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Florida Supreme Court

Pasco Clerk’s Office upgrades website, online features

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The last time Pasco Clerk & Comptroller Nikki Alvarez-Sowles spoke with the East Pasco Networking Group (EPNG), she vowed to make various technological and customer service upgrades to the agency’s website and operations.

Less than a year later, some of those goals have been achieved.

A recent addition to the clerk’s website is e-Notify, a new statewide alert system to stay informed about upcoming hearings, trials and other criminal court events.

Pasco County Clerk and Comptroller Nikki Alvarez-Sowles (File)

Users who sign up for the service receive email or text alerts on upcoming events, with options to get reminders 14 days, seven days or a day ahead of time.

The program works similar to the way individuals receive electronic reminders for upcoming doctor’s appointments “except it relates to cases,” said Alvarez-Sowles, who led a virtual video presentation with the networking group last month.

The e-Notify system is not just for parties and attorneys, but the public and media, as well. “It is open to the world,” she quipped.

In addition to providing information on an appearance date, time and location, it also alerts when a defendant or witness doesn’t show for a particular event, said Alvarez-Sowles, who became the eighth Pasco County Clerk & Comptroller last August, filling out the balance of term for the retiring  Paula S. O’ Neil.

There is no limit to the number of cases users can sign up to get notifications, and users can manage their alert subscriptions and make changes to the number of followed cases and frequency of alert.

In addition to e-Notify, the clerk’s office also has installed bolded tabs at the bottom of its website for “highly sought after information,” such as marriage licenses, property auctions, juror information, e-Filing and legal resource center services, to ease in searches.

Alvarez-Sowles also talked about the agency’s online property fraud alert system.

That alert system helps protect a person’s property from fraud by monitoring documents, such as liens, deeds and mortgages that are recorded in Pasco County.

It provides peace of mind because property owners know that their property is being monitored against the filing of fraudulent documents in their name.

Alvarez-Sowles put it like this: “If someone records a document in the official record with my name on it, I am going to get an email or phone call telling me that a document was recorded with my name on it, and give me the information so that I can go and look.”

The clerk explained there’s “a lot of fraud going on in our official record” — detailing how many fraudsters file quitclaim deeds on someone’s property then sell it to another party “so you no longer own your property on public record.”

To drive the point home, the speaker shared a heart-wrenching story about a Miami area woman who was homeless for seven months after swindlers used forged quitclaim deeds to sell her home to an investment firm, leading to her eviction.

“Our home or business we own is probably the largest asset that we will own, and we need to protect it,” she said.

All sorts of information available online
The website also offers online searches for court records.

The public can do anonymous criminal background checks on Pasco County-based businesses and residents. There’s also specific lookups for animal abuse cases, high-profile cases, mental health cases and others.

For example, you can search a person or business name and see lawsuits and criminal and civil charges, among other court records.

Alvarez-Sowles explained the database provides a way for citizens to vet doctors, lawyers, building construction, housecleaning, landscaping and other service providers.

It also can be used to research a new neighbor moving in, to see if they have a prior record in the county, she said.

To underscore the feature’s significance, Alvarez-Sowles shared a news story of two maids who’d been charged with stealing electronics and a firearm from a Cape Coral area home they were hired to clean.

A simple court records search in Lee County likely would have revealed each of the individuals criminal history, she said.

“Just think of any services people are providing, you can go and protect yourselves by going and looking at our records online,” she told the networking group.

On a related note, Alvarez-Sowles said she’s collaborating with other county clerks to get permission from the Florida Supreme Court to consolidate court records statewide for public consumption. That would allow for individuals to search a person or business name and see all court records cases from all Florida counties simultaneously and not require individual searches of each county.

Such a system currently is only accessible by the courts, law enforcement, state attorneys and public defenders.

Alvarez-Sowles said one her next big initiatives will be to expand online payments through the clerk’s website. Currently, citizens can pay traffic tickets and child support online, but she’s working to make it possible to pay court fines, fees and infractions online.

