Subject: You're Invited! Castle Coalition's Florida Eminent Domain
Conference

Friends,

It is with great pleasure that I extend to you a formal invitation
to attend the Castle Coalition's Florida Eminent Domain Conference.
These regional conferences are a main component of the Hands Off My
Home campaign, and the Castle Coalition will be holding them around
the country.  This conference will take place Saturday, February 25,
from 10:00am to 4:00pm at the Palm Beach Airport Hilton in West Palm
Beach, Florida.  The purpose of this conference is to bring together
a diverse group of eminent domain activists from around your state
for a day of workshops and strategy sessions.  Similar to our
national conference, we will focus on how to coordinate effective
multi-faceted approaches to defeating eminent domain abuse.  This
will also serve as an opportunity to network and build relationships
with other activists in your region.

The workshops will cover such topics as how to build a grassroots
coalition, how to prepare for legal action, and how to harness the
media to help in your grassroots fight.  Included among the
participants will be activists who are fighting current eminent
domain projects, as well as a number of activists who bring to the
table important lessons learned from their own successful battles
against eminent domain abuse.  Panelists from the Institute for
Justice will also share their own wide array of expertise gained
from almost a decade of litigating eminent domain cases, and teach
conference participants how to take the fight beyond the courts of
law, and directly into the court of public opinion through coalition-
building and effective media strategies.

As you know, on June 23, 2005, the U.S. Supreme Court handed down
its decision in Kelo v. City of New London, giving local governments
nationwide a green light to condemn homes and businesses for private
economic development.  Since, we've seen a flurry of legislative
activity at the local, state and federal levels.  The Institute for
Justice and Castle Coalition are eager to capitalize on this
momentum-and we want you to bring your energy and insight to our
first regional conference, so that you can utilize these tools in
your own fight against eminent domain abuse.

The Institute for Justice will provide you with lunch and snacks,
along with conference materials.  Participants will be responsible
for their own travel.  Please let us know by no later than
Wednesday, February 15 if you will be able to attend by replying to
this email with the information listed below.  Spots will be
reserved on a first come, first served basis, so please RSVP as soon
as possible.  I will respond to your RSVP with further details about
the conference.  If you have any questions or would like further
information, please do not hesitate to contact me at 703-682-9320 or
by email at cwalsh@....

We look forward to seeing you in Florida!

Best,

Christina Walsh
Assistant Castle Coalition Coordinator
Institute for Justice
cwalsh@...

+++++

If you would like to attend, please provide us with the following
information:

Name
Address
Phone
Briefly explain your interest in attending this conference.
Are you or have you ever been threatened by eminent domain abuse?
Please explain briefly.

Big Spending Ignites Revolt in Palm Beach

Written By: Robert F. Sanchez
Published In: Budget & Tax News
Publication Date: October 1, 2005
Publisher: The Heartland Institute

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Until its Election Day 2000 debacle with butterfly ballots and
hanging chads, Florida's ritzy Palm Beach County was best known
nationally as a winter playground for the rich and famous. It had
polo grounds, pricey shops, the Kennedy family compound, and Donald
Trump's posh golf resort. It is the headquarters of Rush
Limbaugh's "Southern Command."

Soon, however, Palm Beach County may become known for something many
would not have expected. It could be the site where the subtropical
equivalent of the Boston Tea Party ignites a tax revolt that some
taxpayer advocates would like to take statewide.


Tax Protesters Demonstrate

When the big-spending Palm Beach County Commission met in West Palm
Beach on September 8 to pass a budget for the fiscal year beginning
October 1, anti-tax protesters staged a demonstration in the plaza
outside. That rally may have marked the opening round of an effort
to bring a Taxpayer's Bill of Rights to the county and the state of
Florida.

The trigger for the incipient tax revolt isn't difficult to spot:
Real estate prices have soared in the county. A new study by
National City Corporation found home prices in the West Palm Beach
metropolitan area were not only much higher than they were just five
years ago, but they're 46 percent higher than they ought to be.

The housing "bubble" has been a boon to revenue-hungry local
governments. Florida's Truth in Millage (TRIM) law requires local
officials to lower property tax rates to offset rising values--or
else notify taxpayers of a pending tax increase. All over Florida,
however, local governments awash in new revenue have found new ways
to spend the money.


