Commissioners Hear Argument About Changes to Orange County Charter
Tuesday, July 29, 2014
By: Ernest Duffoo

July 29, 2014 | WMFE, Orlando - Orange County commissioners held a public hearing Tuesday afternoon over a proposal to extend the minimum period before a citizen petition may be placed on an electoral ballot.

Citizens’ petitions need 50,000 signatures to be included in the county’s electoral ballots.

Currently 45 days is required for processing and public deliberation after collecting the signatures.

The amendment, initially proposed by Commissioner Fred Brummer, would extend that deliberation period to 150 days.

Carlos Smith, the Orange County Democratic Party Chair, was one of about 2 dozen people to speak in opposition.

He called the initiative an attempt to foil citizens’ initiatives.

“The impact in practice will be that it’s just gonna extend the window of opportunity for special interests and for non-citizen led voices to try to undermine or completely nullify the effects of any future citizen’s petition," Smith said.

Mayor Teresa Jacobs said it’s not an attempt to silence the voice of voters.

“The reason for this is to ensure one, that Mr. Cowles [Orange County Supervisor of Elections, Bill Cowles] can get the petitions out, and two, to ensure that the citizens have enough time to gain the information and have the public debate that they should be entitled to," Jacobs said.

Another ordinance under discussion Tuesday night would limit the power of citizen-led initiatives to affect employer wages, benefits or work hours.