Let the chamber pay for it

To the Editor:

On June 11, I attended the (Osceola) County Commission meeting because I was interested in the non-partisan voting issue. The meeting was well attended with many on both sides of the issue.

The first speaker was Mike Horner, Chamber of Commerce President, and Florida Legislature representative. Mr. Horner pulled in a pile of paper he said represented approximately 15,000 signatures in favor of the non-partisan issue going on the ballot. The signatures are not verified by the Supervisor of Elections so we only had Mr. Horner’s word that there was the number needed.  He further stated that he was doing the County Commission a great big favor by allowing them the opportunity to put the issue on the ballot with no further actions and save Osceola residents $350,000 in funding for a special election. He made no bones about it calmly stating that “this issue would be going on a ballot for the voters to approve”, putting the county commissioners “right on the spot” which he claimed was NOT his intention but obviously was.

He also boldly proclaimed that whilst perhaps he didn’t have enough signatures currently, he eventually would and inevitably “this will go on a ballot”.  Bottom line is he is forcing his wishes on the voters of Osceola County!

A couple of things occurred to me as I listened to the arguments in favor and against:

Why did the chamber miss the filing date by NOT collecting enough signature?  If they had met the filing date there would be NO additional costs. They’ve had this project since January…6 months!

Why if there was such a ground swell of grassroot desire to have this initiative put on the ballot has the Chamber spent  $50 – 70,000 to pay people to get signatures?

Why are the Osceola Tax payers responsible to pay for an initiative pushed by the Chamber? Let the Chamber shoulder the costs, they want this ballot initiative, they missed the deadline, so let them pay for it. They have or can get the funds.

Mr. Horner clearly stated that this initiative was being presented by himself and his Board of Directors NOT the membership!

If there were, in fact, the required signatures, give them to the Supervisor of Elections to verify!

Commissioner Harford stated that if the non-partisan issue needed to be on the ballot and if the Chamber was sincere about saving Osceola County money, then to wait until 2014 and gather the proper signatures in a timely fashion and take the tax payers off the hook.  This suggestion was NOT met favorably by Mr. Horner who is quite obviously used to getting his own way and he said, “this will go on the ballot in a special election”…obviously not interested in saving Osceola residents the cost.  So, I say again let the Chamber pay for the cost of the ‘special election”.

So, here you have it Osceola residents. People like to have as much information as possible when they vote. Not everyone has a computer or the time to research every candidate.  In addition, Hispanics traditionally do not vote in primary elections as evidenced by making up 19 percent of the voters in 2010 compared to making up 33% of the voters in the general election!

These facts prove that while a primary attracts fewer voters, primaries can and often do decide who is elected and who will not have to move forward in a general election. Therefore, we need transparency as to the political party of EVERY candidate.

It has been proven nationally that the Republican party has been more partisan and divisive for elections and the electorate more than any party or any group.  This brings me to be very suspicious and question the real reason that the GOP controlled Chamber here in Osceola county has an agenda…to increase their influence and power over our local elections ie. Democrats and independents, and to disenfranchise as many Hispanics and others as possible by making the elections process non-partisan, thus confusing the electorate and losing the interest of the electorate.  

If the Chamber was unable to get the required signatures for this ballot initiative, despite paying people to get signatures and hanging out at every door that has people moving through it..I sincerely believe that the grass roots swell for the initiative is not there just as the Charter Committee stated today at the meeting. No one appears interested except the Chamber and Mr. Horner. I restate this is nothing but a desire by Mr. Horner and his Chamber Board to suppress the vote and take transparency away from the Osceola county resident.  A ruse if you will and definitely NOT in the residents of Osceola’s best interests. Again, if it is so important to them…let the Chamber pay for it. They want it, they can pay and let our county commissioners off the hook for the money it will cost to satisfy a whim!

Karen Awad

Kissimmee

Non-partisan is not the way

To the Editor:

Every time someone plays the race card or the minority card, they forget the most important fact, Americans of  all races and minorities in America  are simply American.

The race card pullers and the people shouting minority are not the Americans of all races and minorities that vote, work and support American freedom that allows us all to be exactly what we choose to be.

Now politicians are saying that people of certain races and the ones that are not a majority are not smart enough to understand partisan politics. How dare they!!! The most important part of voting for a candidate is to know everything you can know about that person prior to pulling the lever.

Their choice of a political agenda is the one thing that tells the most about a candidate.

The parties are very different, totally separate. Partisan politics is the American way.

The people that are paying the pollsters to get non-partisan on the ballet are violating my law of common sense, honesty and ethics. Manipulating our voting system is a personal agenda of the candidates that are supporting this.

It’s dishonest, secretive and if they manipulate the way people choose them for an elected position, just think what they are capable of once in office.

By the way who pays the pollsters buying signatures all around town?

Non-Partisan is NOT the American way!

God help America and Osceola County if this non-partisan idiocy is voted in, and God help the voters if the people that paid to get this on the ballot win their elections.

Check it out, and make your No vote to non-partisan elections for County Commission, (Hopefully it won’t make the ballot)

In fact, let us find some honest organization to start a ballot initiative for Partisan elections in all elected offices!

I called the Supervisor of Elections Office to find the political party of the candidates in the non-partisan races now in place.

You can do this as well, this is all public record and the people in the office are great!

It’s certainly time consuming for the people in that office, but our knowing what the candidates stand for is important.

Donna Sykes

Osceola County