There is an old axiom that refers to Social Security as the "third rail of American politics", an obvious reference to the imm

There is an old axiom that refers to Social Security as the "third rail of American politics", an obvious reference to the immediate "death" of any politician who touches that system. Most educated Americans understand that Social Security, as it is presently constructed, will bankrupt the federal government at some point in the future and must be changed. Politicians of both parties have been aware of it for years and understand that the problem is getting worse and it will be less painful the earlier it is dealt with - but no one will touch it.

Martin County has its own third rail, our Comprehensive Plan. Intellectually, we understand that the Plan must evolve as times change and the methodology for modification was included in the original document. However, the worst thing that can currently be said about a local politician is that they would change the Plan, and logical debate on the subject has become extremely difficult.

To insure that Martin County realizes it's brightest future, needed changes must logically evolve, be thoughtfully debated, and be fairly adopted. According to staff documents, this has occurred 150 times in the decade since the plan was adopted, with the vast majority of these changes being initiated by the county. Beyond the potential conflict with state law, we are concerned about the current Guardians of the Martin Comp Plan proposal that would make a very political process even more political and more costly. An additional concern is that the proposed language is vague and subject to wide interpretation that could make even the most minor changes extremely difficult. With vague language, a good attorney can make the case that any change could affect a subjective element such as "water quality, fiscal policy, etc.". We have seen the unintended fiscal impacts of recent State constitutional changes.

The Guardians have put forth a plan that would require a super majority (4 of 5) of the County Commissioners, plus a county-wide vote, to approve what in reality could be interpreted as any change to the Plan. It might be logical to make some additional requirements for changes to a few basic, clearly defined items within the Plan, such as the four-story limit on buildings, changes to the Urban Services Boundary, and the maximum 15-unit to the acre density. But even in those circumstances, the Guardian proposal seems to be a bit of an overkill.

More importantly, putting every change on politically charged issues to a referendum is the antithesis of one of the most basic and successful elements of the American system - representative government. With every election, we should be choosing people with the intelligence and character to make hard, informed decisions for us. Making their job more difficult to perform should not be our objective.

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Please join us at the 2004 MCTA Annual Dinner on Wednesday, March 31, at the Monarch Country Club in Palm City. Craig Evans from Stewardship America will discuss the Rural Lands Stewardship Program. Cocktails begin at 6:00 PM with dinner starting at 7:00 PM. Please print an invitation from our website, indicate your menu selection, include $30.00 per person, and mail it to the MCTA office.