Counties Spend Windfall

Anti-tax leader John Hallman, a Palm Beach County resident and
Florida director of the nonpartisan free-market think tank and
lobbying group FreedomWorks, said, "Unfortunately, the county
government has decided to spend the windfall instead of giving some
relief to property owners. Now citizens are feeling the crunch.
Their county government's spending has increased much faster than
the rate of inflation and population growth.

"These county commissioners need to show some restraint in spending,
or else Florida and Palm Beach County will endure the long-term
economic consequences that California has painfully experienced,"
Hallman continued.

Hallman's concerns are shared by John R. Smith, chairman of BIZPAC,
a coalition of business leaders.

"For the third consecutive year, when county commissioners have
learned they would have a windfall increase in property tax revenue,
they have proceeded to adopt a higher budget that spends it," Smith
said. "A number of business leaders think the best way to stop this
is to explore adopting a Taxpayer's Bill of Rights for Palm Beach
County or the state of Florida, to limit the growth of property
taxes from year to year."


Proposal Dismissed as 'Insane'

Burt Aaronson, a member of the county commission's high-spending
faction, dismissed as "absolutely insane" the notion of imposing a
formula limiting future tax hikes to no more than the rate of
inflation and population growth.

Aaronson told the South Florida Sun-Sentinel: "They [tax protestors]
can pack whatever chambers they want, and they can scream and rant
all they want. This is one vote they're never going to get on their
side."

Commented J. Robert McClure, president of Florida's James Madison
Institute, "Commissioner Aaronson's testy response was directed at
the protesters, but his tone suggests he may have underestimated the
growing anti-tax sentiment among Florida residents in general and
the residents of pricey Southeast Florida counties in particular.

"Although Palm Beach's wealthiest residents may not even notice
property tax hikes from one year to the next, there are thousands of
middle-income working families who will," McClure noted. "And as
California's ruling elite discovered when the late Howard Jarvis
began his campaign to pass Proposition 13, it would be a mistake to
ignore them."

Dear RLCrs:

Point of order, please: Comparing a (I imagine peaceful) tax protest outside
the PB County Comissioners' headquarters with the Boston Tea Party is in the
category of false analogy (English Comp 101, remember?). The Boston Tea
Party was a case of direct action, not of polite or hopeful talk. Next time,
do something more dramatic. It is not in the nature of power to give up
power, as Ghandi and Martin Luther King well knew. When this unrighteous
power is backed up by party-based elections (Oh, the excellencies of
democracy!) and consequent legislative tyranny, not to mention a mind-numing
collectivist education down at the base of everything, then your chances of
success are proportionally diminished.

Or else let us pay our taxes on time.

Hypocritically yours (as this is a suggestion by one who was not even there
to earn the right to speak) . . .

