Vote early

Vote early and vote often!

This famous slogan is from Chicago. No, it didn't originate with Barrack Obama, and his association with ACORN, even though it was from the same city. This famous slogan was attributed to Al Capone, Richard Daley and William H. Thompson who were notorious for corruption and manipulating the democratic process in Chicago. Come to think of it, maybe this is where the Obama and ACORN got their inspiration.

Anyway, today is the first day of early voting. So go vote, please!

Aging beauty queen

The Government Gone Wild organizer is on his soap box again, hoping we will jump on board his propaganda train. His newest stunt is to target the re-election campaign's of Chris Kinglsey and Diane Rowden. It must be noted that he selectively excluded Jeff Stabins in his latest round of campaign attacks without explanation. Everyone should remember his public pledge to oust all of these three commissioners at last year's budget hearings.

To be fair, I listened to the entire 22-minute video Mr. Ingoglia has posted online. This video spent approximately 19 minutes underscoring Mr. Ingoglia's performance at the 2007 budget hearings. The information in the first 19 minutes of this video was outdated, and did not reflect the current economic climate in the Hernando County. The remaining three minutes in this video, Ingoglia laid out his plan to oust Chris Kingsley and Diane Rowden.

Mr. Ingoglia used a list of critical headlines from local newspapers to attempt to make the point county commissioners had not done their job. An example of these headlines mentioned in his video included items like the previous racial problems within the Hernando County Utility Department, and the dumping of raw sewage by their workers. He placed the blame squarely on the shoulders of the county commissioners, even though this is the function of the county administrator. Mr. Ingoglia implied in his video that the county commissioners should have micromanaged the county administrator to solve local problems. Mr. Ingoglia failed to give the county commissioners credit for hiring David Hamilton who has tackled each of the "headline issues" swiftly and in a timely fashion. To be fair, Ingoglia made one fleeting reference to Mr. Hamilton is a positive tone.

Dan DeWitt's column in yesterday's Hernando Times tied up many loose ends for the public about Mr. Ingoglia. Mr. DeWitt said that even though Ingoglia had a valid point about tax reduction in 2007, he barely mentioned the tax reductions of the past two budget cycles and the current economic climate in Hernando County. Mr. DeWitt's most revealing comments included the relationship between Ingoglia, the chairwoman of the Republican Executive Committee Ana Trinque and state Rep. Robert Schenck through the Novo Group. From Mr. DeWitt's perspective, it appears that he believes Ingoglia, Trinque and Schenck are tied at the hip with their real estate ventures.

This ad campaign by Ingoglia is reminiscent of the "aging beauty queen syndrome". It seems that Mr. Ingoglia cannot fathom public life going on without him in Hernando County. Like the aging beauty queen, his glory days are long past...

Druzbick's response

Yesterday, John Druzbick emailed me his response to the endorsement of his opponent in the Hernando Times. This pertinent information coincides with the first day of early voting.

I want to thank the St. Pete Times for their recommendation in the Primary. As stated by the Times, Druzbick established a reputation as a good listener, a taskmaster and consensus builder. The most important recommendation comes from you, the Voter! 70% of the residents of Florida passed Amendment 1. That amendment is the reason your property taxes went down. The County Commissioners were then and only then forced to rein in their reckless spending.

Ms. Rowden stated she was against Amendment 1, and voted against a .5 mil reduction in our taxes in 2006, saying it was irresponsible. Do you really think she would have reduced our budget the $37 million that Amendment 1 did? In 7 years, she never voted to reduce expenses, or come up with a plan to reduce costs. It was stated that I have tunnel vision, if so, it is to see that your tax dollars are used correctly. Unemployment is over 9 %, 58 % of people in Hernando qualify for food stamps, and businesses are closing.

I urge you to check the balance in your checking account. Look at your tax bill, and then ask yourself if you can afford another 4 years of the incumbent, or do you want a change. I give you 30 years of successful business, 17 years of community service, 12 years as a successful school board member and proven programs to reduce government cost. Please compare my resume to that of my opponent. Vote for change! Vote for John Druzbick!

Marxist-type windfall

Joe, the Plumber. Bob, the Builder. Anna Liisa, the Electrician. All these small business ventures will fall under the same category in Barrack Obama's wealth redistribution plan. They will all be taxed at a higher rate under the Obama plan. Obama plans to give our money to people in the form of a tax refund. Over 50% of these people do not even pay taxes. These people will reap the benefits of small business in a Marxist-type windfall cooked up by Barrack Obama.