“I want it so that you can pay anything that you owe online, without having to come in (the office),” she said.

She’s also looking to contract with Amscot to accept payments on behalf of the clerk’s office, to assist individuals who don’t have bank accounts.

“To be honest, in Pasco County there’s a lot of people that don’t have bank accounts and they just live on cash, so having a place like Amscot for them to go is also very helpful, so that is a work in progress,” the clerk said.

For additional information about the clerk’s services, visit PascoClerk.com.

Office of the Pasco Clerk & Comptroller
By the numbers — for 2019

  • 220,000 official documents recorded
  • 88,000 cases filed
  • 31,000 jurors summoned
  • 6,500 passports issued
  • 2,500 marriage licenses issues

Published May 20, 2020

Pasco County property appraiser sees bullish outlook

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With Pasco County continuing to experience massive ongoing growth and development, the county’s tax rolls are expected to increase at least 9 percent this year, according to Pasco County property appraiser Gary Joiner.

Preliminary figures reveal that the county has already exceeded its tax roll from 2008, Joiner said, referring to before the economy tanked.

Pasco County property appraiser Gary Joiner (File)

The property appraiser’s remarks came during a speaking engagement at the Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce June breakfast meeting.

New residential and commercial construction make up the bulk of the increase, Joiner said, noting the county last year approved a record of more than 50,000 permits.

The taxable value of homesteaded properties will not increase by more than 1.9 percent this year, Joiner added.

“The great thing about that is, your home values aren’t outrageous, where they were in 2008. You’re not paying twice as much in taxes as you were in 2008,” Joiner said.

Plus, the county’s growth is likely to continue, he said.

Joiner expects Pasco to become Florida’s 10th largest county within the next 18 months, moving up a notch from its current ranking of the state’s 11th largest county.

“We’ve always been known as a bedroom community and ‘Little Pasco.’ Well, it’s not ‘Little Pasco’ anymore,” said Joiner, who grew up and lives in New Port Richey.

While growth can be a “great thing” for the county’s economy, it’s important for affordable housing and infrastructure to keep up, Joiner said.

He put it like this: “We’ve got to do it the right way, and we’ve also got to build roads and infrastructure way before we put a subdivision in. I think that’s where we lack. I think we’re 20 years behind in that. We’ve got to work harder on that.”

He continued, “I hate to see where some of the subdivisions are going, being where we were kids we hunted and fished there. You hate to see them tore up and these large oak trees taken down that you’ll never see again.”

Also on the subject of the county’s tax rolls, Joiner mentioned his office has made an effort to go after various forms of fraud, such as homestead fraud and agriculture fraud.

Joiner said the office has put more than $60 million in taxable value back on the county’s tax rolls since he took over in early 2017, including collecting nearly $1 million in back taxes.

“We’ve had our fair share (of fraud),” Joiner said.

Joiner also told the audience that the property appraiser’s office recently replaced its mainframe computing system and has upgraded to a more user-friendly website.

“We’re just working hard for you, trying to make a difference,” Joiner said. “We’ve tried to change a lot of things since I’ve gotten there — staff wise, productive wise, saving money.”

Joiner also touched on the county’s ongoing lawsuit with Pinellas County, where Pinellas has refused to pay property taxes on the 12,400 acres on the Cross Bar and Al Ranch property it owns north of State Road 52 and east of U.S. 41 in Central Pasco.

Joiner explained, last year alone, Pinellas made more than $2 million on that property from timber and pine straw harvesting, and therefore owes Pasco about $200,000 in taxes.

The Second District Court of Appeal recently sided with Pasco in the property tax dispute after it lost in the lower court. The issue is now likely to wind up in the Florida Supreme Court.

“We’re very confident we’re going to get it,” Joiner said. “It’s not fair that every person in this room, and every person around here has to pay (taxes), and yet they (Pinellas County) think they’re exempt.”