Jose Stelle


>From: "Philip Blumel" <pblumel@...>
>Reply-To: rlcpb@yahoogroups.com
>To: rlcpb@yahoogroups.com
>Subject: [rlcpb] RLCer Sanchez reports on spending revolt in Palm Beach
>Date: Sun, 29 Jan 2006 21:27:39 -0000
>
>Big Spending Ignites Revolt in Palm Beach
>
>Written By: Robert F. Sanchez
>Published In: Budget & Tax News
>Publication Date: October 1, 2005
>Publisher: The Heartland Institute
>
>---------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>Until its Election Day 2000 debacle with butterfly ballots and
>hanging chads, Florida's ritzy Palm Beach County was best known
>nationally as a winter playground for the rich and famous. It had
>polo grounds, pricey shops, the Kennedy family compound, and Donald
>Trump's posh golf resort. It is the headquarters of Rush
>Limbaugh's "Southern Command."
>
>Soon, however, Palm Beach County may become known for something many
>would not have expected. It could be the site where the subtropical
>equivalent of the Boston Tea Party ignites a tax revolt that some
>taxpayer advocates would like to take statewide.
>
>
>Tax Protesters Demonstrate
>
>When the big-spending Palm Beach County Commission met in West Palm
>Beach on September 8 to pass a budget for the fiscal year beginning
>October 1, anti-tax protesters staged a demonstration in the plaza
>outside. That rally may have marked the opening round of an effort
>to bring a Taxpayer's Bill of Rights to the county and the state of
>Florida.
>
>The trigger for the incipient tax revolt isn't difficult to spot:
>Real estate prices have soared in the county. A new study by
>National City Corporation found home prices in the West Palm Beach
>metropolitan area were not only much higher than they were just five
>years ago, but they're 46 percent higher than they ought to be.
>
>The housing "bubble" has been a boon to revenue-hungry local
>governments. Florida's Truth in Millage (TRIM) law requires local
>officials to lower property tax rates to offset rising values--or
>else notify taxpayers of a pending tax increase. All over Florida,
>however, local governments awash in new revenue have found new ways
>to spend the money.
>
>
>Counties Spend Windfall
>
>Anti-tax leader John Hallman, a Palm Beach County resident and
>Florida director of the nonpartisan free-market think tank and
>lobbying group FreedomWorks, said, "Unfortunately, the county
>government has decided to spend the windfall instead of giving some
>relief to property owners. Now citizens are feeling the crunch.
>Their county government's spending has increased much faster than
>the rate of inflation and population growth.
>
>"These county commissioners need to show some restraint in spending,
>or else Florida and Palm Beach County will endure the long-term
>economic consequences that California has painfully experienced,"
>Hallman continued.
>
>Hallman's concerns are shared by John R. Smith, chairman of BIZPAC,
>a coalition of business leaders.
>
>"For the third consecutive year, when county commissioners have
>learned they would have a windfall increase in property tax revenue,
>they have proceeded to adopt a higher budget that spends it," Smith
>said. "A number of business leaders think the best way to stop this
>is to explore adopting a Taxpayer's Bill of Rights for Palm Beach
>County or the state of Florida, to limit the growth of property
>taxes from year to year."
>
>
>Proposal Dismissed as 'Insane'
>
>Burt Aaronson, a member of the county commission's high-spending
>faction, dismissed as "absolutely insane" the notion of imposing a
>formula limiting future tax hikes to no more than the rate of
>inflation and population growth.
>
>Aaronson told the South Florida Sun-Sentinel: "They [tax protestors]
>can pack whatever chambers they want, and they can scream and rant
>all they want. This is one vote they're never going to get on their
>side."
>
>Commented J. Robert McClure, president of Florida's James Madison
>Institute, "Commissioner Aaronson's testy response was directed at
>the protesters, but his tone suggests he may have underestimated the
>growing anti-tax sentiment among Florida residents in general and
>the residents of pricey Southeast Florida counties in particular.
>
>"Although Palm Beach's wealthiest residents may not even notice
>property tax hikes from one year to the next, there are thousands of
>middle-income working families who will," McClure noted. "And as
>California's ruling elite discovered when the late Howard Jarvis
>began his campaign to pass Proposition 13, it would be a mistake to
>ignore them."
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
>
>

I just RSVP's also. I will be wearing an RLC lapel sticker ( see
http://www.rlcfl.org/rlcfl_button.pdf ) and will have some extras if
you want to help fly the RLC flag while we're there.

-- Philip Blumel


--- In rlcpb@yahoogroups.com, franiii@... wrote:
>
> I'll be there
>
> Frank Bubb
>

I will try and attend since I will already be at the Hilton for a
literacy event.

Carmen L. Kunze

I met my future wife here! hehe. And thought I should share it with any other
men who are worried about ending up alone like I was. Check it out if you like
http://www.somethingtodoright.info/azko

Hi everyone,

Here's a letter I sent to my state senator (with any identical hard
copy to my state rep) on eminent domain reform.  It would be a
tremendous help in encouraging our legislators to vote to start the
process of amending Florida's contribution if everyone would write
his/her state legislators on this.

Frank Bubb

++++

Dear Senator Klein,

I urge you to support House Joint Resolution 31, which would submit
to Florida's voters a proposed amendment to Section 6 of Article X of
the Florida Constitution to exclude takings of private property for
private economic development from the definition of "public purpose."

Like most Americans, I was appalled by the U.S. Supreme Court's
decision in Kelo v. New London, CT, which interpreted the U.S.
Constitution to permit such takings.  In Florida, we have an
opportunity to rectify this egregious violation of individual rights
by amending our state constitution, as proposed by HJR 31.

Sincerely,

Frank Bubb

Hey guys! Im getting married finally, cant believe this came true (thought it
would never happen). Thanks to this thing http://www.justlayback.info/upfs
managed to meet a beautiful girl, who also has a bit of freak in her (just how i
like it ;)). Wish me luck, I wish you all the same!

