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Highlands Today

Sun 'N Lake Close To A Better Way Of Electing Representatives

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: March 29, 2009

Residents in Sun 'n Lakes of Sebring might see a big change in the way they elect their board of supervisors, depending on what Highlands County Commissioners hear at their April 7 public hearing. It should be compelling information, and we hope this matter eventually ends with a better way to elect board members.

As it stands, a majority of the board of directors are elected by a vote of landowners, not necessarily residents. Large developers with numerous empty lots can stack the special improvement district's board with their candidates of choice. A minority of board members are elected by residents.

This practice made sense when Sun 'n Lake first began, but much has changed over the years with thousands of people now calling the special improvement district home. The only thing that hasn't changed is the way board members are elected.

The county will consider whether to eliminate the status quo and give big landowners fewer votes per acre. For example, NRPI, which currently has about 2,000 votes in elections and can basically decide what board members will be on their side, would now have 500 votes.

It's obvious that those who gain the most from those NRPI votes are put out that the county is even considering this. Of course they are. They could be tossed out of office if the residents of Sun 'n Lake decide they have not been representing them.

These board members have nothing to worry about if they are making the best decisions for residents, and are not in the pocket of big developers. So we can't imagine what their reluctance is to allow the people actually living there to decide who represents them.

The change being considered still won't make it one person, one vote, but it gets a lot closer than what is now in place. Even with a change, perhaps not one person currently on the board will lose re-election, and that's absolutely fine. The only point is that the people living there, paying rent and taxes, should have the say.

It's time for a change, and it looks like the clock is nearing midnight.

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