In an action related to that lawsuit, the Pasco County Commission voted on June 4 to send a letter to the Pinellas County Commission, urging them to drop its legal action. In essence, Pasco commissioners said it is only fair that Pinellas pay its taxes, just like other property owners.

B.C. Manion contributed to this report.

Published June 12, 2019

Proposed Constitutional amendments

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There are 12 proposed amendments to Florida’s Constitution on the 2018 ballot. There were 13, but one was removed by the Florida Supreme Court.

Here’s what voters will be deciding:

Number 1: Increased Homestead Property Tax Exemption

Ballot summary: Proposing an amendment to the State Constitution to increase the homestead exemption by exempting the assessed valuation of homestead property greater than $100,000 and up to $125,000 for all levies other than school district levies. The amendment shall take effect Jan. 1, 2019.

Number 2: Limitations on Property Tax Assessments

Ballot summary: Proposing an amendment to the State Constitution to permanently retain provisions currently in effect, which limit property tax assessment increases on specified non-homestead real property, except for school district taxes, to 10 percent each year. If approved, the amendment removes the scheduled repeal of such provisions in 2019 and shall take effect Jan. 1, 2019.

Number 3: Voter Control of Gambling in Florida

Ballot summary: This amendment ensures that Florida voters shall have the exclusive right to decide whether to authorize casino gambling by requiring that in order for casino gambling to be authorized under Florida law, it must be approved by Florida voters pursuant to Article XI, Section 3 of the Florida Constitution. Affects articles X and XI. Defines casino gambling and clarifies that this amendment does not conflict with federal law regarding state/tribal compacts.

Number 4: Voting Restoration Amendment

Ballot summary: This amendment restores the voting rights of Floridians with felony convictions after they complete all terms of their sentence, including parole or probation. The amendment would not apply to those convicted of murder or sexual offenses, who would continue to be permanently barred from voting, unless the Governor and Cabinet vote to restore their voting rights on a case-by-case basis.

Number 5: Supermajority Vote Required to Impose, Authorize or Raise State Taxes or Fees

Ballot summary: Prohibits the legislature from imposing, authorizing or raising a state tax or fee, except through legislation approved by a two-thirds vote of each house of the legislature in a bill containing no other subject. This proposal does not authorize a state tax or fee otherwise prohibited by the Constitution and does not apply to fees or taxes imposed or authorized to be imposed by a county, municipality, school board or special district.

Number 6: Rights of Crime Victims; Judges

Ballot summary: Creates constitutional rights for victims of crime; requires courts to facilitate victims’ rights; authorizes victims to enforce their rights throughout criminal and juvenile justice processes.

Requires judges and hearing officers to independently interpret statutes and rules rather than deferring to government agency’s interpretation. Raises mandatory retirement age of state justices and judges from seventy to seventy-five years; deletes authorization to complete judicial term if one-half of term has been served by retirement age.

Number 7: First Responder and Military Member Survivor Benefits; Public Colleges and Universities

Ballot summary: Grants mandatory payment of death benefits and waiver of certain educational expenses to qualifying survivors of certain first responders and military members who die performing official duties. Requires supermajority votes by university trustees and state university system board of governors to raise or impose all legislatively authorized fees if law requires approval by those bodies. Establishes existing state college system as constitutional entity; provides governance structure.

Number 8: By order of the Florida Supreme Court of Florida, Revision 8 was removed from the ballot.

Number 9: Prohibits Offshore Oil and Gas Drilling; Prohibits Vaping in Enclosed Indoor Workplaces

Ballot summary: Prohibits drilling for the exploration or extraction of oil and natural gas beneath all state-owned waters between the mean high water line and the state’s outermost territorial boundaries. Adds use of vapor-generating electronic devices to current prohibition of tobacco smoking in enclosed indoor workplaces with exceptions; permits more restrictive local vapor ordinances.