Sorry about the spam, folks. I've banned this address before.

This is a problem with Yahoo! groups - I've seen it much worse in others.

Tom Walls

--- In rlcpb@yahoogroups.com, "georgette-murdock305@..."
<georgette-murdock305@...> wrote:
>
> Hey guys! Im getting married finally, cant believe this came true
(thought it would never happen). Thanks to this thing
http://www.justlayback.info/upfs managed to meet a beautiful girl, who
also has a bit of freak in her (just how i        like it ;)). Wish me
luck, I wish you all the same!
>

For a complete list, see www.rlcfl.org under EVENTs:

+++++

MARCH 8, BOCA RATON -- BOB BURG ON TERM LIMITS

RLCer Bob Burg, chair of the www.stopthepoliticians.com committee,
will update the Rotary Club of Boca Raton on the legislature's 2006
ballot measure to loosen Florida's voter approved term limits
requirement.  The meeting is at noon, Wednesday, March 8, at the
Country Club at Boca Raton, formerly Boca Del Mar. For more info,
call Eleanor Powers at (561) 210-8590.


MARCH 9, BOCA RATON -- BOB BURG ON TERM LIMITS

RLCer Bob Burg, chair of the www.stopthepoliticians.com committee,
will update the Train Station Ladies on the legislature's 2006
ballot measure to loosen Florida's voter approved term limits
requirement. The meeting is at 6 p.m. Thursday at the historical
train station at 747 S. Dixie Highway in Boca Raton. For more info,
call Donna Virostek at (561) 391-5775


MARCH 15, DELRAY BEACH -- BOB BURG ON TERM LIMITS

RLCer Bob Burg, chair of the www.stopthepoliticians.com committee,
will update the Women's Federated Republican Club of Delray on the
legislature's 2006 ballot measure to loosen Florida's voter approved
term limits requirement.  The meeting is at noon, Wednesday, March
15, at the Delray Dunes Country Club in Boynton Beach. For more
info, call Diane at (561) 499-6620.


MARCH 21, WEST PALM BEACH -- BOB BURG ON TERM LIMITS

RLCer Bob Burg, chair of the www.stopthepoliticians.com committee,
will update the Young Republicans of the Palm Beaches on the
legislature's 2006 ballot measure to loosen Florida's voter approved
term limits requirement.  Meeting details will be announced shortly.
For more info, contact PBYRs Chair Pepe Sosa at JDSosa@....


MARCH 24-25, BOCA RATON -- PHILIP BLUMEL AND BOB BURG AT THE 2006
FLORIDA LIBERTARIAN PARTY CONVENTION

RLCer Bob Burg, chair of the www.stopthepoliticians.com committee,
will update delegates to the annual LPF convention on the
legislature's 2006 ballot measure to loosen Florida's voter approved
term limits requirement.

In a separate talk, RLCer Philip Blumel will talk draw on his 20
years of experience in the libertarian movement to discuss practical
measures to reach principled libertarian goals.


APRIL 5, TALLAHASSEE -- RLC UPDATE WITH PHILIP BLUMEL AND JOHN
HALLMAN

On Wednesday, April 5, RLC members and prospects are invited to
a 'RLC Update' meeting with RLCers Philip Blumel and John Hallman.
For more information, call John Hallman at (561) 392-4432.


APRIL 6, PANAMA CITY -- RLC UPDATE LUNCH WITH JOHN HALLMAN

On Thursday, April 6, RLC members and prospects are invited to
a 'RLC Update' lunch meeting with RLCer John Hallman. For more
information, call John Hallman at (561) 392-4432.


APRIL 6, PENSACOLA -- RLC UPDATE WITH JOHN HALLMAN

On Wednesday evening, April 5, RLC members and prospects are invited
to a 'RLC Update' meeting with RLCer John Hallman. For more
information, call John Hallman at (561) 392-4432.


MAY 11, VERO BEACH -- JOHN HALLMAN ON SOCIAL SECURITY REFORM

RLCer John Hallman, Florida director of FreedomWorks, will give an
update to Republican Women Aware on the progress of Social Security
reform now that the media spotlight has moved on. What proposals are
still standing and what progress is being made? The meeting will be
held Thursday, May 11, at the Vero Beach Yacht Club. For more info,
call Sandie McGuiness at (772) 234-9871 or Starduster234@....

