The hot-button issue appears likely to spark an emotional debate from both sides and could likely prompt increased voter turnout during a year when Florida will once again become a battleground state in the presidential election.
But unlike past years, the 2008 ballot will not be crowded with constitutional amendments promoted by special interest groups. New ballot deadlines, as well as the new requirement that all amendments be approved by 60 percent of voters, have contracted the number of ballot initiatives that will be sent to voters.
These tough new burdens could prove fatal to House Speaker Marco Rubio's latest effort to get a property tax amendment on the 2008 ballot. Rubio is backing a citizen-sponsored amendment to cap property taxes, but to make the ballot organizers must turn in more than 611,000 valid voter signatures from across the state by Feb. 1.
Two other major ballot initiatives are racing to meet the February deadline. One is Florida Hometown Democracy, an effort to give voters more say in approving development, while the other is Floridians for Smarter Growth, a business-backed group that is sponsoring a rival amendment to the Hometown Democracy effort.
Rep. David Rivera, a Miami Republican working to get signatures for the property tax amendment, contended that there are enough people angry at their property tax bills that organizers can meet the deadline.
''There is a property tax revolt going on in Florida. People are craving to sign the petition,'' he said.
But a University of Florida professor who studies ballot initiatives said it is ironic that politicians like Rubio and business-backed groups like Floridians for Smarter Growth are struggling to meet deadlines that were put in place by the GOP-controlled Legislature at the urging of the Florida Chamber of Commerce.
''It's been an effort at limiting liberal ballot efforts, yet now these others are facing the same regulations of the initiative process,'' said Dan Smith, an associate professor of political science.
Organizers of Florida4Marriage.Org began gathering signatures for a constitutional amendment on same-sex marriage in early 2005 and initially were aiming to get on the 2006 ballot, but did not get enough signatures to declare victory until this week.
Hometown Democracy supporters began their drive in 2005 as well, but so far have only gotten 440,000 signatures verified.
Lesley Blackner, a West Palm Beach attorney and chairman of the effort, says her group has turned in many more signatures but there has been a delay in reporting those results to the state. An attorney for the group raised questions this week to the Department of State about the discrepancy.
''It's been a nightmare,'' Blackner said.
``We want to get it over with.''
Meanwhile, Floridians for Smarter Growth has already ramped up its efforts to get a rival growth management amendment on the ballot.
Michael Caputo, a spokesman for the group, said the organization is ''on pace'' to get the signatures it needs by the end of January.