Number 10: State and Local Government Structure and Operation

Ballot summary: Requires legislature to retain department of veterans’ affairs. Ensures election of sheriffs, property appraisers, supervisors of elections, tax collectors and clerks of court in all counties; removes county charters’ ability to abolish, change term, transfer duties or eliminate election of these offices. Changes annual legislative session commencement date in even-numbered years from March to January; removes legislature’s authorization to fix another date. Creates office of domestic security and counterterrorism within department of law enforcement.

Number 11: Property Rights; Removal of Obsolete Provision; Criminal Statutes

Ballot summary: Removes discriminatory language related to real property rights. Removes obsolete language repealed by voters. Deletes provision that amendment of a criminal statute will not affect prosecution or penalties for a crime committed before the amendment; retains current provision allowing prosecution of a crime committed before the repeal of a criminal statute.

Number 12: Lobbying and Abuse of Office by Public Officers.

Ballot summary: Expands current restrictions on lobbying for compensation by former public officers; creates restrictions on lobbying for compensation by serving public officers and former justices and judges; provides exceptions; prohibits abuse of a public position by public officers and employees to obtain a personal benefit.

Number 13: Ends Dog Racing

Ballot summary: Phases out commercial dog racing in connection with wagering by 2020. Other gaming activities are not affected.

To review the entire text of the proposed amendments and revisions, visit PascoVotes.org, and click on the appropriate link.

Published October 31, 2018

Area events honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

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The legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. lives on each year as communities nationwide celebrate the birth of the civil rights leader with parades, community service days and reflections on his message of non-violence.

The official holiday honoring King will be Jan. 18.

In Pasco County, celebrations will be take place throughout the week, including a first-time parade in Lacoochee on the official holiday.

The parade came at the suggestion of the young people in the Boys & Girls Club of Lacoochee, said Lorenzo Coffie, who is helping organize the parade and a scholarship breakfast for the MLK Program Committee.

“We thought it was an exciting idea,” Coffie said.

Area colleges and civic groups also are planning events.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. gave his stirring ‘I Have a Dream’ speech during the 1963 March on Washington. (FIle Photo)
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. gave his stirring ‘I Have a Dream’ speech during the 1963 March on Washington.
(FIle Photo)

Pasco-Hernando State College will host the 31st Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative Lecture Series on Jan. 20 and Jan. 21, on its various campuses around the county.

The guest speaker will be Mark Anthony Neal, a professor of black popular culture in African-American Studies at Duke University in North Carolina and director of the Institute of Critical US Studies.

The theme of Neal’s lectures will be “Hip Hop, Civil Rights and Social Media.”

King’s legacy is in civil rights, but also social justice, and this year’s theme focuses on the synergy between the two, said Imani Asukile, director of Global & Multicultural Awareness at PHSC.

Neal also brings expertise in social media and its cultural influences. His articles have been published in the Washington Post, Emerge Magazine and The Chicago Sun-Times.

He is author of four books, including his most recent, “New Black Man: Rethinking Black Masculinity.”
Neal has described himself as a black feminist male.

At Saint Leo University, there will be a Spring Community Service Day on Jan. 18.

Florida Supreme Court Justice Peggy Quince will be the guest speaker at noon in the Student Community Center boardroom, discussing King’s efforts to end childhood poverty.

Quince became the first African-American woman appointed to a state appeals court when she was selected to serve on the Second Court of Appeal in 1993. She was elected to the position three years later.

Gov. Lawton Chiles and Gov.-elect Jeb Bush appointed her to the Florida Supreme Court in 1998. She served as chief justice from 2008 to 2010, making her the second African-American and third woman to hold the position.

Following her talk, a free children’s fair will be on campus. There will be face painting, sand art and several inflatables. Faculty, students and student clubs will host the activities.

