting for Amendment 4. I can’t wait to see your blog after Nov 2nd. Tee-hee
May 30th, 2010 at 8:53 pm
@ Mcgiveron
Taxpayers should have the right to approve projects before they are forced to pay for them.
I agree. Pay us to communicate the message. Pro or con. Just pay me.
@Niemann - “It’s clear that you are self-absorbed.”
I have not made anything personal, I have gone out of my way to be nice.
You, on the other hand, want to pick a fight.
here are some facts,
I am not worried about amendment 4. if your side wins, I make a ton of money.
I am not worried about amendment 4. if your side loses, I am spared the awful public policy you promote.
Either way, I win. In fact, I hope you win. I get rich.
“I’m sure you probably do have some talent.” I could not agree with you more. I do have some talent. Talent that people will hire. They will hire me to craft a message and campaign FOR or AGAINST a proposed comp plan amendment. The point is …… political consultants win. The public loses.
“In case you haven’t realized it yet, we the regular citizens are voting for Amendment 4. I can’t wait to see your blog after Nov 2nd. Tee-hee” Here is what is will be : if you win “I AM RICH” if you lose: “THANK GAWD, WE WERE SAVED FROM THIS AWFUL PUBLIC POLICY”
-Alex Patton, political consultant. http://www.ozeanconsulting.com
May 30th, 2010 at 8:59 pm
The funny thing is I AM NOT THREATENED at all by amendment 4. I think it is AWFUL public polity, but if it does pass, me and all my political consulting friends make a ton of money. How is that a threat? I win.
BTW- my political consulting friends are NOT happy about this blog post.
May 31st, 2010 at 5:54 am
alex, you won’t make money off of governments that are against the people’s right to challenge their horrible decisions. that is against the law now. They can not cmapaign for or against anything that is on a ballot. I suggest that you change your profession and be a consultant to the PEOPLE, you know, the ones who actualy pay the taxes here. Stop being such a smuck for greed. that’s the thing that amendment 4 will stop.
May 31st, 2010 at 5:55 am
Oh-and visit Lynn’s blog above. She says it better than anyone on Amendment 4
May 31st, 2010 at 7:10 am
Gwen, thank you for commenting and calling me a name.
What you fail to understand or maybe you do understand, but you are just not acknowledging it, is that I will make money EITHER way.
The developers will hire me OR some citizen’s group will hire me to combat the developers OR another set of developers will hire me to combat the first set of developers.
Anyway you cut this, your proposed amendment makes political consultants (the smucks that we are) silly rich.
You should admit this as you wrap yourself in the do-gooder flag while attempting to ram this awful piece of public policy down Florida’s throats.
Amendment 4 will NOT stop greed, Amendment 4 promotes greed, and you know it. Again, if you win, political consultants around the state of Florida will rejoice and I will come back to this blog and thank each and every one of you.
May 31st, 2010 at 7:45 am
Alex-I am very passionate about this Amendment. I have written over 200 blogs on the subject and why we need it. There are so many lies being dissiminated out there by the opponents who feel they have everything to lose by giving the vote back to the people rather than their elected officials. I understand where they are coming from. But this should be about the welfare of Florida, not greasing the palms of developers, etc. Look what they have done to our State? Even our State Panther is nearly extinct because of bad development and growth. As a long time resident of Florida, it really is time that the people have a say. We can do it better. We have over 100 million units already approved for development. Why can’t developers ever be satisfied. Instead, they would rather asphalt and pave over our entire State. We don’t want that and why would anyone? Getting a supermajority of this vote will be what’s awesome.
May 31st, 2010 at 10:31 am
Well it takes all kinds doesn’t it?
We plan to give ourselves a seat at the table. Whether you like it or not. We the People are taking our rightful place in Florida government.
May 31st, 2010 at 10:52 am
Alex -
This terrible flaw in Amendment 4 has been ignored in the media! Kudos to you for “uncovering” it. Amendment 4 is simply a stimulus package for campaign consultants. When confronted on this apparent flaw, Amendment 4 proponents simply regurgitate the same silly rhetoric being pumped out of their campaign.
To Amendment 4 Supporters -
Think about this one for a minute. Don’t react emotionally, don’t lapse into your Talking Points … just think about it. Your measure requires a referenda on any change to a comprehensive plan. Each of these plan amendments will be condensed into 30-second TV commercials or 60-second radio spots. Special Interest groups on both sides of the issue will hire CAMPAIGN CONSULTANTS to sell their viewpoint to voters. It’s that simple. The side-effect: those with the best campaign consultants and the deepest pockets are likely to prevail.
- Jason
May 31st, 2010 at 11:50 am
“We the People are taking our rightful place in Florida government.”
Awesome! I take checks or major credit cards. No cash please.
May 31st, 2010 at 11:52 am
I think that Alex should re-name his blog to “Alex wants to fight everyone on a subject he feels passionate about”. What kind of a blog is that???Usually what happens on a blog is that the writer puts their idea out there and then others comment. It’s ususally not that the writer has to comment on what every commenter has to say. That can get very boring (even though it may boost the ego of the writer for a little while). I’ve never seen one like this where Alex is just sitting there waiting for the next comment to come in so he can go after it.
Better yet, lets call this one, “Alex’s Argu-Blog”
The marketing slogan will be, “if you feel like arguing with a blogger, then log in and Argu-Blog.
Alex, I hate to tell you this but I don’t think this concept of Argu-Blogging is going to take off any time soon.
May 31st, 2010 at 2:10 pm
Mr. Patton is absolutely correct. Hometown Democracy does ensure that nearly every development or growth issue goes before local voters, ensuring that special interest then get involved by creating PACs, hiring political consultants, etc. The process will become awash in special interest money.
And, Jason is correct in that these important issues will get reduced to 30 second sound bites.
The political process is already awash in sound bites and special interest money. Hometown Democracy does nothing but add more of that.
June 1st, 2010 at 4:01 am
George, it is clear you do not want to talk about the merits of any argument. Instead, you jump on any blog that does not agree with you and just start throwing out insults. I promise you that I can go insult for insult with you, but instead, I am just going to point out that you have offered nothing to argue against my point.
It is most likely because you know I am right. Have a good day, and I look forward to your insults.
June 1st, 2010 at 7:25 am
So, let me get this straight. It’s OK for land use attorneys and land use consultants like Glatting Jackson to make money off of the comprehesive plan process but not political consultants?
I thought you all were worried about job loss.
For years our local governments have had the threat of Burt Harris lawsuits dangled over their heads the minute they they even try and talk about whether or not a proposed land use change is necessary.
Under Amendment 4, voters will decide whether or not they agree that the land use decisions approved by their local officials are in their community’s best interest -whether they are willing to pay for those changes through increased property taxes and more strain on existing services.
This is just another scare tactic being thrown out to try and divert the attention away from the real issue which is why the current power structure is so afraid to let people have the final say on how their communities grow.
It’s just another threat, like the bogus Burt Harris clamims and is intended to intimidate people into voting against an amendment that will empower them.