Entries Tagged 'campaign issues' ↓
March 13th, 2006 — The Campaign, campaign issues
With a projected surplus of $3.2 billion dollars in collected revenue this year, the Legislature and the Governor have some serious choices to make.
They could use some of that windfall to offset the rising costs of homeowners insurance needed to bailout Citizens Property Insurance Company, the State sponsored “Insurer of Last Resort”. This move would give all homeowners a real tax break by not requiring Citizens’ to invoke its right to impose a 7% surcharge on all homeowner policyholders across the State when it runs a deficit paying out more in claims than it receives in premiums. Homeowners received that new “tax” surprise when they opened their Homeowners’ bill this past year. It may be too late for homeowners to get a break in 2005 but not too late for 2006.
…And, they could use that money to help implement the class size reduction that the citizens of Florida mandated with a Constitution Amendment.
…And they could bail out school boards that face a deficit like Pinellas County that projects a $20 million dollar shortfall this year after sending more of its citizens’ property tax dollars to Tallahassee than it receives back to run our school system.
…And, they could use a large portion of the money to pay down state debt, now at $22.5 billion. Florida TaxWatch, a fiscal conservative group, estimates we could save as much as $160 million in annual debt service payments.
…And they could use part of the savings from the annual debt service payments to set up a statewide healthcare plan for the indigent similar to the one already successfully in place in Hillsborough County. By covering that portion of the healthcare formula, employers could negotiate better rates from all healthcare providers for those of us under insured plans.
…And, they could make the Save Our Homes protection portable, so your property tax on a new home wouldn’t be much more than that on your previous home.
…And, we could shore up environmental projects like the Everglades restoration.
…And, we could catch up on infrastructure needs, like roads, sewers and water systems.
These are some smart choices that I would not only support but would help craft legislation to include them when I go to Tallahassee this fall.
Everyone knows the time to prepare for “lean” times is during times when there is a surplus. While the State has seen a windfall this year and expects more over the next several years, its citizens are experiencing:
- Soaring health care rates
- Sky-high fuel costs
- Unaffordable homeowner insurance rates
- A loss of available rental housing
- A loss of affordable, average income housing
- …and overcrowded school systems with misguided expectations and under-funded budgets
Let’s put the surplus where the needs are! Let’s help Floridians live better lives!
February 28th, 2006 — The Campaign, campaign issues
Florida ranks third among states for the most uninsured residents topped only by California and Texas. For employer groups with less than fifty employees, the number of group health insurance companies has dropped from over 700 to less than five during the past 20 years. Most employers in Florida have less than fifty employees.
As a Candidate for House District 48, I am studying the problem so that I can be an effective legislator when I get to Tallahassee next fall. Thankfully, I have members of my Advisory Committee who have had over fifty years of combined experience in the healthcare industry both the insurer side of the business as well as on the employer side as Corporate Risk Manager. I am told that there is no easy ‘fix’. In my policy statement, I have attempted to summarize how we got to where we are in order to give voters a better understanding of why I will be supporting initiatives like the Hillsborough Indigent Healthcare Program statewide. Phyllis Busansky, Democratic Candidate for Congressional District 9 when she served as a Hillsborough County Commissioner, crafted the Indigent Healthcare Program. It has support from both sides of the isle and both ends of the political spectrum. The reason? The Indigent Healthcare Program works!
Another issue I will be addressing is the take-over by the HMOs of the care of Medicaid recipients. The problem? HMOs do not cover all areas of our State and those unable to get reasonable care locally will turn to emergency rooms for their treatment. HMOs are designed to manage cost, but, if there are no HMOs for a Medicaid patient to turn to, cost containment will not happen. It will be just the opposite with taxpayers underwriting the costs.
When I reach Tallahassee, my immediate support will go to the following healthcare issues:
§ Expand Hillsborough Indigent Health Plan statewide
§ Rescind the legislation that turned Medicaid over to the HMO industry
Please click here to read my full policy statement on Healthcare.