In Lacoochee, the Boys & Girls Club of Lacoochee, the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office, local churches, schools, area businesses and the MLK Program Committee plan two days of activities.

On Jan. 16, a Scholarship Breakfast program will take place at the Boys & Girls Club of Lacoochee. Donations of $10 for adults and $5 for students are requested. The funds will provide scholarships to area high school students.

On Jan. 18, a parade will be held, followed by a program at the Boys & Girls Club of Lacoochee, with the Rev. Deundrick Reed as keynote speaker.

The MLK Program Committee enlists different hosts each year for festivities. Coffie said the committee members appreciate the enthusiasm of the youth at the Boys & Girls Club who wanted to stage a parade.

Pasco County Sheriff’s Cpl. Jessica Hammond, known as Officer Friendly, also encouraged the parade, he said.

The theme is “The Dream: One Nation Under God.”

“(Dr.) King was a reverend. That was his forte,” said Coffie. “His ministry was based on nonviolence and equality for all.”

Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebrations:

Activities at Pasco-Hernando State College
Who: Guest lecturer Mark Anthony Neal, professor of black popular culture in African-American Studies at Duke University
What: Lecture on  “Hip Hop, Civil Rights and Social Media”
When: Jan. 20 at 10 a.m., in Room B-303, Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch, 2727 Mansfield Road, Wesley Chapel and at 6 p.m. in Room A-240, East Campus, 36727 Blanton Road, Dade City.
Neal also will speak on Jan. 21 at 9:45 a.m., via web telecast in B-104/105, North Campus, 11415 Ponce de Leon Blvd., Brooksville; at 9:45 a.m., in Performing Arts Center, West Campus, 10230 Ridge Road, New Port Richey, and at 7 p.m., in Room B-105, Spring Hill Campus, 450 Beverly Court, Spring Hill

Activities at Saint Leo University
What: Speech by Florida Supreme Court Justice Peggy Quince
Where: Student Community Center boardroom
When: Jan. 18 at noon

What: Children’s fair
When: Jan. 18, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., on the green between the Student Activities Building and Kirk Hall.
Saint Leo University is at 33701 State Road 52, four miles east of Interstate 75.

MLK Program Committee Activities

What: Scholarship Breakfast Program
When: Jan. 16, 9 a.m. to 10 a.m., at the Boys & Girls Club of Lacoochee, 38724 Mudcat Grant Blvd., in Lacoochee.
How much: Tickets are $10 for adults, and $5 for students

MLK parade
When: Jan. 18 at 9 a.m.
Where: Starting in Lacoochee at Cummer Road and U.S. 301, ending at Boys & Girls Club of Lacoochee. After the parade, there will be a MLK Commemorative Program at 11 a.m., at the boys and girls club, where the Rev. Deundrick Reed will be the keynote speaker. There will be refreshments at Stanley Park after the program.

Published January 13, 2016

Pasco bans cannabis growth and sale

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The Pasco Commission has placed a one-year moratorium on the production and distribution of cannabis.

The plant is the basis for “Charlotte’s web,” a low-strain of medical marijuana.

In a roll-call vote, commissioners approved the ban unanimously, without discussion.

The Florida Legislature approved the non-euphoric form of medical marijuana in 2014, but the state has yet to get the program operating.

cannabis rgbWithin the next three months, the Florida Health Department anticipates awarding five permits to businesses that will grow and distribute medical marijuana.

Several municipalities throughout the state have adopted moratoriums of varying lengths, similar to the one adopted by Pasco County commissioners.

During public comment, Chase Daniels, representing Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco, told commissioners that the sheriff supports the moratorium.

The ordinance in part states that growing and dispensing medical marijuana “represents new land uses not previously studied in drafting the county’s current regulations.”

By the end of September, Pasco planning officials will ask commissioners to prioritize a list of zoning issues that need to be addressed, including those related to cannabis.

