Our Know Your Ballot Issues webinar on August 14 featured three speakers. Lisa Morse from Collier County Public Schools stressed that the CCPS Referendum seeks to reduce the millage for the district’s capital budget and increase it for the operating budget. She stressed the tax-neutrality of the proposal, which would essentially shift the existing revenue allocation from the budget for capital projects, such as construction, to the operating budget, which funds salaries and ongoing expenses connected with running the schools. The change would provide flexibility for the school system.
Rosemary Nilles from the League of Women Voters of Florida spoke on Amendment 1 on the Partisan Election of School Board Members. This amendment would make all elections of school board members a part of Florida’s closed primary system, with the parties of candidates identified. Nilles explained the related issue of the “write-in loophole,” which can result in blocking the ability of large parts of the electorate from voting if school board elections are partisan. She also stressed arguments in favor of keeping the elections non-partisan, including preventing school board environments from becoming politically charged and polarized. The League of Women Voters is opposed to Amendment 1 and urges a NO vote on this issue.
Dawnyelle Singleton from Planned Parenthood of Central and Southwest Florida presented the case for supporting Amendment 4 on Limiting Government Interference to Abortion. She stressed that abortion is a decision that a women should make with her medical practitioner and that these decisions should be personal and not subject to government interference. She argued against the current 6-week abortion law in Florida, pointing out that many women do not know they are pregnant at 6 weeks and that there are no exceptions to this law for rape or incest. Singleton provided strategies for advocating for YES on Amendment 4, which is the position of our LWV.