Overshadowed by ballot initiatives to expand abortion access and legalize recreational marijuana , four more proposed constitutional amendments are flying under the radar with voters, the News Service of Florida reported .
Why it matters: The topics range from school board elections to campaign finance to property taxes — important issues that deserve our attention.
- All were placed on the ballot by the Florida Legislature. The abortion and weed measures got there via citizen initiatives.
Here's a rundown.
Amendment 1 : Partisan Election of Members of District School Boards
- School board races have gotten more partisan in recent years. A vote for this proposal would enshrine that shift in the state constitution.
- School board candidates would be required to run in partisan elections, meaning they would have to disclose their political affiliation on ballots.
- It has support among the GOP and was placed on the ballot by Republicans in the Florida Legislature.
- Democratic lawmakers opposed it, per the Tampa Bay Times . It's also opposed by the Florida Education Association , the statewide teachers' union.
Amendment 2 : Right to Fish and Hunt
- This measure would preserve the right to fish and hunt "including by the use of traditional methods." It would also make hunting and fishing the "preferred means" of managing wildlife.
- There are no bans on hunting or fishing in Florida on the books or on the table; this proposal is preemptive, seeking to stop such restrictions from happening in the future.
- Nearly every member of the Florida Legislature voted to place the measure on the ballot.
- Animal rights and some environmental groups oppose it, saying the "traditional methods" wording could lead to practices that are cruel to animals, the Florida Phoenix reported .
Amendment 5 : Annual Adjustments to the Value of Certain Homestead Exemptions
- This is, at its core, a tax break — although not much of one, a University of Tampa economist told WFLA : the average owner would save $7 in the first year and $40 by 2030.
- A "yes" vote would require that one of Florida's two $25,000 property tax breaks on your permanent residence, known as homestead exemptions, undergo adjustments based on inflation.
- The proposal was approved by the Legislature mostly along party lines, per the Times.
- Opponents say the change would be a hit to local governments that rely on funding from property taxes and would shift the tax burden to non-homeowners, per the Phoenix .
Amendment 6 : Repeal of Public Campaign Financing Requirement
- This measure would nix a program that allows candidates running for governor, attorney general, commissioner of agriculture and chief financial officer to use public money in their campaigns.
- The program has sent more than $33 million of taxpayer funding to political campaigns since 2010, the Miami Herald reported . Recipients must agree to audits and spending limits, per the Times.
- It's supported by legislative Republicans, who say it's an inappropriate use of public funds.
- Opponents say it could discourage people from seeking those offices and grant corporations and wealthy donors more influence in races, per the Herald.
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