Every small business in this country needs to be very afraid of this convoluted plan of Barrack Obama. Not only will Obama tax many small businesses out of existence, he also plans to force employers to provide health insurance coverage for their employees. Under his plan, employers will be penalized if this coverage is not provided to employees. He also plans to have these policies cover all pre-existing illnesses. These health care costs will force the majority of small business to lay-off employees or close their doors all together.

One more point that should be made about Obama's plan to give 95% of the people a tax cut, with sweat & tears of small business. Obama plans to increase the social security/medicaid deduction on employee's pay checks. Don't forget that employers will also take a hit on this because they have to provide matching funds to the US Treasury.

Obama's elitist plan has failed to understand that Joe, the Plumber and Bob, the Builder do not stash cash under their mattresses. The money that he wants small business to pay at a 39% tax rate is routinely re-invested in additional employees, business equipment and capital projects to keep their business vital to the community. With these Obama proposals, small business will be forced to cut their staff, putting more individuals on the unemployment line.

Here's a suggestion from this small business owner, Mr. Obama. Keep your elitist ideas for your Hollywood crowd. You, Mr. Obama have no idea what the working class in this country need to do to put food on their tables and shoes on their children's feet. Your "wealth redistribution plan" will tax the middle class out of existence...

Dedication this morning!

**Media Advisory**
REP. BROWN-WAITE TO HELP DEDICATE BROOKSVILLE POST OFFICE IN HONOR OF MILITARY HERO CODY C. GRATER

Rep. Brown-Waite Sponsored Federal Law Renaming the Brooksville Post Office in Honor of Army Soldier Killed in Iraq

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – U.S. Congresswoman Ginny Brown-Waite (FL-05) will help dedicate the post office in Brooksville this Friday, October 17, 2008 in honor of Specialist Cody C. Grater. SPC Grater was killed in action while serving in Iraq in July, 2007.

WHAT: Brooksville Post Office renaming ceremony honoring the late Army Specialist Cody C. Grater

WHO: Congresswoman Ginny Brown-Waite
Timothy Healy – U.S. Postal Service
Robert Carleton – Postmaster, Brooksville Post Office
Anita Lewis – Mother of SPC Grater
Edward Lewis – Uncle of SPC Grater
Sgt. 1st Class Grady Parris – Guest Speaker
Family Clergymen

WHEN: Friday, October 17, 2008
10:00 – 11:00 am

WHERE: Cody Grater Post Office Building
19101 Cortez Boulevard
Brooksville, FL 34601

Voter registration

Yesterday, I was reassured that there is a slight amount of sanity alive and well on the Tampa campus of USF. While turning the corner of the building to my Cultural Anthropology class, I came upon a sidewalk with a campaign message. The sidewalk was decorated with blue and red chalk that said Country, First, McCain / Palin. This campaign message was a breath of fresh air even though this campaign message wasn't suppose to be posted on campus.

From the first day of class in August, students at the St. Pete and Tampa campus' of USF have been overrun with individuals pushing people to register to vote. These individuals have even visited classrooms to promote this registration. Students have been encouraged to register to vote even if they are registered in another state.

Progressive Future is the organization that pushed voter registration on the St. Pete campus. This organization advertised $9.00 hour for career opportunities to register voters (on a printed 1/2 page handouts) across campus. I looked this sight up online. This organization publicly states it is non-profit organization. After digging through their sight though I found an endorsement for Obama. This organization is an offspring of ACORN. In fact, I wonder if this organization is registered with the Florida Department of State as a political action committee since they endorsed Obama on their website.

I called the Republican Party of Florida in Tallahassee three weeks ago to advise them of the campus activity. When the RPOF could not be bothered to return my call, I contacted the McCain Campaign headquarters in Tallahassee. They were very interested in this information, relating to voter registration on the campus' of USF.

Relief soon

Well, it looks like the sign maniacs took their toll on campaign signs over the weekend. These individuals apparently do not know the term "private property" when it comes to dirty politics. I got to work this morning to find about half of the campaign signs at my business ripped out of the ground. Driving up US 41 should have given me some indication of what to expect when getting to work. I noticed numerous campaign signs had disappeared along my route, especially near Mondon Hill road.

One local businessman, Gary Schraut found a unique why to notify campaign committees that his property is not to be used for random sign placement. His property on Mildred Street at the Jefferson and Broad streets' apex have routinely been used for campaign signs, without his consent. The illegal signs on his property now carry a big sticker across the face of the sign, designating it as illegal!

The General Election is just around the corner and all of us will be able to breath a sign of relief soon. Hard fought campaigns are part of our American spirit but everyone needs to be reminded this does not include violating personal property rights.

