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Altamonte Springs proposes to raise taxes by nearly 29 percent

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Altamonte Springs proposes to raise taxes by nearly 29 percent

By Barbara Haiss Martin

Altamonte Springs proposes to raise taxes by nearly 29 percent – The first of two public hearings was held Tues., Sept. 3 at 7 p.m. at City Hall to discuss approving the budget for next year and included whether to raise the city taxes 29 percent. Four of five Commissioners have already agreed to it. Only Commissioner Jim Turney (Libertarian) is against the proposal.

This brouhaha started with a Press Release to shut down the library due to a $400,000 shortfall (later adjusted to $600,000). Once the community was enflamed at the thought of losing their beloved library, 40 people (whose only interest was in saving the library) came to a hastily called millage rate meeting on July 18, only to hear that in order to save the library the millage rate had to be raised from 3.1 to 4 and that it would only cost them about $8 a month. The increase raises more than $4.37 million — far more than the $600,000 needed for the library budget. City Manager Frank Martz later said in an interview with a TV reporter that the rest of the money would be used to stabilize other departments/programs in the City. While this was mentioned at the meeting, there was minimal discussion about other shortfall problems in the City.

According to the minutes, most of the emotionally charged people spoke at the public hearing and after hearing the choices said, “Yes, raise my taxes.” Only two people, besides Turney, opposed the increase. One person said he had rental properties in Altamonte and while he worked hard to keep the rates down for his tenants, he said he would unfortunately have to pass on the full amount of the tax to his tenants.

The basis of the $8 a month increase was not explained at the meeting but five taxing authorities go into a Seminole County tax bill: County, City, School Board, Fire and the St. John’s Water Management.

A call to the Property Appraiser’s office revealed this about the 2024-2025 millage rates:

  • County – no change
  • City of Altamonte Springs – proposed change from 3.1 to 4.
  • School Board – slight decrease 3.13 to 3.03
  • Fire – no change
  • St. John’s Water Management – no change

Additionally, other cities in Seminole either remained the same or had a slight increase except the City  of Sanford which had a slight decrease.

According to the clerk at the Appraiser’s office, the $88 a year increase in taxes ($7.33 a month) came from a statement the Property Appraiser made in relation to a general increase throughout all of Seminole County.  

But that won’t be the case in Altamonte Springs since the City’s taxes are not spread throughout the County.  If the proposed rate is approved from 3.1 to 4, for every $100,000 of assessed value of someone’s home, residents will be charged about $100. The assessed value equals the market value less any homestead or Save Our Homes benefits and less any Exemptions.

Of course, the biggest tax bearers in the City are the business owners and their tenants, including property rental companies (private homes, apartments, businesses). They do not qualify for homestead exemptions or assessment reduction programs. With businesses already struggling, additional taxes  would have to be passed on to business tenants and consumers and result in higher prices for goods and services.

The second public hearing will be held on Sept. 17.

Questions:

  1. Why were the July 18 minutes transcribed so meticulously? Minutes usually come with general comments. Was it necessary to get those “Yes, raise my taxes” comments on the record so the Commissioners felt like they had a mandate?
  2. All the cities and counties are feeling the pinch financially, but why is Altamonte the only one raising taxes 29 percent?
  3. Why is the only Republican Commissioner standing with the “raise the taxes” crowd? Why is the Libertarian, Tunney, the only one standing up against this large increase?
  4. Budgets are all about spending for the next year, but what about savings? The last time I noticed an audit by the City (2021), they had $39 million in savings. Can’t they just take $600,000 from the kitty and save the library for a year until the economy stabilizes instead of causing an uproar with the citizens and overtaxing them?
  5. With two Democrats and one Independent (or NPA) rounding out the board, is this just another “Don’t waste a crisis” hustle.
    • Create the crisis
    • Have a hastily called meeting
    • Offer only one solution — overtaxing the populace. (Residents suggested other options but most were dismissed by the Commission.)

Obviously, this was never about the library. It was just a useful tool to emotionally manipulate people to raise taxes. 

We all know how we got here. The current administration did everything possible to destroy our economy and the rest of us are waiting for a November election to set things straight and stabilize our economy.  I believe the City of Altamonte Springs should wait as well.

Barbara Haiss Martin is an award-winning journalist who has lived in Altamonte Springs with her family since 1972

Altamonte Springs proposes to raise taxes by nearly 29 percent

Thanks for reading “Altamonte Springs proposes to raise taxes by nearly 29 percent” by the SeminoleGOP.org

Fighting Propaganda: Check Your Sources

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Fighting Propaganda: Check Your Sources

If you’ve been following the findings of Republican Rep. Jim Jordan’s Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government, then you know that the existence of a “Censorship Complex” targeting conservatives and right-leaning news outlets is not a “conspiracy theory” but an actual conspiracy. And worse, the collusion between Big Tech and the federal government was funded by your tax dollars through the Department of Defense and its CISA subagency.

