CENTRAL CONNECTICUT UNIVERSITY

B.S. EDUCATION/REMEDIAL READING/GRAD STUDIES TOWARDS MASTERS

LIFE UNDERWRITERS TRAINING COUNCIL

TAUGHT 6TH GRADE FT PIERCE

9. SELF-EMPLOYED BUSINESS PERSON 20+YEARS IN FINANCIAL SERVICES

INDEPENDENT BUSINESS OWNER-9YEARS

BOARDS

TREASURER FRIENDS OF THE DOG PARK HOLLY HILL

FAMILY SELECTION COMMITTEE HABITAT FOR HUMANITY MEMPHIS

SECRETARY-WOMEN’S LIFE UNDERWRITER COUNCIL HARTFORD

ARTS IN THE PARK-VOLUNTEER CHAIRMAN MEMPHIS

HERITAGE PRESERVATION TRUST/PUBLICITY DAYTONA

SAVE HOLLY HILL

VOLUNTEER

PROJECT LITERACY CONNECTICUT

UNITED CEREBRAL PALSY ‘SPECIAL CARGO’ HORSEBACK RIDING PROGRAM

JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT

LEBONHER CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL

BIG BROTHER-BIG SISTER OF AMERICA

MEMPHIS IN MAY

MEMPHIS BLUES FESTIVAL

ARTS IN THE PARK MEMPHIS

PINK PALACE ARTS AND CRAFTS FAIR MEMPHIS

TURANDOT HARTFORD

HUMANE SOCIETY FOSTER PARENT MEMPHIS

STAR CENTER READING TUTOR DAYTONA

10. a) Choosing only 2 issues of concern in District 27 is challenging when there are so many very important issues facing us today on several levels. Our District is faced with low wages, job losses, high property taxes, increasing insurance costs, questionable quality of life for our seniors and our veterans in our state run nursing home, school closings, quality education, crime, water distribution, aging infrastructure, rampant growth and challenges to our environment. I will address 2 issues;

The first would be Economic Development. It is vital that we encourage more small businesses to the area. We need to perhaps focus on the strengths and talents of our existing workforce and encourage industry that will provide sustainable jobs for this workforce. We also need to strongly pursue a commuter rail system that goes from Orlando to Daytona, north to Jacksonville and south to Brevard County. This will greatly improve the ability of our citizens to find work. It will bring dollars into the county and strengthen tourism which has driven this District for years.

The second issue would be property taxes. The current revision on the ballot is an incomplete, short-term band-aid that will only put off meaningful reform. The State never seems to project out beyond a couple of years. We never look at long-term ramifications. We need to research what is successful in other states also. I would support a repeal of all State Sales Tax exemptions that do not directly benefit the general public. The State of Florida can then use that recovered revenue to replace part of the school portion of our annual Property Tax Bill. (A Constitutional Proposal has already been crafted to do this by the Florida Taxation and Budget Reform Commission). There are more than 200 exemptions to the state sales tax and tax on services. Depending upon which argument you choose to follow, those special interest exemptions cost Florida between $12 and $25 billion in lost revenue every year.

Once elected I will fully support the goals of this proposed amendment to the Florida Constitution proposed by the Florida Tax and Budget Reform Commission (TBRC) This proposal would repeal all special tax exemptions that do not directly advance or serve a public purpose. In plain language - if the exemption does not directly benefit the general public, repeal it. Through this proposal our state could recover almost 12 billion dollars a year in lost revenue. That 12 billion in recovered revenue would restore the budget for education to the state's budget and replace a large portion, if not all, of our annual Property Tax bill that now goes toward school funding.

10b. It is unfortunate that the State has been forced to mandate local government guidelines for taxation and revenue. We have seen extreme spending habits by our cities with apparently nothing being done to stop this spending on the county and city levels. The level of spending that has gone on for the last few years has to be controlled and limited and if a mandate from the State is what was required to get our cities and counties back to limiting the size of government I support those efforts.

11. The threat to our planet from pollution and global warming is much more than this 1%. We need to recognize that what we do will impact the earth in some way. The benefits of becoming more environmentally responsible, is a cleaner, safer, more sustainable world. The price to pay for ignoring the potential damage can be catastrophic. We must restore and permanently protect all our waterways. We know the solutions, yet are refused by powerful and influential special interests groups and industries.