According to the ordinance, commissioners could consider prohibiting production and distribution of cannabis, or enacting additional standards to regulate cultivating and dispensing cannabis.

During public comment, Palm Harbor resident John Chase cited several recent studies looking at the effects of legalizing medical marijuana, including ones from the Tulane School of Public Health, Lancet Psychiatry, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

“They all say there is nothing to fear from medical marijuana,” Chase said.

The studies’ findings, he said, found no increase in violent crime or property crime, and no increase in marijuana use by adolescents.

“Marijuana dispensary, I know that’s a loaded word,” Chase said. “I also know our decisions are made better when based on evidence, not based on opinion or belief.”

Medical marijuana is a matter that could reappear as a referendum on the 2016 ballot.

United for Care, a group backed by attorney John Morgan, announced on Sept. 1 that Supervisors of Elections had validated 74,000 signatures on its petition. That means the next step is a review by the Florida Supreme Court.

The constitutional amendment’s language is similar to one in 2014 that received more than 57 percent of the vote, but fell short of the 60 percent needed to change the state’s constitution.

Supporters still must provide more than 609,000 additional, validated signatures to get medical marijuana back on the ballot.

Published September 9, 2015

Panel says no to charter in Pasco County

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With a one-vote margin, opponents of a charter-style government in Pasco County killed a proposal that had the backing of the county’s legislative delegation.

In an 8-7 vote, a 15-member appointed panel opted not to write a charter that could have significantly changed the way Pasco County’s government operates.

The vote came after the county’s five-member legislative delegation – State Rep. Richard Corcoran, State Rep. Amanda Murphy, State Rep. Danny Burgess, State Sen. Wilton Simpson, and State Sen. John Legg – had presented their case for pursuing a charter form of government. The charter could have included term limits, single member districts and a recall procedure to oust elected officials.

About 30 people attended the Aug. 24 committee meeting in New Port Richey.

After the vote, Corcoran expressed disappointment. He said he would prefer that voters had the final say on a charter.

Still, he said, “I’m glad we had the conversation. We had a good vetting. I’m happy.”

The seven votes favoring a charter came from panel members appointed by the delegation and two members appointed by Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore.

Corcoran had urged the Pasco County Commission to create a charter commission earlier this year that would have been required, under state law, to produce a charter.

Under that scenario, commissioners would not have been able to amend the charter document and voters would have the final say.

Commissioners resisted that approach, instead opting for a nonbinding panel which had the option of recommending a charter or not.

If the panel had approved a charter with a super-majority vote, commissioners had said they would present the matter to voters, without change, in a 2016 referendum.

But for a majority on the panel, the case for a charter didn’t pass muster despite assertions that other counties with charters were better off than Pasco.

“Where is this fantasy, premier, preeminent county?” asked panel member Chuck Grey. “What are we aspiring to be? Tell me a county we’re aspiring to be like.”

Delegation members repeatedly hit on the theme of voter accountability and empowering voters.

“There’s nothing bad when we talk about accountability,” Burgess said. “I believe a lot in autonomy.”
However, as a former Zephyrhills’ mayor, Burgess had one caveat, if a charter were adopted.

“I would prefer that we preserve local governments’ ability to determine their own destiny,” he said.

Simpson dismissed the notion of an elected county mayor, an idea initially raised by Corcoran when he presented the charter idea to Pasco County commissioners.

“My personal opinion is that would be a dreadful idea,” he said.

He did, however, find single member districts “not a bad idea.”

Corcoran urged the committee to include ideas they liked and let others alone. “If the county mayor is controversial, chuck it out the window,” he said.

Committee members Randy Maggard and Mike Ryan felt the committee’s vote was premature, and wanted to explore individual items, such as term limits and single member districts.

“We have not looked at all the issues in any depth to know right now,” said Ryan.

During public comment, only one speaker supported a charter.

“We have seen many county commissioners who have stayed on an enormously long time,” said New Port Richey resident Hugh Townsend. “I think turnover would be a good idea.”