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/pbccentral/content/local_news/epaper/2006/03/11/c1c\
_lwcode_0311.html

This is outrageous, but I wouldn't put it past them. I received an
unpleasant visit myself from them. Once I got a lawyer, they've been a
LOT nicer to me. I'm still waiting on a building permit.

The underlying issue is that city bureaucrats act as if they own your
property and that you are just a temporary steward.

Tom Walls

I am passing this along for anyone involved:


125 persons were evicted by Lake Worth City code enforcement. The
mayor, sister Rachel and several concerned residents of LW (and the
press) met at the Quaker Meetinghouse and came up with :
1. Suggestions to handle violations more compassionately in the
future;  and

2. What needs to be done right now to alleviate suffering.

Right now people are sleeping in cars, back yards and homes, if they
are lucky. They hope to be back in their apts as soon as the landlord
fixes the violations but right now they desperately need money for
medicines (many spoiled when power was turned off), food and temp.
lodgings. Please pass on what you can to Sister Rachel, Maya Ministry
(Diocese of Palm Beach) 1615 Lake Ave, tel 533-8130, cell 601-3068.

P.S. Please pass this along. Thank you!

Paz.
Susan Glaser
PH: 561- 386-5884
Executive Director, Interim
The Guatemalan-Maya Center
PH: 561- 547-1007
FAX: 561-586-6446

"En La K'ech, Tu Eres Mi Otro Yo"



















http://www.palmbeachpost.com/pbccentral/content/local_news/epaper/2006/0
3/11/c1c_lwcode_0311.html
>
> This is outrageous, but I wouldn't put it past them. I received an
> unpleasant visit myself from them. Once I got a lawyer, they've been a
> LOT nicer to me. I'm still waiting on a building permit.
>
> The underlying issue is that city bureaucrats act as if they own your
> property and that you are just a temporary steward.
>
> Tom Walls
>

I'll drive, if anyone wants to join me... Philip Blumel 254-8458

+++++

REPUBLICAN LIBERTY CAUCUS OF FLORIDA
www.rlcfl.org -- March 16, 2006

SAVE THESE DATES:
Wednesday, April 5, 2006 -- RLC Update w/Rep. Bob Allen, Tallahassee
Tuesday and Wednesday, April 4-5, 2006 -- FreedomWorks 'Day at the
Capitol' grassroots lobbying, Tallahassee


Friends,

You are invited to join us April 4-5 in the state capital for two
days of lobbying legislators and libertarian Republican organizing!

RLCers from all over the state are converging on Tallahassee on
April 4-5 to participate in FreedomWorks' "Day at the Capitol 2006,"
and meet with key members of the House and Senate about legislation
important to FreedomWorks and the RLC of Florida. This includes a
ban on Kelo-style eminent domain abuse as well as other economic and
personal liberties issues.

Then, at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 5, there will be an 'RLC
Update' meeting at the Best Western Pride Inn/Suites, 2016
Appalachee Parkway, near the Capitol. Our special guest is RLCer and
State Rep. Bob Allen of Merritt Island who will share his thoughts
about the 2006 session and answer questions. RLCFL membership
coordinator Philip Blumel and FreedomWorks Florida Director John
Hallman will then update RLC members and friends about current RLC
projects, our 2006 legislative priorities and the progress made by
the RLC since its rechartering in Florida in 2004.

For the full story, see: www.rlcfl.org. For more info or to RSVP for
either event, contact John Hallman at (561) 392-4432. While hotel
accommodations are not provided on a complimentary basis,
FreedomWorks has been able to secure special group rates, so call
John Hallman ASAP to make your reservations.

+++++

To join or renew your membership in the RLC, please see
http://www.rlc.org/?p=Join. Thanks!

In the aftermath of the U.S. Supreme Court's Kelo
decision regarding
eminent domain, we are delighted to inform you that
our recent
Independent Policy Forum, "Eminent Domain: Abuse of
Government Power?", will air
on C-SPAN2 on Sunday, March 19th.
http://www.independent.org/events/detail.asp?eventID=114

Here is the exact airing time:

Sunday, March 19th, 1:15 p.m. ET (10:15 a.m. PT)
C-SPAN2
http://www.booktv.org/General/index.asp?segID=6696&schedID=408

The program features presentations by:

STEVEN GREENHUT, Senior Editorial Writer, Orange
County Register, and
author of Abuse of Power: How the Government Misuses
Eminent Domain.