Reminder

I received this email from a good friend this morning. It is a quick reminder that October is Breast Cancer Awareness.

JUST A REMINDER.....OCTOBER IS BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH AND I WANTED TO JUST REMIND EVERYONE TO DO THEIR SELF BREAST EXAMS.....BREAST CANCER CAN STRIKE ANY AGE AND MALES AND FEMALES ARE AT RISK.....THERE ARE SO MANY NEW TEST OUT THERE THAT MAY HELP US FIND A CURE FOR THIS DEADLY DISEASE.....I THANK GOD EVERYDAY THAT I WAS ABLE TO KNOW MY RISK...I AM SORRY THAT I HAD TO LOSE A SISTER TO FIND OUT, BUT I HAVE TO THANK HER EVERYDAY.....SO TONIGHT WHEN YOU ARE TAKING THAT SHOWER....TAKE 5 MINUTES OUT FOR YOURSELF.....IT COULD SAVE YOUR LIFE......PASS THIS MESSAGE ON TO ANYONE THAT YOU THINK NEEDS A REMINDER.....WEAR PINK A LITTLE MORE OFTEN......TIE A PINK RIBBON IN YOUR HAIR....BUY SOME PINK ROSES....TELL YOUR SISTER, MOTHER, AUNT, AND FRIENDS HOW SPECIAL THEY ARE TO YOU......

Meet John

John Druzbick cordially invites

you to attend a free Meet & Greet this Saturday!

EVENT OCTOBER 11TH
QUALITY INN
POOLSIDE~3:00-6:00PM
ACROSS FROM WEEKI WACHEE SPRINGS

Guest Appearance:
Congresswoman Ginny Brown-Waite

FREE FOOD~CASH BAR~ENTERTAINMENT

This is your chance to rub elbows with John

& ask all those last minute questions before the General Election!

Happy

On a happy note. A big round of applause goes out to David Bearden. David was nominated the best foster parent in Hernando County last week. David will travel to Orlando in a few weeks with his kids to compete with all the other foster parents for the state title. Congratulations, David!

Party died...

Bye, bye, Miss American Pie, or so says the old song. This tune came to mind while watching C-Span this afternoon while the Congress voted on the Wall Street bailout. Even though Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi are calling this a rescue plan, it is nothing more than a violation the public trust. This pork-laden piece of garbage, disguised as the life boat to save our economy, may end up sinking all of us.

The national debt increased today by another $1.2 trillion. No one has explained how this increased debt will affect the value of the dollar. No one has explained how this act may influence the inflation rate. No one can give a clear picture of the future price of fuel which is driven by the value of the dollar. No one has explained how this will help the "mom and pop" business struggling to stay afloat in this artificially created economy.

Sadly, no one listened to the taxpayers in this country when we sent Congress an overwhelming NO to a Wall Street bailout. No one listened except our local representatives. We can be very grateful that Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite, Rep. Bilirakis, and Senator Bill Nelson heard our voices and voted Nay on this legislation. They can hold their heads high because they were the elite few in the House and Senate that managed to keep their integrity intact today.

Getting back to bye, bye, Miss American Pie. People will remember that this is the day that the music died; the day capitalism in our country died; the day that Republican party died...

Run

The Hernando Times ran an article yesterday titled, "Grants seen as cure-all for Hernando's woes." This article explained how Commissioner Kingsley is pursuing Hernando's share of a $3.92 billion cache of money in a federal grant program to buy foreclosed homes in this county. This funding would enable Hernando County government to purchase foreclosed homes, fix them up to sell, or put them into an inventory for affordable housing, under the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008.

If Hernando County accepts money from this grant, it opens the doors for our local government officials to become landlords of the foreclosed properties in our community. This landlord status will include removing these properties from the tax rolls.

These foreclosed properties would have the potential to become affordable housing, to be managed under the Hernando County Housing Authority. Has anyone forgotten that the HCHA is currently under a "troubled" status from the the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Mr. Singer's department was also given more bad news by their outside auditor last month. It was determined that the HCHA performance was less than stellar, as reported in their annual performance audit. In fact, this HCHA annual audit revealed that it had deteriorated in performance from their last year's poor audit. One more pertinent point should be made about the director of the Hernando County Housing Authority. Donnie Singer is not certified to oversee this type of housing in our community.

While no one wants to see foreclosed homes in our community, our county needs to run, not walk, away from this federal grant.

Guard your money

Barry Goldwater, Jr. was on Fox News Network this morning discussing the financial bailout with the economist, Neil Cavuto. As you can imagine, the lively discussion centered on capitalism and whether there was even a need for Congress to bail out Wall Street, as requested by Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson.

