Gainesville city elections are today, and if you haven't voted early, this is your last chance to make your voice heard in what will prove to be a historic election.
Up for vote are two City Commission seats and two amendments to the Gainesville City Charter.
The Editorial Board endorses voting no on Charter Amendment 1. The controversial amendment would remove Gainesville's existing discrimination protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity and revert the law back to the Florida Civil Rights Act, which has no protections for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender residents. The amendment is worded so that it cannot be reversed and also would leave no room, if passed, for further protections - such as veteran status - to be added.
The Editorial Board sees no benefit that can come from taking these protections away from a large and important segment of the community. If LGBT residents lose these protections, they can be fired from their jobs, evicted from their homes or denied service at businesses solely based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. The issue is not whether you support homosexuality, but rather if you support equality for all citizens in Gainesville.
The Editorial Board endorses voting yes on Charter Amendment 2, which would require a state referendum vote to convert city-owned land used for conservation, recreation or cultural purposes to another use. Simply put, if passed, this amendment would make it more difficult for public land used for those purposes to be rezoned to, for example, commercial use and sold to private investors.
Gainesville residents deserve to reap the benefits of land used for culture, conservation and recreation. It is important that we protect this land lest it be rezoned and sold to the highest bidder.
For Gainesville City Commission District 1, the Editorial Board endorses incumbent Scherwin Henry. While his undecided stance on Amendment 1 is disconcerting at best, Henry's pledge to support responsible business expansion couldn't come at a better time. With both local businesses and chain establishments closing their doors at an alarming rate, it's time to regain control of our community.
Henry's support of local youth and public aid programs also strikes the Board's fancy. With subsidized housing taking a hit in our faltering economy, a significant portion of disadvantaged families find themselves with nowhere to turn as they are forced out of their homes. Henry has a proven track record of working with Gainesville's Community Redevelopment Agency to pump funding into areas that need it most.
For Gainesville City Commission At-Large Seat 1, the Editorial Board wholeheartedly endorses incumbent Jeanna Mastrodicasa. Mastrodicasa was first elected in 2006 and has been working concurrently as a UF administrator and city commissioner. She believes in striking a compromise between key groups in Gainesville - students, residents at large and local businesses. Mastrodicasa's platform focuses on responsible handling of the city's budget shortfalls and smart investing of the city's resources. What the Board likes most about Mastrodicasa is her commitment to the thousands of UF students that comprise a huge chunk of her constituency. Her ties with UF help her stay in the loop with matters affecting this important voting bloc, which has been increasingly active in elections over the past few years.
No matter whether you agree or disagree with the Editorial Board's endorsements, we implore you to get out and vote. In order for our government to continue to serve its citizens, we must let our opinions be heard.