TIMOTHY SANDEFUR, Staff Attorney, Pacific Legal
Foundation.

For more information on Eminent Domain, please see the
recent article
by our Senior Fellow Bruce Benson, "The Mythology of
Holdout as
Justification for Eminent Domain and Public Provision
of Roads," from The
Independent Review (Fall 2005):
http://www.independent.org/publications/tir/article.asp?issueID=43&articleID=544

Please also see our book, THE VOLUNTARY CITY: Choice,
Community and
Civil Society, by David Beito, Peter Gordon, and
Alexander Tabarrok:
http://www.independent.org/store/book_detail.asp?bookID=17

If you wish to request additional airing times, please
send requests to
booktv@....

We hope that you can tune in to watch this very
important and
far-reaching program on C-SPAN2.

Best regards,

David

David J. Theroux
Founder and President
The Independent Institute
100 Swan Way
Oakland, CA 94621
(510) 632-1366 Phone
(510) 568-6040 Fax
DTheroux@...
http://www.independent.org

To subscribe or unsubscribe, please go to The
Lighthouse page:
http://www.independent.org/publications/the_lighthouse/.
Enter your
email address, select "Subscribe" or "Unsubscribe",
and click "Submit".

__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Tired of spam?  Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around
http://mail.yahoo.com

Wish I could go. Wish you all success in your lobbying.

Jose


>From: "Philip Blumel" <pblumel@...>
>Reply-To: rlcpb@yahoogroups.com
>To: rlcpb@yahoogroups.com
>Subject: [rlcpb] RLC carpool to Tallahassee April 4-5
>Date: Thu, 16 Mar 2006 18:33:23 -0000
>
>I'll drive, if anyone wants to join me... Philip Blumel 254-8458
>
>+++++
>
>REPUBLICAN LIBERTY CAUCUS OF FLORIDA
>www.rlcfl.org -- March 16, 2006
>
>SAVE THESE DATES:
>Wednesday, April 5, 2006 -- RLC Update w/Rep. Bob Allen, Tallahassee
>Tuesday and Wednesday, April 4-5, 2006 -- FreedomWorks 'Day at the
>Capitol' grassroots lobbying, Tallahassee
>
>
>Friends,
>
>You are invited to join us April 4-5 in the state capital for two
>days of lobbying legislators and libertarian Republican organizing!
>
>RLCers from all over the state are converging on Tallahassee on
>April 4-5 to participate in FreedomWorks' "Day at the Capitol 2006,"
>and meet with key members of the House and Senate about legislation
>important to FreedomWorks and the RLC of Florida. This includes a
>ban on Kelo-style eminent domain abuse as well as other economic and
>personal liberties issues.
>
>Then, at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 5, there will be an 'RLC
>Update' meeting at the Best Western Pride Inn/Suites, 2016
>Appalachee Parkway, near the Capitol. Our special guest is RLCer and
>State Rep. Bob Allen of Merritt Island who will share his thoughts
>about the 2006 session and answer questions. RLCFL membership
>coordinator Philip Blumel and FreedomWorks Florida Director John
>Hallman will then update RLC members and friends about current RLC
>projects, our 2006 legislative priorities and the progress made by
>the RLC since its rechartering in Florida in 2004.
>
>For the full story, see: www.rlcfl.org. For more info or to RSVP for
>either event, contact John Hallman at (561) 392-4432. While hotel
>accommodations are not provided on a complimentary basis,
>FreedomWorks has been able to secure special group rates, so call
>John Hallman ASAP to make your reservations.
>
>+++++
>
>To join or renew your membership in the RLC, please see
>http://www.rlc.org/?p=Join. Thanks!
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
>
>

RLC of FLORIDA SPEAKERS BUREAU

An ongoing project of the RLC of Florida is to provide quality
speakers on topical issues to Republican and other civic clubs.
Speakers are currently available on the following subjects:

Property Rights After Kelo: Florida's Great Opportunity

Defending Florida's 8-year term limits Law

A Taxpayer Bill of Rights for Florida (TABOR)

A Florida Police Officer Looks at the War on Drugs

You Can Get There From Here: Market Approaches to Florida
Transportation Issues

For more information, call Philip Blumel at (561) 254-8458.