Former Pasco County Commissioner Pat Mulieri said many unanswered questions remained about why Corcoran and others were pursuing a charter.

“You don’t want turmoil in Pasco County,” she said. “These changes could cause turmoil with government, when this is a time for stability with our economic growth.”

Pasco County Tax Collector Mike Fasano wondered why all the focus was on accountability at the local level.

“It concerns me that those who just left Tallahassee and didn’t do what they needed to are concerned about accountability,” he said.

Legislators recently ended a special session to redraw the state’s district maps under order from the Florida Supreme Court. They recessed without agreeing on a map, making it likely that the court will redraw the map.

At least for now, the charter issue in Pasco seems moot.

A grassroots group, the Pasco County Citizens Charter Coalition, has expressed interest in a petition drive to collect 45,000 signatures required by state law to establish the charter commission that Corcoran wanted. Coalition members had anticipated that Corcoran would partner with them.

However, the lawmaker said he had no plans to join in their efforts.

“We’ll see. I’ll keep working for ways to make all levels of government accountable,” Corcoran said.

Published September 2, 2015

Ready to vote? Here’s an election primer to help

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The mute button for many television viewers has never been used more through the barrage of political ads for everything from the governor’s race, to even Pasco County Commission.

Who will win? Voters will have a chance to express their opinions next Tuesday when Florida elects a governor, while local residents will choose a new state representative and a new county commissioner. (File Photo)
Who will win? Voters will have a chance to express their opinions next Tuesday when Florida elects a governor, while local residents will choose a new state representative and a new county commissioner. (File Photo)

But as early voting continues through this weekend, and on Election Day itself Nov. 4, all of that is about to come to an end.

The governor’s race remains too close to call, while more local races like the county commission have a history of fueling upsets.

It’s impossible to condense the entire political season into a single story, so here are some of the highlights of major candidates on the ballot.

Be sure to get the latest election news Nov. 4 on our website at LakerLutzNews.com, and aftermath coverage in our Nov. 12 print edition of The Laker/Lutz News.

GOVERNOR AND LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR

Rick Scott, Republican
Has he done enough to win a second term as governor? Or is Florida ready to look to its recent past and bring in a familiar replacement?

Those are the questions Gov. Scott has to answer as he touts the number of jobs created during his first term, and where the state is heading economically into the future.

It’s been a virtual dead heat for Scott and his main opponent, and both have engaged in a lot of mudslinging that some political analysts say may discourage more voters from going to the polls than welcome them.

Scott struggled in his first couple years to connect with people, including media, and suffered a low approval rating until this past year when he worked to fix it. But issues like high-speed rail (which he killed) and his time as the head of a major hospital chain continue to provide fodder for Democrats.

Charlie Crist, Democrat
He tried being governor once, and ended up presiding over one of the worst economic downturns in history, where hundreds of thousands of jobs were lost.

But if that wasn’t difficult enough to overcome, Crist also has to convince voters he’s now a Democrat after a lifetime of being a Republican, which also means he’s changed his stance on a number of hot-button political issues.

Crist entered a race where the incumbent was certainly vulnerable, but it’s tough to tell if the $9 million he’s raised through last week is enough to top the deep pockets of the current governor.

ATTORNEY GENERAL

Pam Bondi, Republican
She’s not afraid to take a stand and express her opinion, and it seems that’s what voters liked about Bondi when they first elected her to office in 2010.

Yet, her firm stance on controversial issues could pose some problems, especially as the state fought against the federal Affordable Care Act, and continues to defend its ban of gay marriage, which is now legal in most other states.

Bondi has raised $2.2 million in her re-election bid through last week.

George Sheldon, Democrat
He’s raised far less money than his opponent, but Sheldon — an attorney and government administrator on both the state and federal level — jumped into this race because he says the current attorney general has mishandled her responsibilities.

