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Editorial: The people haven’t spoken — yet
On Tuesday night, the Fernandina Beach City Commission will weigh whether to adopt an ordinance banning paid parking downtown and elsewhere. The ordinance comes from a citizen petition that qualified for the 2026 ballot. Supporters of the petition will likely repeat the line: “The people have spoken.”
But that’s not quite true.
The petition met the legal threshold — signatures from 15% of the city’s roughly 8,000 registered voters. That’s about 1,200 people and 1,700 signatures were certified. It also means 85% didn’t sign.
Some of those may oppose paid parking. Others may support it. Many simply haven’t decided. The petition puts the question on the ballot, but it doesn’t answer it.
Let’s be clear: We’re not taking sides on paid parking.
What we are saying is this — a referendum is the only legitimate way to measure public opinion. A citywide vote in 2026 will tell us whether Fernandina Beach residents want paid parking or not. Until then, no one — not citizens, not commissioners — should claim to speak for the majority.
That’s why the commission should hold off on implementing any paid parking program until voters have their say.
If the goal is to fund projects like flood protection, the marina rebuild, or demolishing the Brett’s Waterway Cafe building, there are other options. The commission should formally request Nassau County’s help through Bed Tax revenue — money meant for tourist-related improvements. The riverfront clearly qualifies.
Citizen petitions are a valuable democratic tool. But they’re not final verdicts. Equating 1,700 signatures with the will of 8,000 voters confuses the process with the outcome.
The people haven’t spoken yet.
They will — in 2026.
Comments
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pbsteve
⁵While I commend the citizens who were involved with the "NO PAID PARKING" petition process for successfully bringing their concern forward, I do not agree that it is appropriate for them to make the statement that "the citizens have spoken". What the result of the recent petition does "state" is that a minority of our citizens want the decision concerning "paid parking: to be made by our city's voters, not the City Commission.
My view is that many of our citizens have NOT been presented with all the facts and alternatives associated with the city's attempt to solve a revenue shortfall WITHOUT increasing our Ad Valorem taxes starting next fiscal year.
Every citizen needs to more throughly understand the financial/capital demands that are facing our city in the near future. Ask for the "rest of the story" when discussing the pros and cons of paid parking in Fernandina Beach.
pbsteve40@gmail.com
Monday, October 20, 2025 Report this
brucebaugh
I agree that the city should wait until the vote next year. In the meantime, the council should apply for the bed tax that the city generates. It has to be a significant sum, given all the hotels and rental homes and condos. Why haven't they already done that? It's their money, if they passed the tax.
I lived in a county in Ohio that drew three to four million tourists a year. The county, towns, and townships passed a bed tax that significantly increased income for already stetched budgets. It worked there, why can't it work in Fernandina Beach?
Monday, October 20, 2025 Report this
DouglasM
We all can count and there is a reason 10% is the threshold for a petition. The folks running this campaign easily got over the bar in record time. Yes, 1700 is not a majority (yet), but given the constraints and difficulties of even getting an initiative on a ballot (when has anyone seen one?) the number and the speed with which this came together is astounding! I would not say "the citizens have NOT spoken" either.
Tonight is a first reading, so adoption will need a second reading and can't happen this evening......but they can reject it tonight if they choose to. I fully expect they will. They have shown zero inclination to slow down their train. Then, in a year, it will be our turn.
Tuesday, October 21, 2025 Report this