Name: Mark Danish
Age: 58
Residence: Tampa
Occupation: teacher at Benito Middle
Political affiliation: Democrat
Political experience: volunteered for several campaigns
Office being sought: Florida House, District 63
What separates you from your competitors(s)?
What sets me apart from my opponent is my experience. I have taught countless students over the last 3 decades. I know what it is like to struggle each month to provide for my family, to pay a mortgage and send my kids to college. I know what the people in my community need because I have lived in Lutz and New Tampa for over 35 years. Meanwhile, Shawn Harrison has voted against the needs of our community. He voted to cut public education and funding for nursing for seniors (SB2000). He voted for the USF polytechnic break-off which meant massive cuts for USF (HB5001). He also sponsored a bill to make it easier for banks to foreclose on homeowners (HB213). I can promise to actually vote in the interest of my community. As representative, I will support policies to grow our middle class and small business. I will put my constituents’ priorities above all else.
What do you hope to accomplish in your first six months in office?
I would like to work on restoring funding for public education and increase funding for our state’s infrastructure. I fundamentally believe that we must build our way out of this recession and invest in our next generation. Education is such an important factor in the success of our state’s economy. I would also like to work on legislation to incentivize the use of more solar energy in Florida.
What do you hope to accomplish by the end of your term?
By the end of my term, I would like to drastically improve Florida’s public education system. This means raising our curriculum standards, investing in teacher training and recruitment, and increase funding for our schools. I would also like to reform our state’s corrupt tax code. Corporate interests in Tallahassee have written their own tax loopholes to avoid paying their share. Meanwhile, small businesses and the middle class are forced to take on the largest tax burden. Everyone should have to play by the same rules. Tax reform will create a better climate for businesses to create more jobs.
List your political endorsements:
International Association of Firefighters, AFSCME, Florida AFL-CIO, West Central Federation of Labor, Teamsters local union 79, FEA, Hillsborough CTA, SEIU, USF chapter of UFF, Florida NOW, the Political Hurricane, former Florida CFO Alex Sink, former Secretary of the Lottery Dr. Marcia Mann and Tampa City Council members Lisa Montelione, Yvonne Jolie Capin, Mary Mulhorn and Harry Cohen