Goldwater, Jr. was quite clear in his disapproval of a national bailout by a Republican president. He and Neil Cavuto share the same opinion that the markets should not be manipulated by the government with a large influx taxpayer cash, as requested by President Bush.

The ending of this interview was a "classic Goldwater" moment. Barry Goldwater, Jr. quoted his father, who is considered to be the "father of the Conservative Movement" in this country, by saying, "You don't let your dog guard your food, so then why would you let the Congress guard your money."

Korean War Vets

KOREAN WAR 55th ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION TO BE HELD SEPTEMBER 28TH IN HERNANDO COUNTY – REP. BROWN-WAITE TO PRESENT COMMEMORATIVE COINS TO KOREAN WAR VETERANS

Brooksville Elks Lodge 2582 Hosts Event Honoring Korean War Veterans

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – U.S. Congresswoman Ginny Brown-Waite (FL-05) will join members of the Brooksville Elks Lodge 2582 at a 55th Anniversary celebration of the end of the Korean War. In addition to the afternoon’s festivities and presentations, Rep. Brown-Waite will also present commemorative coins to Korean War veterans during the event.

The public is welcome to attend the festivities.

Korean War veterans interested in receiving a coin to commemorate their service must contact Rep. Brown-Waite’s Brooksville office at (352) 799-8354 to request an application. Korean War veterans will need to provide a copy of their DD-214 to complete the application.

DATE: Sunday, September 28, 2008

TIME: 2:00 – 3:00 pm

LOCATION: Brooksville Elks Lodge 2582
14494 Cortez Blvd
Brooksville FL 34613

WHO: Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite (FL-05)
Members of Elks Lodge 2582
5th District Veterans

CONTACT: For information about the Korean coin application, call Rep. Brown-Waite’s Brooksville office at (352) 799-8354.

For details about the Korean War celebration, please contact Gail Cleaves at (352) 799-4464.

Broken Vow

It was rather amusing to read this morning's edition of the Hernando Today's article titled, "Candidates cough up campaign cash". It looks like Diane Rowden really snookered Michael Bates. He stated in his article that Rowden had lived up to her vow not to accept money from possible companies or individuals who may have business with the county.

I think Mr. Bates needs to sharpen his pencil and do his homework over again to review Ms. Rowden's campaign contributions. Numerous doctors in our community contributed large sums of money to her campaign and are business owners.

The Teamsters Union gave big money to Ms. Rowden. In fact, Teamster Union, Local 769 gave $500.00 on August 12, 2008, and gave an additional $500.00 on August 15, 2008. Her campaign records list these two-$500.00 contributions from the Teamsters Union by using different addresses for the same Local 769. This combined total from Teamsters, Local 769 is $1,000.00 and appears to be a violation of the maximum limits of campaign contributions. The Teamsters Union is also the organization that is currently attempting to rally the county employees into a vote to become union members.

One more contribution that is noteworthy is the contribution from Hernando County Fire Rescue employee, Jason Brazinski who gave $500.00. I believe he is the president of the local union that represents the employees of the HCFR.

Each of these entities have a vested interest in our community and it looks like Ms. Rowden stretched the truth with her vow. This commitment by Ms. Rowden to not accept money from companies or persons that may do business with the county isn't worth the paper it was written on...

Buzz words

The buzz words were "pride and cooperation" as the Hernando County Fire Rescue and City of Brooksville Fire Department sealed the deal on their inter-local agreement to share space for the next 25 years. This agreement has HCFR closing the Station 24 and moving in with the city of Brooksville's fire department.

In the Hernando Today, HCFR Chief Nickerson said this would save the taxpayers over $1.6 million because they would not have to build a stand-alone firehouse. They will be using $572,000 in impact fee money to build an addition onto the Brooksville Fire Department on Veterans Avenue in Brooksville.

"It's a new day in Brooksville and a new day in Hernando County" when the government considers the best interest of taxpayers in their decisions," said Brooksville Fire Chief Tim Mossgrove, as per his quote from this morning's Hernando Times. Please tell us how a duplication of services for two fire departments, housed in one building for 25 years, is in the best interest of the taxpayers.

Are we all living in some type of time warp? How is spending over a half a million dollars on an unnecessary building addition to the Brooksville Fire Department in the best interest of the taxpayers? Which department is going to pay for the upkeep on this building for the next 25 years? Is the city going to charge the county for utilities, such as electric, phone water, and garbage service? Is there a lease agreement involved between the city, and county fire departments, to cover all these costs, or is it going to be up to the city taxpayers to pick up the tab?