February 27th, 2006 — The Campaign, campaign issues
Have you ever heard someone say, “My vote doesn’t count?” That may not be an excuse after November 7th if the Committee for Fair Elections has its way. A citizens’ initiative spearheaded by Common Cause and a coalition of other distinguished citizens’ groups would take the responsibility of redistricting away from Florida’s legislature. The move would give the power back to the voters by amending the Florida Constitution to establish standards for districts drawn by a non-partisan commission in time for the 2008 elections. Over 900,000 Floridians have signed the petition, the first milestone of getting the initiative on the ballot. The Secretary of State has now certified those signatures authorizing it as Constitutional Amendment #5.
According to the Committee for Fair Elections, “not a single incumbent in Florida’s State Legislature or in Florida’s U.S. Congressional delegation was defeated in 2004. In that cycle, 72.5% of state legislative races had only one major party candidate. Of the 142 seats up for re-election, 103 were uncontested by a major party. That made Florida the second least competitive state behind Arkansas”.
The reason? After the last census, the party in power, in this instance, the Republicans, gerrymandered the state legislative and congressional districts to guarantee the re-election of Republican incumbents. When the Democrats were the majority power, they, too, practiced gerrymandering.
I support this initiative and urge voters to vote, “YES”, for Redistricting Reform (Amendment #5) on November 7th.
February 13th, 2006 — The Campaign, campaign issues
As a Candidate for House District 48, I want to let voters know my position on the Equal Rights Amendment.
“Equal rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.”
When our Founding Fathers drafted the wording for the United States Constitution, they first established a republic based on a democratic form of government. Then they created the first ten amendments — the ones we refer to as the Bill of Rights — to protect us from that government.
In the late 1700s, women were a class protected by their fathers, brothers, and husbands. The social order of that era did not envision women as CEOs of Fortune 100 companies, astronauts, or even working moms. Under the original Constitution, women were not granted the right to vote. Today, women play a major role at all levels of our federal, state, and local governments.
Numerous federal, state, and local laws have been passed addressing equality issues involving gender. At the federal level we have Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, The Equal Pay Act of 1963, and The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. …And, yet, inequities still exist.
According to recent polls, most Americans think that ERA has been ratified and that equal rights for women is already included in our Constitution. In Florida, all 67 County Commissions have expressed support through their County Commissioners’ Association. In the legislature, the measure has been co-sponsored by both Republicans and Democrats on a bi-partisan basis. Unfortunately, Republican leadership did not support this measure.
Only three states are needed to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment for adoption in the United States Constitution. I strongly believe that Florida must be one of them! As the only son growing up in a single parent household with my mother and five sisters, I feel very strongly about guaranteeing the rights of women and support the ERA. Continue reading →
February 9th, 2006 — District 48, The Campaign, campaign issues
Big business is posting record profits. Workers are losing pensions and benefits -and jobs
Insurance rates (home, health and auto) are rising through the roof.
Electric bills are sky-high and very little is being done to promote alternative energy.
Our highways are gridlocked.
Growth management has been streamlined to help eliminate those pesky safeguards like protecting wetlands and habitat.
Affordable housing for our grown children, parents, and employees has vanished.
Florida’s education system has been destroyed in the name of testing.
Graduation rates are at 50%, almost the lowest in the country and morale amongst teachers and students is probably even lower.
Our Republican leaders are proud of their educational reforms.
Our government passes laws to interfere with a person’s last wishes, tramples on our right to privacy and continues to give tax breaks to the wealthy when important programs, like educating our children, go under-funded.
Have you had enough? I have! I am a fiscal conservative who also believes in social responsibility. In plain language, I believe that the services that we require of our local, state, and federal government should be provided within the budgetary constraints of today’s tax dollar and not paid for by our children and grandchildren.
I understand the problems within Florida%u2019s education system because I have been a teacher at Countryside High School for over 20 years. I understand the problems of businesses in Florida because I am a small business owner. Most important, if I do not have a solution for a particular problem, I have a group of experienced advisers and a network of friends who do.
I believe you should know where I stand on the issues. When I go to Tallahassee, I will be representing not only the constituents in District 48, I will be representing all Floridians - - - Democrats, Republicans and Independents. Don’t settle for meaningless statements from other candidates like “I support education” or “I’m tough on crime”. Your representative should earn your vote with a thorough understanding of issues. I’m proud to share mine with you. Had enough of politics as usual? I ask for your vote on November 7th.
