Tollette’s Record on Super Majority Ballot Question Issue

Many think that requiring at least a Commissioners’ Super Majority ‘4 to 1 vote’, instead of a simple ‘3 to 2 vote’, is a protective measure, setting a higher standard for any changes to Comprehensive Plan land use policy or to the Future Land Use Map. Commissioner Christine Tollette was opposed to the Super Majority vote requirement and voted against putting the Super Majority referendum question on the 2008 November ballot.

On April 24, 2008, Commissioner Christine Tollette voted against authorizing the City Attorney to prepare a ballot question so the voters of our City could vote to decide whether or not they wanted to require a Super Majority vote of the Commissioners for any changes to the Future Land Use Element (FLUE) of the City Comprehensive Plan (Comp Plan). Commissioners Quam, Woodland, Miller and Mattick all voted yes for it to go on the ballot for the people to decide.

On June 26, 2008, Commissioner Tollette voted ‘No’ but Commissioners Quam, Woodland and Miller voted ‘Yes” to approve Ordinance 08-688 authorizing a referendum question which would require a Super Majority of the Commission for any amendments to the FLUE of the Comp Plan of the City of Anna Maria. (J. Mattick was absent) The actions of Quam, Woodland and Miller ensured that the voters would have a chance to vote for or against the Super Majority referendum question.

The City of Anna Maria voters passed the Super Majority ballot question with a strong 76.2% majority vote.