By Rick Madewell

The Florida Elections Commission is investigating alleged campaign spending violations by Osceola County School Board member Jay Wheeler, who holds the district 1 seat.

The commission is investigating whether Wheeler used campaign funds for personal expenses and whether he showed inaccurate amounts on his treasurer’s reports.

Community activist Tom Long, of St. Cloud, filed the complaint in mid-February. Long claims he found several discrepancies within Wheeler’s campaign reports filed with the Osceola County Supervisor of Elections office that indicate a misuse of funds.

“He refused to acknowledge and adhere to the rules of being a School Board member and elections statutes,” Long said. “What signal does this send to the students, parents and citizens of our county? He has a long track record of asking for forgiveness instead of permission.”

Complaints filed against Wheeler include: not reporting a $1,000 expenditure to Osceola High School for a sponsorship sign; not listing an in-kind contribution of $500 from the Osceola County School District; the use of campaign funds to buy gasoline and auto insurance for personal use; the use of campaign funds for cellular phone service for himself, his wife and his daughter; and the use of campaign funds to pay for cable television, Internet and his home phone.

“I am past tired of career politicians who think they have a right to act above the rules that everyone else must follow,” Long said. “Government positions are meant to be a service to the community, not an imperial right.”

Wheeler said he has already spoken with the state investigator regarding the charges and said he intends to cooperate fully. He said he has admitted to the investigator that one of the complaints – not reporting a $1,000 expenditure to Osceola High School for a sponsorship sign – was a mistake. Wheeler said would be amended his campaign reports to correct the error.

“If I make a mistake, I will admit it,” Wheeler said.

Long said, “If there is any justice, he will pay a stiff fine, from his personal account.”

Wheeler said he is no stranger to complaints filed against him during his political career.

“It’s ‘here we go again,’ and it is quite a distraction,” he said, adding that this complaint is the sixth filed against him since he first entered office in 2002. “This is just another day at the rodeo. When this one’s done, someone else who doesn’t like me will file another one against me.”

Wheeler said the previous five complaints filed against him were dismissed.

“You want to know what I do with the campaign funds?” asked Wheeler. “I win. That’s what I do. I win elections. Whoever runs against me is not going to have a fun time.”

Running against Wheeler this year are Nancy Gemskie and John Cortes.

“If people in the district want the best, then they want me,” he said. Wheeler said he could not understand why the use of campaign funds for gasoline and phone bills is being questioned.

“This is nothing new,” he said. “I’ve always used gas money out of my campaign funds … I travel all over for the campaign. I think this is just crazy.”

As for the complaint citing a $500 in-kind contribution from the School District, Wheeler said, “I don’t have a clue what that’s about.” He said, “they’re reaching,” referring to the remainder of the complaints.

“The next thing you know, I’ll have killed the Lindbergh baby,” he said.

Wheeler maintains he works solely for the best education of students and has no ulterior motives, including taking advantage of the taxpayer’s dime.

“I’m the only elected official who’s voluntarily taken a pay cut (3 percent) and turned down a raise the last three times,” he said. “I’ve been looking out for taxpayers since I was elected. The voters, taxpayers and the kids have never had a better school district.”

He said he believes people may butt heads with him because he doesn’t bow to political pressure.

“People don’t like that I don’t kowtow to the good ole boys,” Wheeler said. “The bottom line is just look at the School District. Things changed for the better when I pressured the previous superintendent to leave and pushed for Dr. Grego (the district’s current superintendent).

Despite the complaints filed against him, Wheeler said he considers his School Board job “the most important, rewarding work” he’s done, “even if there is nonsense like this.”