The House Judiciary Select Committee report from June 26, 2023 details their findings.

CISA, we learn from the report, is “a little-known agency buried in the depths of DHS” that creepily expanded its mission in the name of combatting ‘foreign disinformation’ and later “began surveilling and censoring American citizens online, directly and by proxy.”

The primary targets were then candidate and President Donald J. Trump, his son Don Jr., and a host of conservative individuals including former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, Mollie Hemingway, Jack Posobiec, Sean Hannity, Dave Rubin, along with media outlets like One America News, New York Post and Newsmax. Even parody publications like Babylon Bee did not escape the attack on free speech.

You can read all the reports from the House Judiciary Committee and Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government on the House Judiciary website.

In the House Select Subcommittee’s Nov. 6, 2023 report it’s revealed that the suppression of free speech began “in the lead-up to the 2020 election, amid the COVID-19 pandemic.” As Americans and lawmakers were openly discussing changes in election laws and procedures that were happening mid-cycle “their constitutionally protected speech was intentionally suppressed as a consequence of the federal government’s direct coordination with third-party organizations, particularly universities, and social media platforms.”

The Supreme Court has previously ruled that it’s a given that the government cannot outsource actions that are unconstitutional. The House Select Subcommittee rightly observes that such censorship-by-proxy is “an especially nefarious form of state action, given that it is designed to evade detection, oversight efforts, and public records requests.”

The Big Tech actors, left-leaning organizations, and, sadly, weaponized government agencies will no doubt be at it again in 2024. They will find new ways to keep tearing down our constitutional republic, through lawfare like denying Trump a place on the ballot, using divisive propaganda, pushing for mass mail-in voting, and censoring citizens (in the U.S. and abroad).

In the March 2023 hearing of the House Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government, independent journalists Matt Taibbi and Michael Schellenberger, called out a news-rating company, NewsGuard, and the Global Disinformation Index as part of the vast Censorship Complex. In his testimony, Taibbi revealed that NewsGuard received $750,000 in funding from the DoD.

At the same March 9, 2023 hearing, Schellenberger testified:

“NewsGuard and the Global Disinformation Index, both taxpayer-funded, are urging advertisers to boycott disfavored publications, and direct their funding to favored ones. The organizations have been caught spreading disinformation, including that the COVID lab leak theory is a debunked conspiracy theory, and seeking to discredit publications which accurately reported on Hunter Biden’s laptop, such as the New York Post.”

The disinformation spread is pervasive. According to its own website and news releases, NewsGuard partners include Microsoft Education, Bing, the U.S. Department of State, The American Federation of Teachers, University of Michigan, Giphy, PubMatic, Joint Research Centre of the European Commission and the World Health Organization. Elon Musk, CEO of X (formerly Twitter) called NewsGuard a “scam” that should be disbanded.

In true Owellian fashion, it turns out NewsGuard’s “red-rated” media outlets (those deemed unreliable) are likely the most reliable sources around. Among the censored or “red-rated” news outlets are One America News, Newsmax, Gateway Pundit, and The Federalist.

Despite their efforts, a majority of Americans seem to be tuning out the propaganda. Let’s hope.

As we enter the fight of our lives against the statists in the 2024 Election Cycle, we must be vigilant to protect free speech and call out violations to our individual rights. At the very least, we should be aware of the very real collusion between Big Tech and the federal government to suppress free speech.

Here’s a list of favorite conservative news sources from Liberty Nation, no doubt “red-rated” by NewsGuard. But you can be the judge.

Thanks for reading “Fighting Propaganda: Check Your Sources” by the SeminoleGOP.org

Rep. Cory Mills Addresses SeminoleGOP

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Rep. Cory Mills Addresses SeminoleGOP

Rep. Cory Mills Addresses SCREC

Rep. Cory Mills Addresses SeminoleGOP

On Aug. 17, U.S. Congressman Cory Mills (FL-07) addressed the members of SCREC to report on the current state of affairs in Washington, D.C., and his efforts to protect American values, the Constitution, and our unalienable rights.

