Candidates from across the Tampa Bay area were asked to complete our 2014 Legislative Candidate Questionnaire. Below are the responses for the candidates from Florida House District 67.
For the full list of Tampa Bay legislative candidates and their contact information, visit the 2014 Legislative Candidate Questionnaire home page.
Chris Latvala (Republican) – Responded, Thank you!
chrislatvala@hotmail.com | 727-514-3741
Steve Sarnoff (Democrat) – Responded, Thank you!
steve@votesarnoff.com | 727-871-1011
Christopher Shepard (Republican) – Responded, Thank you!
shepard.district67@gmail.com | 727-259-4405
Thomas D. Ryan (Democrat) – Did not respond.
TDRyan55@yahoo.com | 727-420-4479
Shawna Vercher (Democrat) – Did not respond.
svercher@gmail.com | 727-271-2911
Economic Issues & Taxes
1. What do you propose or support to increase economic prosperity within the State of Florida?
Latvala: Continue to lower taxes and promote a business friendly environment within the state.
Sarnoff: Fully fund public education, encourage students who do not want to go to college to attend trade, vocational and technical schools that are supervised by the State of Florida so our students are not ripped off. Reorganize the office of Insurance and build Citizens up to handle more policies not less. Too many fly by night off shore insurance companies stealing from Floridians. Then lower property insurance rates for everyone. Make the quality of life in Florida even better so that more people want to relocate their businesses here.
Shepard: One thing we can do is to allow startups the ability to prosper in Florida. Uber for example, can revolutionize transportation for citizens, but cities like Tampa, are holding them back.
Ryan: Did not respond.
Vercher: Did not respond.
2. Excessive regulations can hamper small business growth. Which specific regulations, if any, would you repeal?
Latvala: Reduce regulations with respect to permitting and licenses to start businesses.
Sarnoff: The State has already deregulated and removed regulation at many levels. I attended a few weeks of session this year and was not aware of any unneeded regulations. Regulations are meant to protect the lives and property of our citizens but I believe that they should be reviewed from time to time.
Shepard: Occupational licenses need to be reevaluated.
Ryan: Did not respond.
Vercher: Did not respond.
3. The Florida Legislature passed a $77 billion budget in 2014, the largest in history, and the trend line indicates we will see another record next year. (A) Do you consider this to be a problem, and if so, (B) what specific actions would you recommend taking in order to better steward taxpayer dollars?
Latvala: No.
Sarnoff: Not at all, we are going to become the third most populated state in the country how do you expect people to stay here and thrive without schools, police, fire, hospitals, roads, transportation, clean and plentiful drinking water, and the best universities? We have a responsibility to all stakeholders to make sure Florida is the best place to live, work, learn and play. B) I would make sure that OPAGGA and the other oversight boards and inspector generals are fully funded and staffed to protect the people’s purse. No no-bid contracts must stop now, all bidding processes in the Sunshine. Full accountability and transparency required to win and keep a state contract. Taxpayer’s money must be protected and we must, together restore faith in government.
Shepard: Yes absolutely, tax dollars cannot go to programs that are wasteful, or useless. The Taxpayer has no patience for waste and mismanagement. Yearly Audits of Florida Government agencies paint a pretty good picture of where the waste is. Now, I propose reducing the budget of those agencies the exact amount found to have been wasted.
Ryan: Did not respond.
Vercher: Did not respond.
4. Would you support legislation that would refund the $1.5 billion taxpayers’ investment in the now-cancelled Levy County Nuclear Power Plant? Why or why not?
Latvala: Yes.
Sarnoff: Absolutely, ratepayers of Florida have been ripped off long enough. We should also break the electric power monopoly and allow for alternative energy sources to be used without penalty or hindrance.
Shepard: Yes. Taxpayers were left on the hook. Progress Energy should refund every dime they collected in regards to LCNPP.
Ryan: Did not respond.
Vercher: Did not respond.
Education
5. Do you support a repeal of Common Core State Standards (now rebranded to “Florida Standards”) in Florida? If not, what changes, if any, would you propose or support?
Latvala: During the course of the campaign, it has bencome apparent that Common Core State Standards are wildly unpopular. Being a representative of the constituents within my district, I will vote many times based on their desires.
Sarnoff: I want all of our children to be able to compete and thrive no matter where they choose to live in their lives. The governors of our states commissioned common core to support that cause not President Obama. Now the program has been made into a distraction issue to help right wing extremists scare people we need to work together to make Florida the preeminent education state. America needs to regain its preeminence in secondary education and a properly executed program can make that happen.
Shepard: YES
Ryan: Did not respond.
Vercher: Did not respond.
Environment
6. Do you support offshore drilling in Florida waters?
Latvala: No.
Sarnoff: Not at all, our Gulf Coasts help feed the world and attract thousands of visitors, residents and investors. Let’s find more ways to be energy efficient, improve intermodal transportation and use alternative energy sources as other states and countries have been doing.
Shepard: NO.