The citizens living in Township 22 tried to warn the HCFR before they took over this district a few years ago. Their main objection was that the city of Brooksville was already providing service this area and there was no need for an additional county fire department. In fact, city fire hydrants were previously installed in the majority of this area to provide the Brooksville Fire Department with adequate water supply, and now the county is using this equipment that was paid by Township 22. The citizens were very vocal with their objections, citing duplication of services.

The most pressing problem with this new spirit of cooperation is the existing billing systems of the two fire departments. The city of Brooksville charges the city taxpayers at an Ad Valorem rate of approximately of 2.5 mil using an MSTU method. The county charges residential customers $195.00 a year on an MSBU. Some people in the city pay minimal fees, or no fire fees, on the MSTU method while county residents all pay a flat rate residential fee of $195.00. Incidentally, both fire departments charge commercial customers at different rates, too.

This new spirit of cooperation should have been the announcement that one of these fire department's would officially close its doors. Maybe its time we seriously look at a county-wide service, as suggested in the consultant's report last year. Its time to stop putting band aids on a broken fire system that continues to cost the taxpayers for duplication of services in some areas while neglecting many areas of Hernando County.

Art contest

The winner of the State of Florida Dependency Summit Art Contest was won by Malcolm Dumaine. This contest is exclusively for children in foster care throughout the state. Malcolm is 14 years old, sight challenged, and is the foster son of David Bearden. David is the president of the area National Federation of the Blind chapter for Hernando and Pasco counties.

Malcolm was at quite a disadvantage going into the contest because he had limited, available art supplies at his disposal. He used watered-down acyclic paints and computer paper for his mixed media art presentation. In fact, the process he used to paint caused it to wrinkle the computer paper. Malcolm used a household iron to smooth out the wrinkles before placing it in a jacket to mail in to the contest. How's that for ingenuity?

Congratulations, Malcolm!

News

Two newsworthy items will be discussed at next week's Hernando County Commission meeting that may be of interest to you. One is the Hernando County Sheriff's Department agreement to begin running the day-to-day operations of the Emergency Management Department. Under the second item, the commissioners will hear about a new warden for the Hernando County Jail. Hopefully this will prove to be a productive meeting for the county, with the approval of the Emergency Management agreement by the county commissioners.

Non-story

Taxpayers' Alliance endorses democrat running for county commission against Commissioner Stabins, or so goes the non-story in this morning's Hernando Today.

The Hernando County Taxpayers' Alliance is solely run by Linda A. Hayward, according to the supervisor of elections office. This political action committee's treasurer is also Linda A. Hayward, according to county records. This misleading article attempted to imply that the Taxpayers' Alliance had a membership of 2,000 members when, in fact, this was the number of email contacts by the sole member of this organization, not the list of contributors for membership to this PAC. In fact, the actual contributors to this organization can be counted on both hands, without having to take off one's shoes.

So, what's the real point of this story?

See Sarah!

Join Governor Sarah Palin
And Your Florida Ticket for a Road to Victory Rally

The Republican Party of Florida announced that Republican nominee for Vice President of the United States, Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, will join the Florida Ticket for a Road to Victory Rally at the Villages.

Road to Victory Rally
Date: Sunday, September 21, 2008
Location: The Villages, Lake Sumter Landing, Market Square
1020 Lake Sumter Landing
The Villages, FL 32162
Doors open at 1:30 p.m. EST

For more information, please call (850) 391- 4219 or e-mail victoryrally@rpof.org. Please allow plenty of time to clear security.

You will love this

If you support Governor Sarah Palin, Senator John McCain's pick for vice president then you will love this blog.

Here's the link:

http://www.moms4sarahpalin.blogspot.com:80/

Citizenship Day

Commemorating Constitution and Citizenship Day – September 17, 2008

Few documents changed the world more than the Constitution of the United States. Prior to the United States Declaration of Independence and the signing of the Constitution, people had for centuries lived in counties without personal rights and without a democratic form of government. All that changed when the Constitutional Convention adopted the United States Constitution on September 17, 1787 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

For the first time in history, one nation’s citizens freely agreed to a democratic form of self governance. Today we take our rights and freedoms and form of government for granted. But 221 years ago the concept of three separate but equal branches of government was a revolutionary concept. The Constitution was the framework for our entire government and paved the way for the Bill of Rights and the eventual expansion to today’s 50 states.

That is why the United States now commemorates the anniversary of the signing of the Constitution each September 17th. In 2004 the senior Senator from West Virginia, Robert Byrd, passed an amendment that created a national holiday to recognize the Constitution and the benefits of citizenship. A noted historian, Senator Byrd thought, and I agreed with him when I voted for the bill, that today’s youth do not learn enough about the foundations of our republic and the history of the Constitution.

