Government accountability and term limits
I read with interest state Rep. Matt Caldwell’s recent guest commentary advocating term limits for the Board of County Commissioners when just a week earlier former Lt. Gov. Jeff Kottkamp, speaking to the Real Estate Investment Society, was questioning the appropriateness of eight-year term limits for the state Legislature. Citing the complexity of issues including insurance, health care, environment, agriculture, as well as civil and criminal law, Kottkamp emphasized that the learning curve is enormous and noted that experience is invaluable.
Caldwell would have you believe that he is concerned with voter representation and government accountability, but his voting record and actions tell an altogether different story.
Caldwell and his group of largely inexperienced and politically charged legislators recently completed one of the most disastrous legislative sessions in the history of Florida. In a direct assault to suppress voter’s rights, Caldwell supported House Bill 1355 which strikes at the core of our American democracy by disenfranchising voters from exercising their privilege to participate in the election process. HB 1355 shortens early voting from 14 to 8 days, and imposes new restrictions on groups that register voters, including punishments and fines on a per-signature basis.
The League of Women Voters, long noted for their fair and impartial involvement in the election process, has announced that the League will suspend all voter registration efforts in Florida for fear of being punished by state government.
Several counties, including Collier, Hendry and Hillsborough, pursuant to consent decrees entered into for past voting rights violations, must obtain approval from the Federal Department of Justice prior to implementation of laws impacting voting rights, such as HB 1355. Those counties have declined to implement HB 1355 and are demanding Department of Justice review and approval prior to any recognition of the new law.
The state Legislature is currently using public tax dollars to fight the majority of citizens (63 percent) who voted for a ballot initiative for fair districts. The fair district initiative is important to prevent gerrymandering and manipulation of district boundaries for political purposes.
With limited institutional memory and heavy reliance on powerful legislative lobbyists, the new wave of legislators postured for control of the political landscape and to eliminate the checks and balances needed to protect the public over the special interest.
The state landmark process to manage growth and development was systematically eviscerated during the 2011 legislative session. With little regard for the rules and laws in place to avoid the problems of overcrowded schools, congested roads and environmental damage, the House and Senate repealed concurrency requirements for transportation, schools, recreation, and open space thereby placing the financial burden of such critical infrastructure on the backs of the public taxpayers.
The lead state planning agency, the Department of Community Affairs, was effectively abolished, further limiting state oversight of our precious land and water resources. In addition to significantly reducing funding for education essential for business recruitment and job growth, the 2011 Legislative session was an abysmal failure for what it did not accomplish.
Florida and our country’s long-term economic growth potential is dependent on the technological advancement in renewable energy and alternative fuels, yet the Legislature failed to adopt a comprehensive energy policy.
Term limits are best decided by the voters using substance and performance as their guide.
— Lee County Commissioner Ray Judah represents Distirct 3 on the Lee County Board of County Commissioners.