This is from www.proprights.com:

+++++

And Now...The Truly Ugly.

The Palm Beach County Commission has voted to move forward with the
development of the State's first county-wide inclusionary zoning
ordinance. As we previously described in the 2005 CPR article, "How
Florida Can Avoid California's Costly Regulatory Mistakes," which
appeared in the Florida Real Estate Journal, inclusionary zoning
ordinances shifts the cost of providing affordable housing from
government to landowners. Inclusionary zoning ordinances mandate that
property owners and developers of any type of residential units must
sell a specific percentage of the units at price points of
affordability or pay huge fees into affordable housing trust funds.
Palm Beach County's policy would require 20% of units be sold at
affordable prices or property owners must pay $100,000 per unit
desired to exempt themselves from the sales price requirement.

Inclusionary zoning ordinances may seem like a quick fix, but in
reality, they serve only to further exacerbate issues of
affordability issues in areas where they have been adopted. For
example, look no further than the overall cost of housing in
California where these type of ordinances have been most popular.
Home prices in California continue to rise beyond all measure of
affordability.

In a free market, all prices are a direct function of supply and
demand.  When supply is high and demand is low, prices fall. When
supply is low and demand is high, prices rise.  Regulation at the
state level and the decisions of local elected officials has reduced
the supply of housing in Florida at time of very high demand. The
direct result of this regulation is that home prices have risen
sharply and far above the actual cost of construction. Inclusionary
zoning ordinances are simply another regulation which will further
restrict supply. With Palm Beach County's projected growth, the
predictable result will be that the cost of every new home built in
the County will rise significantly.

To understand why inclusionary zoning ordinances don't work, property
owners and elected officials should read two national studies, "The
Impact of Zoning on Housing Affordability" by Dr. Edward Glaeser and
Dr. Joseph Gyourko of the Harvard Institute for Economic Research
and "Housing Supply and Affordability: Do Affordable Housing Mandates
Work?" by Dr. Benjamin Powell and Dr. Edward Stringham of the Los
Angeles-based Reason Foundation.

You cannot solve a problem directly created by regulation, by adding
another layer of regulation. Elected officials cannot solve the issue
of affordability resulting from restrictions on supply, by enacting
policies which further restrict supply. This is not the opinion of
this writer, but the opinion of respected economists who have
carefully studied issues of affordability.

Property owners and residential builders throughout the State of
Florida need to make every effort to assist their counterparts in
Palm Beach County. If these officials cannot be educated regarding
the economic principles at play and the unintended consequences of
inclusionary zoning restrictions, it is very likely other
jurisdictions will soon follow their example without waiting to see
the negative impacts. If Florida mirrors California in its regulatory
imprudence, Floridians of all economic levels will face ever greater
issues of affordability.

Your thoughts and comments are welcomed! saviak@...

Carol Saviak
Executive Director
Coalition for Property Rights
2878 S. Osceola Avenue
Orlando, FL 32803
407-481-2289
www.proprights.com

Let's not forget the impact that property taxes have on the affordability of
housing.  If the commissioners want to do something truly useful, they
should give back some of the windfall taxes they've collected as assessed
values have skyrocketed over the last 10 years.

David

-----Original Message-----
From: rlcpb@yahoogroups.com [mailto:rlcpb@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of
Philip Blumel
Sent: Friday, April 14, 2006 8:23 AM
To: rlcpb@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [rlcpb] PB County's 'ugly' inclusionary zoning plan

This is from www.proprights.com:

+++++

And Now...The Truly Ugly.

RLCers will be participating in the Young Republicans 2006 convention
in Boca Raton and invite you to join us for some libertarian outreach
and general merriment. If you are going, register and let us know if
you would like to volunteer to work a RLC outreach table for a few
hours.