Cory Mills went through a number of bills he has sponsored or supported that have been introduced or passed by the House including:

  • H.R.863 aimed at ending the sexualization of children in our public schools by holding publishers accountable for their role in providing visually explicit materials to school-age children
  • H.R.277, the Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act of 2023, or the REINS Act, aimed at increasing legislative oversight of executive agencies’ rulemaking authority by requiring a congressional approval process for a major rule (one that has significant, harmful financial or economic impacts to businesses or consumers, or financial implications to the U.S. economy greater than $100 million)
  • H.R.26, the Born-Alive Abortions Protections Act stipulating requirements for care by practitioners in the case of a child born alive following an abortion or attempted abortion

To date, several conservative bills have passed the House only to languish in the Senate. Rep. Mills urges all constituents to call their Senators and urge them to act on House bills they support that have passed. Legislation can be researched at www.congress.gov.

The Capitol Hill switchboard number is: (202) 224-3121.

Legislative Roundup Part 3

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Rep. David Smith speaking on the House floor. Legislative Roundup Part 3

Legislative Roundup Part 3

Seniority benefits Seminole Rep. David Smith’s leadership skills

If you read the previous article First-year Representatives Bankson, Plakon, and Plasencia dedicated to hard work and Republican values, then you got a taste of the amount of work first-year Representatives are expected to accomplish and that was just part of their legislative duties.

Senior Congressmen such as Rep. David Smith (Dist. 38) chair the committees with which the first-year Representatives are assigned. For instance, Smith, a retired Marine Colonel, is the Chairman of the Joint Select Committee on Collective Bargaining, Vice-Chair of the Justice Appropriations Subcommittee, and the Republican Committee Whip on the Infrastructure Strategies Committee. A committee whip is responsible for counting heads and rounding up party members for votes and quorum calls and they assume leadership of the committee should the Chair be absent.

He also sits on the Transportation and Modals Subcommittee (a subcommittee of the Infrastructure Strategies Committee), the Rules Committee, the Ways and Means Committee, and the Civil Justice Subcommittee.

Senior Congressmen also debate on the House Floor, participate in budgetary matters advocating for funding for their districts or for statewide initiatives, and, of course, sponsor and co-sponsor bills.

This past session Smith sponsored twelve bills, nine of which successfully passed and three that died in committee. Bills that passed include a bill that adds judicial assistants and their families to list of public records exemptions, a veterans’ services and recognition bill, expunction of criminal history records for certain people, a bill concerning offenses against certain animals, interstate education compacts, a public records and meetings exemption for the Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact Commission, modification of a regulation concerning car dealer leasing and rental affiliates, a bill that revises regulations concerning Sanford Airport Authority and a bill which modifies regulations regarding the Florida Institutions Inmate Welfare Trust Fund.

Smith also co-sponsored 11 bills with six passing. Bills included the Catalytic Converter Anti-Theft Act, a bill to preserve abandoned and historic cemeteries, two bills to modify the Florida Retirement System, a bill modifying the public nuisance laws, and a bill that modifies the law concerning assault and battery on hospital personnel.

Besides providing constituent services, Rep. Smith also drafts, promotes, and helps shape legislation and provides oversight on relevant and critical issues as well as collaborates and negotiates with colleagues on both sides of the aisle to find common ground and advance legislation in a bipartisan effort.

Barbara Haiss Martin is an award-winning journalist who has lived in Seminole County with her husband, John, since 1972.

New Laws Passed in 2023 | Legislative Roundup Part 3

New Laws Passed in 2023 | Legislative Roundup Part 3

Florida’s New Medical Freedom Laws

Gov. DeSantis signed four pieces of legislation into law in the 2023 Legislative session that provide strong protections of medical freedom for Floridians. The laws address medical mandates, empower doctors, and prohibit dangerous gain of function research. For a summary, click here to view a PDF created by the Governor’s Office.

Below is from the Governor’s Office news release issued May 11, 2023:

“The landmark legislative package signed today safeguards residents’ freedom by ensuring no patient is forced by a business, school, or government entity to undergo testing, wear a mask, or be vaccinated for COVID-19. The legislation also affords medical professionals the freedom to collaborate with patients in prescribing alternative treatments and protects physicians’ freedom of speech. Lastly, Florida is the first state to ban unsafe and unregulated gain-of-function research, like the research conducted in the Wuhan lab.”

The bills signed into law include the following:


Senate Bill 252– Most Comprehensive Medical Freedom Bill in the Nation:

  • Prohibiting business and governmental entities from requiring individuals to provide proof of vaccination or post-infection recovery from any disease to gain access to, entry upon, or service from such entities.
  • Prohibiting employers from refusing employment to or discharging, disciplining, demoting, or otherwise discriminating against an individual solely on the basis of vaccination or immunity status.
  • Prevents discrimination against Floridians related to COVID-19 vaccination or immunity status, etc.

House Bill 1387 – Banning Gain of Function Research:

  • Prohibiting “gain of function” research, also known as enhanced potential pandemic pathogen research.