Ryan: Did not respond.
Vercher: Did not respond.
Civil Liberties
7. Would you support legislation in Florida that nullified the NSA’s ability to perform warrantless surveillance of Floridians?
Latvala: Yes, I am against the NSA spying on regular citizens.
Sarnoff: I am not afraid of the NSA, they are dedicated men and women who volunteer to serve and protect us, many military veterans. There needs to be fair rules and common sense procedures in place to protect us against abuse of power. I am more afraid of the lack of security and identity protection on the Internet. Big Brother is another bogyman under the bed to manipulate us for personal gain.
Shepard: YES
Ryan: Did not respond.
Vercher: Did not respond.
8. A bill was filed in the Senate in 2013 (SB 846: Search and Seizure of a Portable Electronic Device) that would have required that a search warrant be issued before a search of someone’s mobile device was permitted. Would you vote in support of this bill? Why or why not?
Latvala: It was ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in June for law enforcement to not have a warrant to search mobile devices.
Sarnoff: The United States Supreme Court took care of this issue for all Americans. Article IV of the United States Constitution was upheld 7-2.
Shepard: YES; however, the Supreme Court has ruled a search warrant is required to search a mobile device.
Ryan: Did not respond.
Vercher: Did not respond.
9. Do you support a repeal of red light cameras in Florida? Why or why not?
Latvala: No. I have heard countless stories from firefighters, including Representative Ed Hooper about issues that have arisen when an individual has run a red light. However, I do believe some things need to change with the red light camera system. First, citizens should be able to fight tickets if they were proven to not be the individual driving the vehicle, and it should be the driver who is ticketed, not the car. Next, all yellow lights throughout the state should be synchronized by time. Finally, no tickets should be given for rolling right on red.
Sarnoff: It is simply the automation of one of the many duties of our sworn law enforcement officers. The fact that too many communities have starved their government services to death to the point that here are not adequate officers to protect and serve automation is an alternative. I wish we would all understand that government, especially local government is vital to protect our safety and welfare.
Shepard: YES. Red Light Cameras should not be used as a tool to generate revenue.
Ryan: Did not respond.
Vercher: Did not respond.
Drugs
10. Should all drug offenders, even non-violent and first-time offenders receive mandatory sentences? Would you suggest policies other than incarceration to deal with drug use?
Latvala: I am undecided on mandatory sentences. And yes, I would suggest other policies to deal with drug use.
Sarnoff: I do not support the fact that Florida is part of the incarceration nation. I also believe that too many young people have ruined their lives forever by being a convicted felon from a first time non-violent drug offense that sentences them to a life of low wages or more often committing criminal offenses out of frustration and anger that is too prevalent in our Florida communities.
Shepard: NO. YES. Addiction is a disease, and should be treated as such. Drug dealers however, are peddling poison, and should face consequences for their actions.
Ryan: Did not respond.
Vercher: Did not respond.
11. Do you support the legalization of medical marijuana as proposed by the United for Care Amendment? Why or why not?
Latvala: No, but I don’t believe the Florida Legislature should stand in the way of the will of the voters if they want it.
Sarnoff: I support the legitimate, medically prescribed use of marijuana as twenty other states and the District of Columbia. I hope we can write laws that benefit the potential medical patients more than the industry.
Shepard: In November, Florida will decide whether they support or oppose medical marijuana in the state of Florida.
Ryan: Did not respond.
Vercher: Did not respond.
12. Do you support drug testing of welfare recipients? Why or why not?
Latvala: This was already ruled unconstitutional.
Sarnoff: Why do we treat the poor so inhumanely in Florida? I was in Tallahassee attending the committee meetings and the House and Senate debates. Denying Americans their Constitutional liberties because they are poor was revolting to me. These people were receiving $178 of federal money from the Temporary Aid to Needy Families (TANF) but had to pay $45 dollars for the test which the received back if they passed the test. The courts were correct to stop our state from committing this un-American act upon our citizens.
Shepard: YES. Tax dollars should not go to supporting someone’s habit.
Ryan: Did not respond.
Vercher: Did not respond.
The US Constitution
13. Do you support a state’s right to nullify federal law, as many have already done for example by legalizing medical marijuana, or blocking implementation of the Affordable Care Act?
Latvala: Yes.
Sarnoff: No I support the United States Constitution not the Federalist Papers nor the Articles of Confederation. I am an American first and foremost.
Shepard: YES.
Ryan: Did not respond.
Vercher: Did not respond.
14. Would you have voted for Florida HB 209 – “Carrying Concealed Weapon or Concealed Firearm”, which would have granted an exception from criminal penalties for carrying a concealed weapon or a concealed firearm when evacuating? Why or why not?
Latvala: Yes.
Sarnoff: Our Nation has suffered civil emergencies in the past, I do not subscribe to this zombie mentality. I am sorry that there have been too many entertaining stories about Americans being victimized in times of emergencies have been told which never happened. We are going to have armed camps in our shelters so we can have shootings over a bottle of water. I refuse to put our law enforcement officers and others at risk over this unwarranted proposal.
