PART I: LOCAL GOVERNMENT CHARTER CHANGES
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| The following items are scheduled to appear on the General Election ballot
on November 3, 1998. Click here to see the
Libertarian Party of Florida's recommendations for how to vote on state amendments and
revisions. Below are the Libertarian Party of Brevard County recommendations for
County and City Revisions, Amendments and Referenda. |
County Charter Revisions and Referenda
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Charter Amendment 1 | Charter Amendment 2 | Charter
Amendment 3 | Charter Amendment 4 | Fire Fighter Support Referendum | North
Merritt Island Straw Vote |
City Charter Amendments and Referenda
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Cape Canaveral Charter Amendment
| Cocoa Beach Charter Amendments 1 and 2 | Indialantic Referendum | Melbourne
Referendum | Palm Bay Referenda 1, 2 and 3 | Rockledge Referendum |
BREVARD COUNTY
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PROPOSED CHARTER AMENDMENT NO. 1 LIMIT ANNUAL
INCREASES IN REVENUES FOR NON-AD VALOREM SPECIAL ASSESSMENT PROGRAM |
| Shall the Brevard County Charter be amended to limit annual increases in
revenue for each County non-ad valorem special assessment program to 3 percent or the
percentage change in the Consumer Price Index from the previous year, whichever is less,
without the approval of voters residing within the district or other area of the County
where such special assessments are levied? |
| LPB Recommendations: YES |
| LPB Comments: This revision limits the county's ability to
tax its residents without their approval. |
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PROPOSED CHARTER AMENDMENT
NO. 2 REQUIRE VOTER APPROVAL TO LEVY NEW NON-AD VALOREM SPECIAL ASSESSMENTS |
| Shall the Brevard County Charter be amended to require that no new non-ad
valorem special assessments can be levied without the approval of the voters residing
within the district or other area of the County where the special assessments are proposed
to be levied? |
| LPB Recommendations: YES |
| LPB Comments: This revision limits the county's ability to
tax its residents without their approval. |
PROPOSED CHARTER AMENDMENT
NO. 3 RESTORE PARTISAN ELECTIONS OF COUNTY OFFICERS |
| Shall the Brevard County Charter be amended to provide that County
Commissioners and the sheriff, tax collector, property appraiser, supervisor of elections,
and clerk of the circuit court shall qualify and be elected on a partisan basis as in
noncharter counties, and remove the provision that such officers qualify and be elected on
a nonpartisan basis? |
| LPB Recommendations: YES |
| LPB Comments: This revision allows those running for office
to add their party affiliation to the ballot, thus enhancing the ability of the candidates
to communicate their political philosophy to the voters. |
PROPOSED CHARTER AMENDMENT
NO. 4 SINGLE-MEMBER ELECTION OF SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS |
| Shall the Brevard County Charter be amended to provide that the school
board members of Brevard County shall be elected to office from single-member residence
areas by electors residing in each of those areas only? |
| LPB Recommendations: None. Vote as you see fit. |
| LPB Comments: There are arguments for and against this
revision but the key factor is that it does not effect the liberty of Brevard County
residents, therefore the LPB takes no position on it. |
THE BREVARD COUNTY FIRE FIGHTER
SUPPORT REFERENDUM |
| Shall the Board of County Commissioners of Brevard County, Florida, be
authorized to hire sixty firefighter/paramedics, three firefighter field supervisors,
upgrade all county fire engines to a paramedic level of service, purchase and equip four
fire engines annually, and construct/renovate two fire stations annually by increasing the
Fire Control MSTU millage by 0.6431 mills for those areas serviced by the Fire Control
MSTU, as permitted under State law? |
| LPB Recommendations: NO |
| LPB Comments: This revision gives an enormous increase in
revenue for the Fire Control MSTU, a 41% increase. Ultimately, Fire Control services
should be completely privatized, but until then, they must operate with fiscal
constraints. |
NORTH MERRITT ISLAND DEPENDENT
SPECIAL DISTRICT REFERENDUM |
| Shall an elected advisory board be created for North Merritt Island that
would provide recommendations to the County Commission on zoning issues affecting only
North Merritt Island? |
| LPB Recommendations: NO |
| LPB Comments: An additional board of bureacrats is
unnecessary. Zoning should be completely eliminated |
CITY OF CAPE CANAVERAL
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THE VACANCY IN ELECTED OFFICE CHARTER AMENDMENT OF
1998 OF THE CITY OF CAPE CANAVERAL |
| Should the City Charter be amended to provide that a vacancy created in
the City Council, by virtue of a Council Member's resignation under the State of Florida
resign to run law to seek election at another position, be filled by a vote of the general
electors of the City at the same general election rather than by appointment by the
remaining Council Members. |
| LPB Recommendations: YES |
| LPB Comments: This revision puts power into the hands of the
voters and takes it away from special interest group controlled politicians.
