Haridopolos Opines on Supreme Court Taking 3 Amendments off November Ballot

Incoming Senate President Mike Haridopolos, R-Merritt Island, offered his take on the Florida Supreme Court ruling on Tuesday that three proposed amendments forwarded by the Legislature to the November ballot would be removed.

I am both disappointed and stunned by the decision of the Florida Supreme Court regarding Amendments 3, 7 and 9, said Haridopolos. It is a sad day when more than 60 percent of the elected representatives of the people of the state of Florida cant get ballot measures approved by the court, but special interest groups can.

Amendment 3 clearly and unmistakably would have allowed first-time home buyers a property tax break, continued Haridopolos.The words first time are actually used in the summary that voters would see.Florida voters are educated voters. There would be no voter confusion and now there will be no property tax breaks.

Amendment 7 was put on by the Legislature to correct Amendments 5 and 6, said Haridopolos, on a redistricting measure set up as an option against proposals backed by FairDistrictsFlorida. Special interest groups have spent millions of dollars to put Amendments 5 and 6 on the ballot, and yet after a week of public testimony not one person could explain what they mean. Amendments 5 and 6 require both compact and prohibit favoring or disfavoring a political party. Doing both in a state the size, shape and diversity of Florida is logistically and legally impossible.

Amendment 9 was the Legislatures attempt to ask the people of Florida if they wanted the federal government to control their health care or if taxpayers should have the freedom to be in control of their own health care, added Haridopolos, about a measure striking back at new federal health-care laws backed by President Barack Obama. Once again the court feels it would be better not to allow voters to make such a decision.

I will abide by the courts decision, concluded Haridopolos. However, I wish the justices had allowed these matters to be decided by Florida voters.