Senate Bill 1580 – Physicians Freedom of Speech:

  • Providing that health care providers and health care payors have the right to opt out of participation in or payment for certain health care services on the basis of conscience-based objections.
  • Providing requirements for a health care provider’s notice and documentation of such objection.
  • Providing whistle-blower protections for health care providers and health care payors that take certain actions or disclose certain information relating to the reporting of certain violations.
  • Prohibiting boards, or the Department of Health if there is no board, from taking disciplinary action against or denying a license to an individual based solely on specified conduct, etc.

Senate Bill 238 – Public Records/Protection from Discrimination Based on Health Care Choices

  • Providing an exemption from public records requirements for certain information relating to complaints or investigations regarding violations of provisions protecting from discrimination based on health care choices.

These laws make Florida a leader in medical freedom — something to remember as talk of mask mandates and new COVID variants increases, just in time for the Presidential primary season. The 2024 Iowa Republican presidential caucuses will be held on January 15, 2024. Florida’s Presidential primary is on March 19, 2024.

In case you missed reading the more than 200 laws passed during the 2023 Florida Legislative session, here are the links to the chapter PDFs:

View all new 2023 laws »

View 2023 bill summaries »

‘Sound of Freedom’ grosses $100M in its first three weeks

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‘Sound of Freedom’ grosses $100M in its first three weeks

‘Sound of Freedom’ grosses $100M in its first three weeks

You may still be able to see this incredible film. Its “unexpected” and remarkable success has kept it running in AMC theaters. The film tells the story of Tim Ballard, a former DHS special agent who goes on a mission to rescue child-trafficking victims. Showing in Altamonte Springs, Lake Mary, and Oviedo. Check local listings for times and theaters.

Sound of Freedom is a 2023 American action film directed and co-written by Alejandro Monteverde, and starring Jim Caviezel, Mira Sorvino, and Bill Camp. Caviezel plays Tim Ballard, a former U.S. government agent who embarks on a mission to rescue children from sex traffickers in Colombia. It is produced by Eduardo Verástegui, who also plays a role in the film. The plot centers around Ballard’s Operation Underground Railroad, an anti-sex trafficking organization.

The film was released on July 4, 2023, by Angel Studios, and became a sleeper hit; it has grossed over $149 million against a $14.5 million budget. It received mixed reviews from critics, while audience reception has been highly positive

Sound of Freedom | ‘Sound of Freedom’ grosses $100M in its first three weeks

Accuracy of ‘Sound of Freedom’

The film was inspired by the life of Tim Ballard, who left the Department of Homeland Security around 2013 and founded Operation Underground Railroad to work with local police in other countries to catch child sex traffickers. The film’s central plot point, that of a brother and sister lured to a photo shoot in Honduras, is not an event that Ballard has claimed actually happened. According to American Crime Journal reporters, Ballard embellished details about the story told in the film.

Ballard stated that “Some things are definitely overreported”. He did not go into the jungle by himself to rescue a little girl nor did he kill a man to rescue the child. According to Ballard, the island rescue Operation Triple Take involved both minors and adults, while the film portrays all victims as children. Ballard stated that his team not only rescued 54 minors but 123 individuals at two additional locations

Meet Tim Ballard

Hailing from California, Tim Ballard was a disciplined child. As a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, he had to serve a two-year mission to Chile. After finishing his mission, Ballard went to Brigham Young University to pursue his studies.

He obtained a degree in Bachelor of Arts in Spanish and political science and went on to study for his master’s degree at the Monterey Institute of International Studies, graduating with a Master of Arts in international politics.

He then worked as a U.S. Special Agent for the Department of Homeland Security on the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC) and the U.S. Child Sex Tourism Jump Team. It was after serving the government for 12 years that he found Operation Underground Railroad (O.U.R.) in 2013.

What is Operation Underground Railroad?

After leaving the government service in 2013, Ballard founded a non-profit organization named O.U.R. to work towards rescuing trafficking victims. The organization has also helped in the arrest of a man suspected of distributing child pornography.

Because of all the great work by O.U.R., Ballard was able to testify before the United States Congress House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Global Human Rights in May 2015. He also discussed different strategies and approaches for saving children from trafficking rings. Ballard has also advocated partnerships between the U.S. government and non-governmental organizations that rescue trafficking victims.

In 2019, he also had a long discussion with the US Senate Judiciary Committee about US-Mexico border protection and its association with child sex trafficking.

However, it is important to note that this organization has not been mentioned in the movie at all but you will see it being promoted on the official website of  O.U.R.