He feels there’s a disconnect between Bondi’s fight for the ban on gay marriage and her battle over the Affordable Care Act, saying that while marriage might be defending a law, the program informally called Obamacare also is the law of the land.

Sheldon has raised $760,000 through last week.

STATE REPRESENTATIVE, DISTRICT 38

Danny Burgess, Republican
He became the youngest Zephyrhills councilman at 18, and was the youngest mayor at 27. And he’s raised nearly $142,000 to try to replace Will Weatherford in Tallahassee.

Many Republicans look at Burgess as the future of the party, but opponents fear he lacks specific plans to help Pasco County overcome some serious growing pains.

Read more about Burgess at tinyurl.com/DannyBurgess.

Beverly Ledbetter, Democrat
After spending more than three decades as an educator in Pasco County’s school system, Ledbetter says she’s ready to use her experience in the state House.

While she has worked with the teachers union quite extensively, Ledbetter has not held any public office before. However, she is getting advice from her husband, Michael Ledbetter, who was a Pasco County commissioner in the 1970s.

But it could be a tough battle, as she’s raised just $34,000 through last week.

Read more about Ledbetter at tinyurl.com/BeverlyLedbetter.

COUNTY COMMISSIONER, DISTRICT 2

Mike Moore, Republican
He easily moved past a busy primary against two opponents — one who was a former state legislator — and has raised some serious cash: $171,000.

But if history is a guide, county commission races don’t always go to the best-funded campaigns.

Moore has run primarily on job creation, using his experience as an entrepreneur to help get face time with large corporations who might consider moving to Pasco County. Yet, he brings a personality far different from the woman who’s held the office the past two decades, Pat Mulieri, and that might turn off some voters.

Read more about Moore at tinyurl.com/MikeMoorePasco.

Erika Jean Remsberg, Democrat
She’s raised less than $11,000 in her race to become the first Democrat on the county commission since 2010, but Remsberg has certainly made her mark.

In fact, she won the endorsement of Mulieri, the retiring county commissioner who isn’t even a member of the same political party.

Remsberg is hoping for a major grassroots boost to propel her to victory, but the social worker knows it will be tough. Plus, it’s hard to tell how much she can accomplish as a political minority on a board with its own agenda.

Read more about Remsberg at tinyurl.com/ErikaRemsberg.

CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT No. 1

Water and Land Conservation – Dedicates funds to acquire and restore Florida conservation and recreation lands.
This amendment to the state constitution would move money already collected through an existing excise tax into a fund that would help purchase more conservation lands in the state.

The goal would be to help improve the environment and water quality, supporters say, and help provide a boost to the growing ecotourism movement as well.

Although there are no groups organized to oppose this amendment, some lawmakers and individuals feel this is an overreach of the constitutional amendment process, and could be more effective as a standard law through legislators.

CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT No. 2

Use of marijuana for certain medical conditions.
By far the most controversial measure on the ballot, which would have likely received far more attention if it weren’t for the tight gubernatorial race.

If passed, this amendment would open Florida up to allowing the use of marijuana for specific health conditions, under the guidance of a doctor.

The battle over medical marijuana has played out in several states already, with proponents saying this is a move of compassion for those who would suffer otherwise. Opponents, however, call this a loophole to try and legalize the drug for everyone, especially since other states like California have very loose restrictions on who qualifies for the program.

CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT No. 3

Prospective appointment of certain judicial vacancies.
This is probably the least known of the three amendments on the ballot, but one that could have significant impact on the state in future years.

Right now, Florida Supreme Court justices have terms that run the same time as the governor, meaning they are typically chosen by a new governor, rather than an outgoing governor.

If this amendment passes, the winner of Tuesday’s gubernatorial election will likely appoint three justices to the state supreme court before he leaves office in 2019. However, if the amendment fails, then the system will remain allowing the winner of the 2018 election to make that appointment.

Published October 29, 2014

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