This September 17 schools throughout Florida will take a moment to teach their students about the founding fathers, the history behind the signing and ratification of the Constitution, and why our nation is the greatest democratic republic in the history of the world. Teachers and families across the country can use this day as a teaching opportunity for the next generation of American citizens. Without a firm foundation in American history and its founding documents, our country will lose some of our national identity and core beliefs. I was proud to vote for something that expanded the learning opportunities for our children and taught them about the history of our great nation.

Doing my part to help 5th District residents celebrate the U.S. Constitution, its history and values, I will be making free copies of the Constitution available to all residents throughout the month of September. You may pick up your copy at either my Brooksville or Dade City district offices, call and have one mailed to you, or receive one at any of my outreach meetings throughout the eight counties that make up our congressional district. For more information about when and where to get your copy, please call me toll-free at (866) 492-4835.

The last 221 years have seen our nation progress from thirteen independent states to a global superpower defending freedoms and liberties throughout the world. Our republic was built on the framework outlined in the Constitution, and has lasted throughout wars, economic downturns and even civil war. But today the United States of America is strong, and one of the main reasons for our success is because of the signing of the Constitution. I hope that all 5th District residents take a moment this September 17th to re-read the Constitution, pick up a new copy from my office, and talk to your children about what this document means to all Americans.

Ginny Brown-Waite
Member of Congress (FL-05)

Missed opportunity

The Hernando Times ran an article on the Republican Unity Rally yesterday that was titled "Unified GOP front masks tensions" which was a fairly accurate assessment of the mood Friday night. One a scale from 1 to 10, this Republican rally came in at about a 3 for the excitement factor. This was due, in part, to the organization by the party, and their choice for master of ceremonies of the event.

It is really a shame that so little thought was given to the agenda of activities by the HCREC board of directors because they had a very respectable turn out for this event. The master of ceremonies who could not hold the attention of the crowd and the attendees did not quiet down when he was at the microphone except for the introduction of candidates and elected officials. None of the candidates in attendance were given the opportunity to speak to the crowd except Congresswoman Ginny Brown-Waite.

Ginny's presentation lasted about 12-15 minutes and focused on party unity, from the national to the local level and she had the undivided attention of every one in the hall. Ginny gave some very interesting poling data results on her race and that of the McCain/Palin ticket, as of last Friday that looks very promising for a win.

At the conclusion of Ginny's presentation, the master of ceremonies once again attempted to rally the crowd to no avail and this concluded the activities for the rally. This was really a missed opportunity by the HCREC to present a unified front. So much more could have been accomplished with their agenda, like choosing a less divisive master of ceremonies. All the candidates in attendance should have been given the opportunity to address the audience, even if it was only a quick walk on stage, with a 2 minute introduction.

Besides the dynamic presentation by Congresswoman Ginny Brown-Waite, the only other highlight of the evening was free food, that every one seemed to enjoy as they chatted with friends.

.

"WANTED"

High School Bands

for October 11th

Battle of the Bands

at the

Bandshell Bash

Prizes Awarded

Sponsors

The Hernando County Sheriff's

Anti-Drug Coalition Team

Contact Mike Hannigan

813-760-3986

Unity Spirit

Well, the "rebel without a clue" is at it again from the Hernando County Taxpayer's Alliance. This "political action committee of one" is advocating the overthrow of Commissioner Jeff Stabins in the upcoming election by promoting his democrat opponent. This 'clueless rebel' is under some misguided notion that a democrat will provide tax relief for the folks in our community.

"Clueless" is also asking for opinions on the commission race between John Druzbick and Diane Rowden because her candidate of choice did not prevail in the primary election. She is also asking for opinions on offshore drilling. Here's a suggestion, Ms. Clueless, Drill Now, Drill Often and Drill Deep to lower the price of fuel and become energy independent in America.

"Clueless"even included a vague comments for Governor Crist's re-election chances in two years, in the event he doesn't step up to the plate to satisfy her whims. Is she planning another bus trip to Tallahassee, toting her wore-out petitions to gain the attention of the governor again?

This email from "Clueless" included a flyer for the Hernando County Republican Executive Committee's Unity Rally, with a note stating that Blaise Ingoglia would be one of their guest speakers. Funny thing is, Mr. Ingoglia's name doesn't appear on any of the flyers or the HCREC website promoting the event. Listening to the grapevine discussion from within the county, it is quite apparent the majority of rank and file Republicans do not want this person to speak at the rally on behalf of conservatives. This speaker is being promoted solely by a handful of party insiders that include the chairwoman of the HCREC, Ana Trinque

Score one for the unity spirit!