‘Sound of Freedom’ grosses $100M in its first three weeks movie update was made possible by the Seminole County Republican Party

2023 Local Elections Dates To Know

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2023 Local Elections Dates To Know

2023 Local Elections

2023 Local Elections Dates To Know

2023 Local Elections Dates To Know made possible by the Seminole County Republican Party

Dates to Know

2023

Aug. 23, 2023: First debate of the Republican presidential primary (Wisconsin)

Nov. 7, 2023: 2023 municipal elections may be held for Oviedo, Lake Mary and Altamonte Springs (based on results of candidate qualifying – see latest City Elections article).

Anyone who has not yet registered to vote in Florida must do so 29 days before the first election in which they’d like to vote.


2024

March 9-16, 2024: Mandatory Early Voting Period for Presidential Preference Primary Election

March 19, 2024: Presidential Preference Primary Election (PPP)

The deadline to register to vote in this closed-primary election is Feb. 20, 2024. Voters registered with those parties express their preference for the presidential candidate they would like to see representing their party on the General Election ballot in November 2024. After the PPP, designated political party delegates from Florida formally nominate the preferred presidential candidate at the respective party’s national convention.

July 15-18, 2024: GOP National Convention at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Aug. 20, 2024: State Primary Election Date(deadline to register to vote in this election is July 22, 2024)

Nov. 5, 2024: 2024 General Election (deadline to register to vote in this election is Oct. 7, 2024)

Source: Florida Division of Elections

For more information, visit voteseminole.gov or view the SOE Voter Guide.

ELECTIONS 2024

Here’s what’s on the 2024 ballot in Seminole County:

  • All five Constitutional Offices (including the offices of Sheriff, Property Appraiser, Tax Collector, Clerk of the Circuit, and Supervisor of Elections)
  • All four State Representatives
  • Three of the County Commission seats
  • Two School Board seats (Republicans Amy Pennock and Abby Sanchez are both up for election in 2024)
  • The Public Defender
  • The District Attorney
  • Florida’s 7th Congressional District Representative
  • One U.S. Senate seat

View all Seminole County 2023 and 2024 candidates at: voteseminole.org/candidates.

Help get incumbent Grant Maloy on the ballot in 2024 for Clerk of the Circuit Court: Download your petition and follow the return instructions. Visit GrantMaloy.com for more information on Grant’s campaign.

Paid for by the Seminole County Republican Executive Committee.
Not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee

2023 Local Elections Dates To Know - Vote by mail laws.

Vote by Mail Laws

  • A law passed in 2021 (SB 90) requires voters to re-request mail ballots if they plan to vote that way in the future. Vote-by-mail requests now last for two years instead of four. Visit MailBallotRequest.org or call 407-585-VOTE (8683) to start voting from home.
  • All requests for Vote by Mail ballots that were in place prior to the law’s effective date (5/6/21) were valid through the end of 2022 and are now voided.
  • One vote-by-mail request covers all elections through the end of the calendar year of the next scheduled general election unless the voter specifies an election period.
  • The last day to request a mail ballot be mailed to your address is 5 p.m. 10 days prior to an election.
  • Voted mail ballots must be received by 7 p.m. on Election Day at the Supervisor of Elections office. Mail ballots cannot be forwarded to other addresses by the United States Postal Service.
  • Voters also need to provide their Florida Driver’s License number, Florida State ID number, or the last four digits of their Social Security Number, whichever can be matched to information on file with the Supervisor of Elections.
  • The law also bans ballot harvesting in Florida.
  • Visit the vote-by-mail page at Florida’s DOE site for more information.
  • This law also updated voter registration processes including requiring the registration of any third-party collector of voter registration forms.

Questions? Email linda@lindatrocine.com to connect with State Committeewoman Linda Trocine or contact State Committeeman Jesse Phillips.

Last chance to qualify for a city race

Here are the qualifying dates:

  • Oviedo starts and closes first: Monday, Aug. 7, 2023, to noon, Friday, Aug. 11, 2023
  • Altamonte Springs dates: Noon on Monday, Aug. 28, 2023, to 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 5, 2023
  • Lake Mary dates: Noon on Monday, Aug. 28, 2023, to noon on Friday, Sept. 1, 2023

Contact the City Clerk in each of the cities:

August 2023 SCREC Subcommittee News

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August 2023 SCREC Subcommittee News

August 2023 SCREC Subcommittee News

The August 2023 SCREC Subcommittee News was made possible by the Seminole County Republican Party

SCREC Subcommittee News

SCHOOL BOARD SUBCOMMITTEE UPDATE

Two Republican School Board members Amy Pennock and Abby Sanchez sit on the board with three Democrats and need our continued support, so if you can attend a school board meeting, please do so. Pennock and Sanchez are both up for election in 2024. A calendar of public meetings is available online at pcm.scps.k12.fl.us. Board meetings are held at the Educational Support Center (400 E. Lake Mary Blvd., Sanford, FL 32773). The August School Board meeting is on Aug. 15 at 5:30 p.m.