Here's the info:

2006 FFYR Annual Convention
June 2 & 3, 2006
Renaissance Boca Raton Hotel
2000 NW 19th Street
Boca Raton, Florida 33431
(561) 368-5252

http://ffyr.homestead.com/boca2006.html

Excellent point. --pb


--- In rlcpb@yahoogroups.com, "David B." <freedom@...> wrote:
>
> Let's not forget the impact that property taxes have on the
affordability of
> housing.  If the commissioners want to do something truly useful,
they
> should give back some of the windfall taxes they've collected as
assessed
> values have skyrocketed over the last 10 years.
>
> David
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: rlcpb@yahoogroups.com [mailto:rlcpb@yahoogroups.com] On
Behalf Of
> Philip Blumel
> Sent: Friday, April 14, 2006 8:23 AM
> To: rlcpb@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: [rlcpb] PB County's 'ugly' inclusionary zoning plan
>
> This is from www.proprights.com:
>
> +++++
>
> And Now...The Truly Ugly.
>

Let's not forget the impact that property taxes have on the affordability of
housing.  If the commissioners want to do something truly useful, they
should give back some of the windfall taxes they've collected as assessed
values have skyrocketed over the last 10 years.

David

-----Original Message-----
From: rlcpb@yahoogroups.com [mailto:rlcpb@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of
Philip Blumel
Sent: Friday, April 14, 2006 8:23 AM
To: rlcpb@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [rlcpb] PB County's 'ugly' inclusionary zoning plan

This is from www.proprights.com:

+++++

And Now...The Truly Ugly.

---

YAHOO! GROUPS LINKS

•  Visit your group "rlcpb" on the web.
   
•  To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
   rlcpb-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
   
•  Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.

---

Dear YRs and friends,

Please join us at our next meeting on Tuesday, April 18, 2006 at
6:30 at Maya Azteca on the Southwest corner of Congress and Forest
Hill. The owner is a good Republican, and he has offered the
services of the private party room.  For those that remember, it is
the same location as previous meetings.

We will have a quick business meeting to discuss a couple of very
important topics.  After that, we will have a speaker on the very
heated topic of term limits, Bob Burg.  Mr. Burg travels speaking on
this topic statewide, and will be very instrumental in the outcome
of one of the ballot questions this year.

Networking will begin at the bar from 6:00-6:30p.m., and the meeting
will begin at 6:30 p.m. We would like to encourage any who wish to
stay for drinks and dinner afterward to discuss all things Young
Republican, and some things not.

We will also be discussing some great upcoming events.

The official address is: Maya Azteca, 1771 S. Congress Avenue, West
Palm Beach, 561-964-8894.

Let's reward the support of Maya Azteca for their support of our
group and causes by attending this meeting in good numbers!!!

If you have any questions, feel free to contact me at 561/670-8237,
or at jdsosa@..., or contact your closest board member.

Pepe Sosa

Dear YRs and friends,

Please join us at our next meeting on Tuesday, April 18, 2006 at
6:30 at Maya Azteca on the Southwest corner of Congress and Forest
Hill. The owner is a good Republican, and he has offered the
services of the private party room.  For those that remember, it is
the same location as previous meetings.

We will have a quick business meeting to discuss a couple of very
important topics.  After that, we will have a speaker on the very
heated topic of term limits, Bob Burg.  Mr. Burg travels speaking on
this topic statewide, and will be very instrumental in the outcome
of one of the ballot questions this year.

Networking will begin at the bar from 6:00-6:30p.m., and the meeting
will begin at 6:30 p.m. We would like to encourage any who wish to
stay for drinks and dinner afterward to discuss all things Young
Republican, and some things not.

We will also be discussing some great upcoming events.

The official address is: Maya Azteca, 1771 S. Congress Avenue, West
Palm Beach, 561-964-8894.

Let's reward the support of Maya Azteca for their support of our
group and causes by attending this meeting in good numbers!!!

If you have any questions, feel free to contact me at 561/670-8237,
or at jdsosa@..., or contact your closest board member.

Pepe Sosa

It is unclear at this moment who the speaker will be as Frank Bubb
had a conflict and we are scrambling to replace him. Carol Saviak of
the Coalition for Property Rights has been helping us track down a
qualified local speaker on the subject or I will do it myself. But
this is a crucial time for the eminent domain bill and a
presentation will be made. We all should contact Sens. Lee, Pruitt
and Webster this week. Keep the pressure on!

+++++

APRIL 19, DELRAY BEACH -- FRANK BUBB ON EMINENT DOMAIN ABUSE

RLCer Frank Bubb will update the Women's Federated Republican Club
of Delray on the progress of legislation to prohibit the Kelo-style
takings of private property for private redevelopment.  The meeting
is at noon, Wednesday, April 19, at the Delray Dunes Country Club in
Boynton Beach. For more info, call Diane at (561) 499-6620.

For more RLCFL events, see www.rlcfl.org