HomeMy WebLinkAbout2006-26379 Reso
RESOLUTION NO. 2006-26379
A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY
COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH,
FLORIDA OPPOSING "AMENDMENT III" KNOWN AS
THE "SAVE OUR CONSTITUTION AMENDMENT"
WHICH WOULD RAISE THE THRESHOLD FOR
APPROVAL OF AN AMENDMENT TO THE FLORIDA
CONSTITUTION FROM A SIMPLE MAJORITY OF
FIFTY PERCENT PLUS ONE VOTE TO SIXTY PERCENT
THEREBY REDUCING THE POWER OF THE PEOPLE
WITH REGARD TO INITIATIVE PETITIONS.
WHEREAS, pursuant to Article XI, Section 3 of the Constitution of the State of Florida,
"[ t ]he power to propose the revision or amendment of any portion or portions of this constitution
by initiative is reserved to the people.. ..;" and
WHEREAS, a proposed amendment to the Florida Constitution known as the "Save Our
Constitution Amendment" or "Amendment III" is pending the requisite 610,000 signatures to
place it on the 2008 ballot. Despite its name, this Amendment would reduce the power of the
people with regard to initiative petitions by raising the threshold for approval of a constitutional
amendment from a simple majority of fifty percent plus one vote to sixty percent; and
WHEREAS, the current initiative system provides for a simple majority to amend the
Florida Constitution giving citizens the opportunity to overcome powerful special interest groups
in the Florida Legislature; and
WHEREAS, in the past, such citizen initiatives have by-passed the Legislature to create
universal pre-kindergarten (which passed with 59.2 percent of the votes), cap class sizes in
public schools (which passed with 52.4 percent of the votes), ban smoking (which passed with
51 percent of the votes), regulate net fishing, mandate term limits, and create the Everglades
Trust Fund (which passed with 57.2 percent of the votes), and limit tax increases on homestead
property (which passed with 53.6 percent of the votes); and
WHEREAS, in order to retain the powers reserved to the people of the State of Florida,
the Mayor and City Commission of the City of Miami Beach hereby oppose "Amendment III"
which is known as the "Save our Constitution Amendment."
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT DULY RESOLVED BY THE MAYOR AND CITY
COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA that "Amendment III"
known as the "Save our Constitution Amendment" is hereby opposed.
PASSED AND ADOPTED this
18th
day of Octo):>er
I
I
,2006.
,'ATTEST:
App
I
,
...~P~
CITY CLERK
Robert Parcher
Y
David Dermer
APPROVED AS TO
FORM & lANGUAGE
& FOR exECUTION
~~~
F:\atto\TURN\RESOS\Reso Opposing Amendment IILdoc
2
~ MIAMI BEACH
City of Miami Beach, 1700 Convention Center Drive, Miami Beach, Florida 33139, www.miomibeachfl.gov
COMMISSION MEMORANDUM
FROM:
MAYOR DAVID DERMER,
MEMBERS OF THE CITY COMMISSION
CITY MANAGER JORGE M. GONZALEZ
CITY ATTORNEY JOSE SMITH/L..fr
OCTOBER 18, 2006 cp
TO:
DATE:
SUBJECT:
A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION
OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA OPPOSING
"AMENDMENT III" KNOWN AS THE "SAVE OUR
CONSTITUTION AMENDMENT" WHICH WOULD RAISE
THE THRESHOLD FOR APPROVAL OF AN AMENDMENT TO
THE FLORIDA CONSTITUTION FROM A SIMPLE
MAJORITY OF FIFTY PERCENT PLUS ONE VOTE TO SIXTY
PERCENT THEREBY REDUCING THE POWER OF THE
PEOPLE WITH REGARD TO INITIATIVE PETITIONS.
Pursuant to the request of Mayor David Dermer, the above-referenced Resolution is submitted for
consideration by the Mayor and City Commission at the October 18,2006 Special City Commission
meeting.
The attached Resolution is in proper form and is thus ready for the City Commission's review.
F:\atto\TURN\COMMMEMO\Opposing Amendment III.doc
Agenda Item R q B
Date IO-li-Vb