Bailouts

A few minutes ago, I received an urgent request for me to comment on the bailout of Fannie Mae / Freddie Mac. The points made by this local physician were quite succinct on the issues of bailouts and financial incentives for large corporations. Please read this email for yourself. The only item that has been removed is the physician's name to protect her privacy.

Anna Liisa:

If you would, please comment on your blog regarding the Fannie Mae/ Freddie Mac bailout.

As a small business owner, I cannot imagine the government "bailing" us out if we made very poor choices.

It is interesting how those companies privatized their profits however they socialized their losses......I am amazed.

The government encouraged them to write more loans for unqualified consumers, knowing the bottom would fall out at some point!

The CEO's of those companies are Harvard/Ivy League graduates and certainly able to make long term actuarial financial predictions.......how on earth did they allow this to get to that point?

Furthermore, Walmart and other large companies like that, get financial incentives to employ people in our county-however they are the largest employer with the most Medicaid covered employees because they refuse to give anyone a "full time" position.
They continue to socialize any loss a company that large would need to absorb, in order to do business!

Anna, you are my only hope! Please say something about this!!!!!

Fun with a purpose

Grab your boots and come on out as we celebrate the 3rd annual Cattle Baron’s Ball.

Cattle Baron’s Ball is so much more than the best event in Hernando County.

It is a Party with a Purpose…

a celebration of life, love, and hope!

We hope to raise over $50,000 to be given to the American Cancer Society.
This cannot be done without generous sponsors,

hard working volunteers, and supporters such as yourself.

So grab your boots and head to the Palace Grand February 7, 2009 as we

“PARTY WITH A PURPOSE”
in the fight against cancer!

American Cancer Society presents

FEBRUARY 7, 2009

6:00PM

PALACE GRAND
Entertainment: “Rebound”
Phone: 352.597.6331
Fax: 352.597.6314
debbie.walker2@hcahealthcare.com

TICKETS $100.00 EACH


*Great Food
*Great Entertainment
*Silent Auction
*Photographs
*FRIENDSHIP

You don’t want to miss this one! We hope to see you there!

Officially retire

Hernando County Building Department Director, Grant Tolbert will officially retire from his position this Friday. Love him or hate him, Mr. Tolbert lead our county through two of the largest building booms in our history. He also took the brunt of much criticism in the wake of the destruction caused by the No Name Storm in 1993.

Grant Tolbert took his department into the 21st Century with his pro-active approach to compliance to building codes. Mr. Tolbert was instrumental in enacting tough building standards for Hernando County by adopting the Florida Building Code and the National Electrical Code for Hernando County. Although Grant has been criticized for his enforcement of the rules by some individuals and contractors, he should be commended on his steadfast requirements for compliance with building regulations that have made Hernando County a safer place.

Hernando County has entered into a contract with a private firm to provide a licensed building official which is required by Florida Statutes. This short term contract is to provide 20 hours per week for oversight by the building official. Hopefully, Mr. Hamilton will inform the public soon about the future hierarchy at the building department. Questions are beginning to surface about who will actually be in charge of the building department and if 20 hours of building official oversight conforms to Florida Statutes.

Good luck and enjoy your retirement Grant!

Furball

The 5th Annual Humane Society Furball
Saturday, September 13th
Palace Grand
275 Della Court, Spring Hill

$75.00 per Ticket
Cocktails - Cash Bar Opens at 5
Dinner /6:30 pm
Music and Dancing by "Cover To Cover"Silent
Auction 5:00 - 8:30
Special Show by the 4 Non-Breeders

Ticket Information ~Phone: 352-796-2711

Rally

This morning, I received the following flyer for the Unity Candidate Rally which is being presented by the Hernando County Republican Executive Committee. After going to their website, it became apparent that Blaise Ingoglia's name was left off of their flyer even though he is listed as a guest speaker in their information.

UNITY CANDIDATE RALLY

September 12, 2008 @ 6:00 PM
Hernando County Fairgrounds Auditorium
FREE admission offering food, fun, and education
Meet all the Republican candidates that will be on the general ballot
November 4th along with all of our current Republican elected officials.

Speakers will include:
Republican of Florida Party Chairman Jim Greer
Congresswoman Ginny Brown-Waite

Please register to attend this event at

http://www.unityrally2008.com/

or by calling 352-796-4741.
Attendance is first come, first served basis.

