Which part of "no" don't they understand?

Another local story repeated too often across America:

Voters rejected a tax for a new Broward County courthouse just four years ago, but Tuesday, county commissioners approved the project anyway.

For 30 years, when someone pays sales tax in Broward County, that customer will be helping build a new courthouse.

County commissioners voted 6-3 on Tuesday to commit a half-cent of the existing 6 percent sales tax toward a new courthouse in downtown Fort Lauderdale, on the south side of the New River.

That's not a new tax; it is already being charged. But by their vote, commissioners will divert the tax from its use for general services and projects and commit it to the courthouse's construction.

Opponents said it could lead commissioners to raise property taxes to make up for the lost $230 million of tax revenue.

Voters in 2006 rejected a property tax for a courthouse, but commissioners are using an existing tax and don't have to put it on the ballot this time.

http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/06/09/1670420/slice-of-salex-tax-to-help-fund.html

You can argue about "public opinion" and the validity of polling data.

But, there is no excuse for elected officials to disregard the results of referenda and elections.