If you are interested in supporting the Seminole County Moms for Liberty Chapter, reach out to Chapter Chair Jessica Tillman at momsforlibertyseminole@gmail.com or visit their website: www.momsforliberty.org/chapters/seminole-county-fl. 

THE ELECTION INTEGRITY (EI) SUBCOMMITTEE

Mike Lindell presents an Election Summit event, “The Plan Revealed,” on Aug. 16-17. Visit lindellevent.com to get your free online gift and exclusive access to this live event!

August 2023 SCREC Subcommittee News

If you have an interest in election integrity and are able to help on EI projects, contact any member of the Election Integrity Committee or reach out to Chair Dennis Schoeppner at dschoeppner.screc@tutanota.com.

RPOF ‘WAR ROOM’ SUBCOMMITTEE

Ryan Allen, our point of contact for RPOF Chairman Chris Ziegler’s War Room, which serves as a grassroots network for RECs. The goal is to help take our message of freedom to “every nook and cranny” of our state. Ryan is working to help coordinate communications between SCREC and the Republican Party of Florida. If you have news or information for Ryan, you can connect with him by emailing info@seminolegop.org.

LINCOLN DAY DINNER: Our 2023 Lincoln Day Dinner planning is still underway with the likely venue to be the Marriott in Lake Mary in the fall. More to come!

GET INVOLVED TODAY: We encourage SCREC members and non-members who are registered Republicans to volunteer for a committee. To connect with Chairs or to volunteer, email info@seminolegop.org. We especially need volunteers for the Community Outreach and Precinct Training and Accountability Committee.

We always need volunteers! Help share our love of liberty out in the community and reach new voters. If you can spare a few hours to help at a Seminole GOP community outreach event, please email info@seminolegop.org to get details on volunteer opportunities.

Legislative Roundup Part 2

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Legislative Roundup Part 2

Legislative Roundup Part 2 was made possible by the Seminole County Republican Party

Legislative Roundup Part 2 was made possible by the Seminole County Republican Party

By Barbara Haiss Martin

Seminole’s Senator Brodeur hits some out of the park, but one foul lands in the Press Box

Seminole’s State Senator Jason Brodeur (District 10), while still in his first four-year term as Senator, is not a political rookie having served in the House of Representatives for 10 years prior. With more than 900 bills submitted to the Senate last session, all 40 Senators received numerous committee assignments where they conduct hearings, review incoming bills, and elicit debate as well as public input before voting.

Senators also draft and sponsor/co-sponsor bills as well as present their bills to various committees. Other duties include constituent services and building relationships with other Senators.

While three of his Seminole counterparts in the House (all first-term Representatives including Rachel Plakon, House District 36; Susan Plasencia, HD 37; Doug Bankson, HD 39) are assigned four or five committees to sit on with no Chair or Vice-Chair responsibilities, in the last session, Brodeur sat on nine committees.

He was Chairman of the Appropriations Committee on Agriculture, Environment and General Government and Vice-Chair of the Health Policy Committee. He also sponsored 32 bills and co-sponsored seven. Rep. David Smith (HD 38), first elected in 2018 and serving consecutive terms since, held three leadership positions including Chair, Vice-Chair, and Republican Committee Whip for the Infrastructure Strategies Committee and was assigned seven committees or subcommittees in total.

Brodeur did have 11 bills successfully pass through the committee to become law. Many of the bills he sponsored related to health care, but one bill, SB 1316 Information Dissemination, caused local and national news media to cry foul along with First Amendment groups.

The bill would require bloggers to register and reveal who compensated them for the stories written about elected state officials including the Governor, Lt. Governor, Cabinet officers or any member of the Legislature. Regular reports were required or fines would begin to accrue. Needless to say, Brodeur was the only sponsor and while it “officially” died in the Judiciary Committee, I could find no video, record, or agenda showing Brodeur ever pitched his bill to the Judiciary Committee or any other committee.

Some of the bills that Brodeur did get passed included the expansion of the state’s trail system, adding synthetic opioids to the list of Schedule I controlled substances, requiring specified local officials to file a more detailed financial disclosure form and to disclose conflicts of financial interest, prescription drug reform act and SB 612 which Brodeur co-sponsored which creates an interagency workgroup to address blood clot and embolism education, prevention, and treatment.

