Nothing Is More Important Than Ensuring Our Right to Vote
Election season is all about your voice being heard. As Americans, we head to the polls to perform our civic duty by voting on legislation, on people to fill important positions within our local, state, and federal government, and on rules which govern our lives.
On November 6, Floridians decide on a dozen or so amendments to the state constitution. The Constitutional Amendments up for vote this year could impact many matters including offshore oil and gas drilling, casino gambling, and protecting the right to vote for all Floridians. The most important is Amendment 10.
A yes vote on Amendment 10 protects your right to vote, especially when it comes to holding government officials accountable. Amendment 10 will also protect families by creating the Office of Domestic Security and Counterterrorism to prevent or respond to acts of terrorism. It also protects our hard-earned tax dollars by improving state and county budgeting by setting the start date for legislative session in January of even numbered years. Amendment 10 protects veterans by preserving the structure and governance of the Florida Department of Veterans’ Affairs to support Florida’s military members.
This amendment is vital to the future success of Florida because it provides a structure and operation model for more efficient local and state government. Government runs best when the people in charge report directly to their constituents.
Currently there are counties in Florida who have compromised or completely abolished the model our country and great state were founded upon. Checks and balances are key to what makes America great because we can tell our leaders exactly what we want and expect of them.
Amendment 10 will guarantee that all charter county governments, as well as future counties that may establish a charter, have elected sheriffs, tax collectors, property appraisers, clerks of the court and supervisors of elections. This ensures you are served by qualified experts who are transparent and responsible to you. Amendment 10 does all this without growing government’s size or increasing your taxes.
All five constitutionally mandated positions have tremendous responsibility, such as tax collectors accumulating nearly $30 billion that gets reinvested in Florida. Property appraisers deliver $9.2 billion in public school funding, court clerks and comptrollers collect more than $4 billion from court-level operations, and sheriffs contribute to the 46-year low crime rate in Florida.
With so much responsibility (and potential for corruption or complicity), a high level of accountability to the people is required. When these positions are selected by a county manager or board of county commissioners instead of the voters, the officer is no longer required to report to the people. As an elected constitutional officer, I am put in front of the voters every four years and they, as a body, get to decide if I am properly serving my constituents.
When you get your ballot, go straight to Amendment 10, vote yes, and hold your local constitutional officers accountable.
Sheriff Bill Prummell
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