Treat wastewaters at the source rather than allowing it to flow along, and pollute our waterways. Evenly distribute discharges. Stop all plans for deep wastewater injection wells pumping waste and toxic waters into or below our aquifers. Stop all plans to reclassify the quality of our waterways in order to claim a false improvement.

Recognize the long term and possibly irreparable impact standard construction and development has on our waterways and environment.

Invite green architects, builders and developers to compete with the existing, traditional architects, builders and developers to create more environmentally neutral developments if we must develop at all. Our "Stay the course" attitude towards oil needs to change to a commitment to alternate, sustainable and renewable energy sources. We cannot ignore the fact that we are harming the earth locally, and globally. We must make investments now, in industry and job building to solve our energy needs.

12. Our children are our most precious resource and our most important investment for the future of our community, state, and nation. Our teachers and schools must be allowed to develop the very best programs to educate our children. The FCAT is a failure. It forces our teachers to train our children to pass a test rather than teach our children to think and learn.

End our reliance on the FCAT and shift its approximate $300 million budget back into our schools. Eliminate those tax exemptions that do not directly benefit the citizens of Florida and place that gain back into education.

FLORIDA SALES TAX EXEMPTIONS

Here are some of the exemptions to the state sales tax, the year they were enacted and the estimated amounts of money they will cost the state this fiscal year.

Newspaper and magazine inserts (1998; $41.3 million)
Fish breeding (enacted 1949; estimated cost: $100,000)
Florida Super Bowl tickets (1981; insignificant cost)
High-school and college team stadium skyboxes-1999;900,000
Property rentals for movie production (1987; $5.7 million)
Gold, silver and platinum bullion exceeding $500 -1999;insignificant
Annual subsidy Professional Golf Hall of Fame 1993;$2.4mil
Annual subsidy for International Game Fish Association World Center ($1.2 million)
Sale or use of satellites or other space vehicles (1989; $125 million)
Sale of U.S. and state flags, include kits that include taxable accessories (1974; $2.2 million)
U.S. legal coins, and coins in excess of $500 (1999; $400,000)
The list goes on ... Source: 2007 Florida Tax Handbook

13. One issue not yet mentioned is the Ratification of the ERA. It is a simple amendment, not the complicated verbiage or possible interpretations that have befallen it over the years. As a state, we should be ashamed that we cannot agree on ratification on an amendment that has survived since 1923.

Once elected, I intend to fully support ratification of the ERA.

FLORIDA: On April 1 (2008), Sandy J. Oestreich, head of the

Florida Equal Rights Alliance, reported that she and other ERA enthusiasts (plus one anti-equal rights adherent) spoke at the ERA ratification hearings held by the Florida Legislature Senate Judiciary Committee. The good news: a resounding 8-3 vote for ERA ratification. The next step will probably be either to assign the bill to another committee for consideration, or to release it directly to the floor of the Senate. Meanwhile, substantial progress is being made in lining up more co-sponsors and supporters of the ratification bill among members of the Florida House and Senate, which, as of this writing, continues in session in Tallahassee.

Section 1. Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.

Section 2. The Congress shall have the power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article

.Section 3. This amendment shall take effect two years after the date of ratification

I ASK OF YOU

PLEASE GET INVOLVED, AND PARTICIPATE

TOGETHER WE CAN WORK TO STRENGTHEN OUR COMMUNITIES AND STATE THROUGH A REASONABLE, REALISTIC AND FAIR TAX SYSTEM, A PRODUCTIVE WORKFORCE WITH SUSTAINABLE JOBS, WAGES AND SECURITY, AFFORDABLE HEALTHCARE FOR ALL, ATTEND TO HOMELESS PROBLEMS, SAFETY, RESPONSIBILITY TO OUR SENIORS, PROTECTION FOR OUR SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS, FUNDED HOMEOWNERS INSURANCE COMPANIES, THE BEST EDUCATION SYSTEM IN THE COUNTRY AND A RENEWED FAITH IN GOVERNMENT.

THIS WILL HELP TO RESTORE THE PLACE WHERE ALL OF US AND OUR CHILDREN WILL CALL HOME NOW AND FOR THE FUTURE.

IT WILL TAKE ALL OF YOU TO HELP, BY JOINING THE MOVEMENT TO

GET VOCAL and GET INVOLVED