Senator Brodeur is up for re-election in 2026.

Barbara Haiss Martin is an award-winning journalist who has lived in Seminole County with her husband, John, since 1972.

Florida Laws Passed in 2023

More than 200 bills were signed into law during the 2023 Florida Legislative session including a record $116.5 billion budget. Many of these laws went into effect on July 1.

Key bills sponsored by Seminole County Reps included HB 1 (expanding school choice), HB 95 (right of law enforcement and correctional officers), HB 365 (controlled substances), HB 7063 (tax relief), and HB 1297 (capital sexual battery).

View all new 2023 laws »

View 2023 bill summaries »

‘Sound of Freedom’ grosses $100M in its first three weeks

You may still be able to see this incredible film. Its “unexpected” and remarkable success has kept it running in AMC theaters. The film tells the story of Tim Ballard, a former DHS special agent who goes on a mission to rescue child-trafficking victims. Showing in Altamonte Springs, Lake Mary, and Oviedo. Check local listings for times and theaters.

Legislative Roundup Part 2 was made possible by the Seminole County Republican Party

Florida Legislative Roundup Part 1

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Florida Legislative Roundup Part 1

Florida Legislative Roundup: Part 1

Florida Legislative Roundup Part 1 was made possible by the Seminole County Republican Party!

Learn about the Seminole County Florida Republican Party Platform

In Seminole County, we had three first-year Representatives attend the Florida Legislative session in Tallahassee this year: Rep. Doug Bankson (Dist. 39); Rep Rachel Plakon (Dist. 36), and Rep. Susan Plasencia (Dist. 37). We also had experienced Rep. David Smith (Dist. 37) and Senator Jason Brodeur.

First-year Representatives are typically assigned by House and Senate leaders to various committees or subcommittees and typically don’t get to choose their assignments, including being assigned bills to sponsor/co-sponsor.

They are expected to review and monitor the implementation of existing laws as well as conduct hearings to review, amend and vote on bills presented before the committee so the bill can move on to the next step whether it be from a subcommittee to a committee or to a vote in the full House or Senate or maybe die in Committee – which is a frequent occurrence. And dying in committee could mean either in the House or the Senate. If it dies in one body, work on it is automatically stopped in the other. This year’s session saw more than 500 bills.

Congressmen are also expected to attend committee/subcommittee hearings to present a bill they have sponsored and to respond to questions. Bills typically go through multiple committees before they are passed. Congressmen also may have to be available to speak for a bill they have co-sponsored.

Congressmen have a list of other obligations as well but let’s just see how well our three first-year Representatives did this year.

Rep. Rachel Plakon (Dist. 36), Rep. Susan Plasencia (Dist. 37) and Rep. Doug Bankson (Dist. 39) all taking the Oath of Office at the beginning of the session

Rep. Rachel Plakon (Dist. 36), Rep. Susan Plasencia (Dist. 37), and Rep. Doug Bankson (Dist. 39) pictured taking the Oath of Office at the beginning of the session

Florida Legislative Roundup Part 1 was made possible by the Seminole County Republican Party!

Rep. Bankson was assigned to four committees and one subcommittee. He sponsored nine bills with two passing – one about commercial financing and one about the West Orange Healthcare District. Of the bills that did not make it, one was withdrawn in the Senate, five died in the Senate and for one bill there never was a Senate bill submitted. He also co-sponsored at least 44 bills. There may have been more as notices were being received after the session was over of him, Plakon, and Plasencia being a co-sponsor for additional bills. View a summary of Rep. Bankson’s bill »

Rep. Plakon was assigned to five committees. She sponsored nine bills with three successfully passing:  bills concerning controlled substances, people with disabilities, and facility requirements based on sex (gender). She co-sponsored at least 25 bills. View a summary of Rep. Plakon’s bills »

Rep. Plasencia was assigned five committees. In terms of bill passage, she was the most successful first-year Representative. She sponsored nine bills and six of them passed including the all-important HB 1 Education bill and HB 95 Rights of Law Enforcement Officers and Correctional Officers bill. She also had two bills passed about the people with disabilities registry. The last two bills that passed were about high school equivalency diplomas and roller-skating rink safety. She co-sponsored at least 40 bills. View a summary of Rep. Plasencia’s bills »

In addition, the Florida Legislature referred to two constitutional amendments to the ballot in 2024: one to make school board elections partisan and one to guarantee the right to hunt and fish. See Ballotpedia for more information.

Next month:  How did Rep. David Smith and Senator Jason Brodeur do? Plus, more on the bills signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis.

Barbara Haiss Martin is an award-winning journalist who has lived in Seminole County with her husband, John, since 1972.

