April 28: The November of No

By Sylvia Gurinsky

When in doubt, throw it out.

The number of questionable proposed amendments on the November ballot in Florida should leave no doubt: Many deserve a No vote.

Voters should say yes to proposals that would allow a small tax break to homeowners for energy efficiency and windstorm protection measures. They should say yes to a measure allowing local option sales taxes for community colleges.

There are a couple of measures that need to be chewed on: Tax exemptions and breaks for conservation lands and working waterfront businesses.

But voters should say an outright "NO" to a repeal of a state-required local school tax, a repeal of a ban on public funds to religious entities and a protection of school vouchers. All of those measures come courtesy of the Florida Taxation and Budget Reform Commission.

Oh, yes, and there's that marriage amendment that's the result of a petition. More on that later.....

More on these measures later, as well....these measures that have the potential to do much financial, legal, political and other damage to Florida. For Florida's future, it looks like this will need to be the November of No.