Setting record straight
To the editor:
I want to set the record straight about Florida Campaign for Liberty.
FLC4L is a 501(c) 4 organization authorized by the Internal Revenue Service and incorporated under the laws of Florida. This is not Mark Cross’ organization as your editorial (Nov. 6) stated. I am the president, but answer to a statewide executive board, tens of thousands of members throughout Florida, and our parent organization in Virginia.
The mission statement of FLC4L is as follows: “Our mission is to assert our state’s rights and promote and defend the great American principles of individual liberty, constitutional government, sound money, free markets, and a constitutional foreign policy, by means of educational and grassroots political lobbying activity.”
As part of our education and lobbying program, we send out issue surveys to each candidate for state elective office. The answers are recorded for keeping candidates true to their word during the legislative session should they be elected. These issue surveys will also be used during the campaign season for accountability.
Surveys were returned by candidates from all over Florida. Even Governor-elect Rick Scott took the time to complete our survey.  In District 79, Thomas Chalifoux responded positively. Because Mike Horner did not respond at all, one mailer was sent out to the voters of the district suggesting why he did not do so.
At no time was this mailer negative or misleading as your editorial stated. The mailer did mention Horner’s votes for $2.66 billion for SunRail, the $2.2 billion tax increase of 2009 and the acceptance of Obama stimulus money, which obligates Floridians in the future. Facts are neither positive nor negative — they are simply facts.
Florida Campaign for Liberty does not engage in negative or misleading campaigning for or against any candidate. It is our mission to educate the voters based upon our survey issues and mission statement. By not responding, Mike Horner failed the test.
In 2012, Florida Campaign for Liberty will expand our issue survey program to include selected county offices. We will continue to hold our elected officials accountable by educating the voters in a positive and factual way.
Mark Cross
President, Florida
Campaign for Liberty Inc.
Kissimmee

Foolish spending
The Board of County Commissioners are spending money just like the current administration inWashington. The only difference between the BOCC and the Obama Administration is that the BOCC can't print any money. Thank God for that.
We are concerned about a shortfall of approximately $30 million in our budget. Osceola County was able to save about $2.3 million with the furloughs. Our county employees are being forced to take a mandatory day off without pay due to these furloughs. Yet, the county is still wasting taxpayers’ money on useless land purchases. Even though everyone is cutting down and trying to live within their means, the county is blatantly doing the exact opposite. Let’s look at the $9.2 million swamp land deal recently purchased.
Where will that money come from? What will the county gain by this particular purchase? Who is involved within this purchase? Last but not least, who stands to make a lot of money out of this deal? I ask the voters in this county to come together and ask this BOCC to repeal this purchase of this “wasteland.”
There were three county commissioners who voted for this purchase and they were Commissioners Brandon Arrington, John Quiñones and Ken Smith.
Now that Frank Attkisson will take over for the retired Ken Smith, ultimately it’s time for him to start the right way and ask for a repeal.
I'm expecting that he will do the right thing for the residents of our county. After all, he ran his campaign on the promise of lower impact fees and taxes.  
I for one am tired of the BOCC spending our tax dollars as if it was monopoly money.  How many more layoffs are we going to go through? How many more businesses must close their doors before we get any kind of relief? What happened to “Let's take care of our own first?”
It’s time for a change, not the type Obama promised everyone.   
Being the Ax the Tax chairman of Osceola County, not only am I against any foolish increase in taxes, but also any foolish, unnecessary spending.
So, let’s not only Ax the Tax, Let’s Ax Tohoqua.
Tony Ferentinos
Candidate 2012 for County Commission
District 3