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CITY OF COCOA BEACH
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CITY CHARTER REVISION TECHNICAL, CORRECTIVE
AND CONFORMING CHANGES |
| Certain technical, corrective and conforming changes shall be made to the
Preamble, Article I Governance, Article II City Commission, Article III City Manager,
Article IV Administrative and Legal Staff, Article V Finance and Taxation, Article V
Departments, Boards and Committees, Article VI Planning and Zoning, Article VIII
Nominations and Elections, Article VII Initiative and Referendum, Article VIII Recall,
Article IX General Provisions, and Article X Transition Schedule, of the City Charter as
provide in Ordinance No. 1173. |
| LPB Recommendations: None |
CITY CHARTER REVISION Sections
2.03, 2.06, 2.09, 2.12, 2.11, 4.03 and 5.02 |
| The Charter of the City of Cocoa Beach shall be revised to amend and
renumber to be Sections 2.03 (Elections), 2.06 (Filling of vacancies), 2.09
(Prohibitions), and 2.12 (Commission Meetings), create Section 2.11 (Compensation of
Commission) and repeal Sections 4.03 (City Finance Director) and 5.02 (Boards and
Committees appointments) of the Charter as provided in Ordinance No. 1174, enacted by the
City Commission on September 17, 1998. |
| LPB Recommendations: None |
TOWN OF INDIALANTIC
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PURCHASE OF FIREFIGHTING EQUIPMENT |
| Shall the Town purchase firefighting equipment, including a pumper truck
and appurtenant equipment, through the use, in part, of lease/purchase financing, or the
issuance of bond(s), in the maximum aggregate principal amount of $200,000 with interest
not to exceed 5.5% with a term of no more than ten years, as subsequently determined by
the Town, and to be payable from revenues derived from the local telephone service public
service tax? |
| LPB Recommendations: AGAINST BONDS |
| LPB Comments: Firefighting services should be completely
privatized. |
CITY OF MELBOURNE
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NON-BINDING REFERENDUM FOR CONSTRUCTION OF NEW CITY
HALL COMPLEX |
| Shall the City prepare conceptual plans for a new City Hall complex,
estimate the cost of the new City Hall complex, and place a proposal on the ballot for
voter consideration to construct the City Hall complex using the proceeds of a municipal
bond issue? |
| LPB Recommendations: NO |
| LPB Comments: Wasteful spending on a new City Hall complex
needs to be nipped in the bud. |
CITY OF PALM BAY
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REFERENDUM 1 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AD VALOREM
TAX EXEMPTIONS |
| Shall the City of Palm Bay, Florida, be authorized to grant, pursuant to
s. 3, Art. VII, of the State Constitution, property tax exemptions to new businesses and
expansions of existing businesses? |
| LPB Recommendations: NO |
| LPB Comments: This referendum merely puts more power into the
hands of politicians to give out favors to special interest groups or businesses with
influence. |
REFERENDUM 2 STRAW BALLOT
(ADVISORY): INCREASE IN MILLAGE RATE FOR A NEW COMMUNITY CENTER |
| Commencing fiscal year 1999/2000, the City of Palm Bay shall increase its
millage rate 0.11 mills (11 cents per $1,000 assessed real estate value), for a period of
15 years, to fund the construction of a community center. |
| LPB Recommendations: NO |
| LPB Comments: The community center should be funded by user
fees so that the cost is borne completely by those who use it, not the taxpayer. |
REFERENDUM 3 STRAW BALLOT
(ADVISORY): INCREASE IN MILLAGE RATE FOR THE OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF A NEW COMMUNITY
CENTER |
| Assuming approval of the Palm Bay electors to construct a community
center, commencing fiscal year 1999/2000, the City of Palm Bay shall increase its millage
rate 0.14 mills (14 cents per $1,000 assessed real estate value) for the operation and
maintenance of a new community center, should one be constructed. |
| LPB Recommendations: NO |
| LPB Comments: The community center should be funded by user
fees so that the cost is borne completely by those who use it, not the taxpayer. |
CITY OF ROCKLEDGE
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FUNDING NEW PARK AND RECREATION COMPLEX |
| Shall the City of Rockledge be authorized to levy an annual ad valorem tax
not to exceed 1 mill (in addition to annual general budget millage) for a maximum of 15
years commencing in 1999 to borrow funds not to exceed $7,000,000 in initial principal
amount including right to issue bonds with prepayment options, for purpose of funding
development and construction of a new park and recreation complex? |
| LPB Recommendations: NO |
| LPB Comments: The park and recreation complex should be
funded by user fees so that the cost is borne completely by those who use it, not the
taxpayer. |
PART II: CANDIDATE SURVEY RESULTS
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