Learn more about your Seminole County Republican Party. Remember to follow us on Facebook!

Seminole County Local Elections: Most city seats won by as little as 100–500 votes

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Seminole County Local Elections: Most city seats won by as little as 100–500 votes

Seminole County Local Elections: Most city seats won by as little as 100–500 votes

Qualifying dates begin in less than five weeks

By Barbara Haiss Martin

With less than two months in which to qualify, two new challengers have joined five incumbents to run for seven city seats.

In Altamonte Springs, Mayor Patricia Bates (Dem), Commissioner Sarah Reece (Dem) and Commissioner Jim Turney (LPF) are all running unopposed, as is Oviedo Councilmember Natalie Teuchert (Dem).

Oviedo Mayor Megan Sladek (Rep) has challengers – Judith Delores Smith (Rep) who recently filed to run, along with Brady Duke (Rep), who has also filed.

As of press time, no candidates had filed to run for Lake Mary’s two Commissioner seats, currently held by two Republicans, George Duryea and Justin York.

According to the July 2022 U.S. Census Bureau Report, population rates for the cities as well as the percentage of citizens under 18 – under voting age – are as follows:

CityPopulation% under age 18Potential votersVoted in last election
Altamonte Springs
(2022)		45,53819.1%36,84011,487
Lake Mary (2022)16,76519.3%13,5296,822  
Oviedo
(2021)		39,58026.0%29,2897, 010

In Altamonte Springs, while 11,487 voters showed up for the last election, only 2,990 residents showed up for the run-off for the District 2 Commissioner seat. This race ended with Mike Brunscheen (NPA) winning a 322-vote victory over Guerdy Remy (Dem). Republican Bob O’Malley won his District 4 seat during the General Election by only 110 votes.

In Lake Mary, Republican Robert Bagley lost to Republican David Mealor by just over 2,100 votes and Sidney Miller (NPA) won over Democrat Kristina Renteria by 572 votes.

Oviedo’s last election in 2021 saw Republican Megan Sladek win by more than 67 percent of the vote (4,733) for Mayor, and Democrat Natalie Teuchert won her Councilmember seat by 314 more votes than Judith Dolores Smith (Rep). Smith is challenging Mayor Sladek in the upcoming election.

Considering a run for one of the city seats? Here are the qualifying dates:

 How to get become a candidate:

Visit the Seminole County Supervisor of Elections website (and check out the Candidate Resources. Plus, also check in with the City Clerk of the City you are running in during the qualifying dates. See the information below.

            www.voteseminole.gov/candidate-resources                      

Altamonte Springs

            Qualifying Dates: Noon on Monday, Aug. 28, 2023 to 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 5, 2023

            Positions up for Re-election:

  • Mayor (3-year term) Currently held by Mayor Patricia Bates (D) served since 1997 as a commissioner and since 2008 as Mayor.
  • Commissioner District 1 – Jim Turney (Libertarian Party of Florida – LPF) Served since 2017.
  • Commissioner District 3 – Sarah Reece (D) served since 1997

The City does not have term limits for these offices.

Interested Candidates should contact the City Clerk Angie Apperson at 407-571-8122. Appointments are requested.

Lake Mary

Qualifying Dates: Noon on Monday, Aug. 28, 2023 to Noon on Friday, Sept. 1, 2023

            Positions up for Re-election:

  • City Commissioner Seat 2 – George Duryea (R) — Served since 1987
  • City Commissioner Seat 4 – Justin York (R)  – Served since 2019

Lake Mary does not have term limits and Duryea is one of the longest serving city commissioners in Florida.

Candidates can pick up a qualifying packet from City Clerk Michelle McCurdy’s office approximately one month prior to the beginning of qualifying week. McCurdy suggests calling her for an appointment at 407-585-1423 so she can go over the packet with you and answer any questions you may have.

Oviedo

Qualifying Dates: Monday, Aug. 7, 2023 to Noon, Friday, Aug. 11, 2023

Positions up for Re-election:

  • Mayor – Megan Sladek – (R)
  • Councilmember Group 1  Natalie Teuchert (D)

The City of Oviedo does not have term limits. Natalie Teuchart is finishing her first term, and Megan Sladek is finishing her second term.

A Candidate’s Packet with more information may be picked up at the City Clerk Elianne Rivera’s office or call her at 407-971-5504.

For additional information about running for office, check with the Seminole County Supervisor of Elections website at: www.voteseminole.gov/

Barbara Haiss Martin is an award-winning journalist who has lived in Seminole County with her husband, John, since 1972.

Learn more about your Seminole County Republican Party. Remember to follow us on Facebook!

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