Election Eve!
 
The Budman's Fearless Forecast!
 
  Romney 51%
 
  Obama 48%
 
  Romney 300 electoral votes (approx)
 
 
Florida Amendments
 
   Here, as promised, and as revealed during this morning's show, is my take on the 11 constitutional amendments you'll find on your ballot.
 
 
Amendment 1 Healthcare Services.
 
Says the government shouldn't be able to force us to buy health insurance...and that Floridians should be able to opt out of Obamacare. Unfortunately, with the Supreme Court ruling last Summer, we can't opt out of Obamacare. But this is an important symbolic vote. If you are opposed to Obamacare as I am, you will
 
VOTE YES
***************
Amendment 2 - Veterans Disabled Due to Combat Injury; Homestead Property Tax Discount.
 
There's already a property tax break for those disabled in combat while living in Florida. This extends the break to veterans in Florida disabled in combat before they moved here.
 
For all they have sacrificed, I could never turn my back on our disabled veterans, so on Amendment 2 I will
 
VOTE YES
*****************
 
Amendment 3 - State Government Revenue Limitation
 
If passed, this would strengthen mechanisms currently in place to cap the growth of state government. I'm in favor of anything that reigns in the runaway growth of government at any level, so on Amendment 3 I will
 
VOTE YES
*******************
 
Amendment 4 - Property Tax Limitations; Property Value Decline; Reduction for Non Homestead assessment Increases; Delay of Scheduled appeal.
 
That's just the amendment title! The amendment you'll see on your ballot is 600 words long!! Please, for the sake of everyone on line at the polls...know how you're going to vote before you show up!
 
The heart of this amendment prevents local government from raising your property tax assessment when the market value of your property is declining.  Local governments say passing this amendment will put a crimp in local budgets and hurt school funding. I get that, but the big government party is over. It's time to streamline and get by on less. And so, on Amendment 4 I will
 
VOTE YES
********************
 
Amendment 5 - State Courts
 
The most significant part of this proposal provides that State Supreme Court justices appointed by the Governor be subject to State Senate confirmation before they can sit on the bench. At the federal level, Senate confirmation is an accepted part of the confirmation process for Supreme Court nominees, and in general, I think it provides an important check and balance between the branches of government. That's why on Amendment 5, I will
 
VOTE YES
************************
 
Amendment 6- Prohibition on Public Funding of abortions;Construction of Abortion Rights
 
If you're pro-life you should back this amendment on principle, even though it really wouldn't change much if passed. It prohibits the use of tax payer dollars to fund abortions, but there are already state and federal laws that prohibit this.
I'm pro-life, so I will
 
VOTE YES
**************************
 
(there's no Amendment 7...it was a religious freedom amendment struck down by a judge)
**************************
 
Amendment 8 - Religious Freedom
 
  This one looks good when you first read it...but sends up red flags for me. Under current Florida law on the books since 1885, taxpayer money cannot be used to fund religious groups. This would overturn that in the name of religious freedom..and what could be more fundamentally American than freedom of religion?!
  Here's the problem. If Amendment 8 passes, it would force you and me to fund ALL religious activity...radical Islam....Satanic cults, etc. I just can't go there and so on Amendment 8, I will
 
VOTE NO
*************************
 
Amendment 9 - Homestead Property Exemption for surviving spouse of Military Veteran or First Responder
 
This provides a property tax break for the spouse of a soldier, police officer, firefighter or first responder killed on duty. It doesn't have a significant impact on local budgets, and I think it's fair compensation for their loss. As with Amendment 2, I just can't find it in me to vote against who serve and sacrifice for us, so on Amendment 9, I will
 
VOTE YES
************************
 
Amendment 10 - Tangible Personal Property Tax Exemption
 
  This amendment would give some tax relief to small businesses on equipment they need...and things like furniture. We put the screws to small business in so many ways, and because small business is the engine of our economy, I look favorably on almost any measure that gives them a break. This does, and so on Amendment 10 I will
 
VOTE YES
*************************
 
Amendment 11 - Additional Homestead Exemption; Low Income Seniors who Maintain Long-Term Residency on Property; Equal to Assessed Value
 
Hey, I'm not anti-senior citizen, but we already have Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security. It seems to me don't need to create another entitlement and enshrine it in the state Constitution, and so on Amendment 11 I will
 
VOTE NO
****************************
 
Amendment 12 - Appointment of Student Body President to Board of Governors of the State University System
 
What is this trivial matter doing on the ballot when it impacts so few Floridans?! This Amendment shouldn't exist, but since it does, I will
 
VOTE NO
******************************