Shepard: YES. Floridians should absolutely have the right to protect themselves during a State of Emergency.
Ryan: Did not respond.
Vercher: Did not respond.
Healthcare
15. There is no argument that health care costs are completely disconnected from a person’s ability to pay. What do you propose or support to help reduce the cost of health care services in Florida?
Latvala: Create a more competitive healthcare environment within the state.
Sarnoff: The first step is to accept the return of our Federal tax dollars. That requires accepting the Medicaid expansion. To meet the demand for primary care treatments expand the ability for services to be provided by nurse practitioners and physician assistants. We should also develop our own state healthcare exchanges and stop fighting the ACA and work together to make healthcare better for Floridians and our healthcare industry which in turn will reduce costs.
Shepard: Allow private markets to compete in Florida.
Ryan: Did not respond.
Vercher: Did not respond.
16. Would you vote in favor of Florida accepting the federal funds set aside for Medicaid Expansion? Why or why not?
Latvala: No.
Sarnoff: Yes immediately, in that way poor working people can have preventive health care for chronic conditions that help them stay healthier and it reduces the cost of care. It also helps their children stay healthier so the parents can be more productive at work. Also our hospitals, especially the rural ones would be reimbursed for medical services, doctors would be paid, and over 60,000 good paying jobs would be created building our state’s economy. The less uninsured Floridians there are the more money we will save.
Shepard: I am willing to consider expanding Medicaid in Florida so long as it does not create an unsustainable burden on the taxpayer.
Ryan: Did not respond.
Vercher: Did not respond.
Government Fairness and Transparency
17. What are your thoughts on legislation that gives a competitive advantage to a specific company or industry?
Latvala: The government should not pick winners and losers for any businesses.
Sarnoff: I believe that we must protect our economic diversity to keep our state strong and vibrant. That must be taken into account when policy decisions are made. But all of the processes in that decision making must be done in the sunshine, and it must include all stakeholders and it must be free of any taint of perceived corruption. Also no propriety secrets exemptions will be allowed in the process.
Shepard: I do not believe in Crony Capitalism.
Ryan: Did not respond.
Vercher: Did not respond.
18. In several recent studies, Florida has been found to be in either the top 10 or the top 5 most corrupt states in the nation. What do you propose or support to help reduce corruption in Florida?
Latvala: Elect more Republicans, and not be corrupt!
Sarnoff: 1) End the practice of collecting leadership funds. That is pay to play on a large scale; 2) Financial disclosures must be accurate and accountable and stop the practice of allowing no show jobs; 3) Legislators and staff are not fairly compensated for their duties and responsibilities, that can lead to acts of corruption; Legislators and staff have to be restricted from taking jobs immediately after separation with organizations doing business with the state and exerting undue influence that can be against the interest of the citizens of Florida.
Shepard: Hold Government Officials accountable, both civilly and criminally.
Ryan: Did not respond.
Vercher: Did not respond.
19. Currently, millions of dollars in campaign contributions filter through political committees that are controlled by legislative leaders. (A) Do you consider this a problem, and if so, (B) what, if anything, would you suggest be done about it?
Latvala: No.
Sarnoff: Yes just the appearance of impropriety should be enough to end this practice, it is pay to play on a grand scale and the leadership funds need to come to an end.
Shepard: Yes.
Ryan: Did not respond.
Vercher: Did not respond.
20. In February 2013, Watchdog group Integrity Florida reported[1] that Enterprise Florida has failed to meet its job creation objective, lacks transparency, has the appearance of pay-to-play, is engaged in apparent conflicts of interest, and is picking winners and losers in the Florida economy by demonstrating state government favoritism to certain companies and industries. Would you support an Inspector General investigation into Enterprise Florida and legislation to take corrective actions?
Latvala: Undecided I am not familiar enough with the issue.
Sarnoff: Yes absolutely, with full independent funding and a full staff lead by a totally independent Inspector General.
Shepard: If the allegations are true, Yes.
Ryan: Did not respond.
Vercher: Did not respond.
Any additional comments or thoughts:
Latvala: If elected, I vow to have an open door policy and meet with any constituent to discuss any issue they have, even if we have differing opinions on the issue.
Sarnoff: I fully enjoyed this opportunity to share my thoughts and beliefs with you. I want you to know that I believe as an American we can agree to disagree without being disagreeable. We have had enough distractions and exploitation of our follies, we need to get serious about making Florida an even better place that it is but it takes all stakeholders working together to move Florida forward.
Stephen C. Sarnoff
Steve Sarnoff Campaign, State Representative, Florida House District 67
PO Box 5614
Clearwater Florida 33758
Cell: 727-871-1011
steve@votesarnoff.com
Shepard:
Ryan: Did not respond.
Vercher: Did not respond.
[1] Ben Wilcox and Dan Krassner: “Enterprise Florida: Economic Development or Corporate Welfare?”
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