***Please note that the webmaster at the HCREC removed Mr. Ingoglia's name from the guest speaker list shortly after this post. Even though Mr. Ingoglia's name does not appear on the Unity Rally website, or flyers, it has been reported that he will be the master of ceremonies for this Unity Rally.

Female gender bias

Has anyone been around long enough to remember the Women's Movement in the 1960's. This movement began by focusing on equal pay for equal work for women who compete within the workforce. The long fight for women's rights include, though are not limited to, the right: to bodily integrity and autonomy; to vote to hold public office; to work; to fair wages or equal pay; to own property; to education; to serve in the military or be conscripted; to enter into legal contracts; and to have marital, parental and religious rights.

Having said all that, "Why are some in the national media attempting to destroy the major female candidates of both party affiliations, with less than honest, negative media attention? Is this negative media being driven by their quest to push their own agenda? Many women and men are very angry at the blatant attacks by individuals, like Campbell Brown on CNN and reporters for the New York Times, on female candidates for public office. This female gender bias is not liberal or conservative leaning. It appears to be an outright attack on the female gender to push an African American into the driver's seat. When did it become fashionable to discriminate against the female gender in our country for political purposes?

Prior democrat candidate for president, Hillary Clinton was peppered daily by the national media with their negative dialog. This media attacked Hillary's physical character, her personality, her clothing, her husband, her daughter and just about anything that they could throw on a plate for fodder.

Now the media has moved on to Governor Sarah Palin. The media attacks include, but are not limited to, her husband, her daughter, and her parenting skills, not Governor Palin's ability, and the skills she brings to the race as the chief executive officer of the state of Alaska.

Women in the United States need to wake up and smell the coffee, so to speak. Why is it OK to attack female candidates on a personal level while ignoring the male species on the tickets. When was the last time you heard someone in the media ask why Obama doesn't stay home with his wife to provide better parenting for their children? Yes, Obama stated he didn't want attacks on the family but continues to turn a blind eye to the negative comments leaking from his campaign headquarters. What is really amusing is that Obama and Biden will be in Florida this week speaking on equal pay for equal work. How's that for hypocrisy, ladies?

In the height of the women's movement one advertiser used this slogan when referring to women, "You've come a long way baby!" Have we? After forty plus years, the gains we have made as women are quickly being trampled by some in the national media to push their own agenda during this presidential election. It's time we, as women and Americans, contact these media sources and say, enough is enough!

Moral fabric

After watching last night's spectacle in Denver, only one term comes to mind and that is "Bread and Circus". Seeing the crowd nominate Barrack Obama was like watching a rock concert. I wonder if this crowd was served beer like the crowd was in Germany when Obama made his "We are the world" statement?

The textbook definition of "bread and circus" is an ancient Roman metaphor for people choosing food and fun over freedom. It also refers to commentary that accuses people of giving up their civic duty by voting for the political leader that offers to satisfy their decadent desires. This description fits the Obama campaign to a tee.

How can we stand back as the American people and watch the very moral fabric of the United States be destroyed by this democrat nominee and his running mate?

It is time that the entire Nation stand up to support the solid foundation of the McCain/Palin ticket. We, as Americans, need to embrace this duo for their solid backgrounds, their love of country, and their commitment to our future, as they move into next week's Republican convention.

Go McCain and Palin!

Energized!

Governor Sarah Palin from Alaska was just chosen as the vice presidential pick for Senator John McCain and the women of the Republican Party are energized with his choice of a running mate. Wow, what more could you ask for in a vice presidential pick? As a strong Republican, Governor Palin will make an outstanding vice president. Governor Palin is the first female Republican running mate for the highest office in America. Women in the United States need to stand up and cheer for this historic moment!

Warm & fuzzy...

After spending over year verbally trashing Commissioner Jeff Stabins on the radio, in emails and at public forums, the chairwoman of the Hernando County Republican Executive Committee, Ana Trinque is now calling for unity within the party. Ms. Trinque stated on local talk radio this morning that Mr. Stabins has a lot of work to do to win in the November General election. Ms. Trinque glossed over Mr. Stabins 43% win over two opponents to promote more of her personal agenda. Comments like these by Ms. Trinque, in reference to Commissioner Stabins, are less than encouraging for Republicans in the general election outlook, especially when the party is promoting unity. Ms. Trinque went on in her statements to generally infer that Mr. Stabins would have to come around to her way of thinking to get local Republican support. How's that for a "warm and fuzzy, Hilliary moment" by the HCREC chairwoman for our local candidates?

Family values

Last night, while standing in the atrium of the government center watching the election results, I was informed that the Hernando County Republican Executive Committee has chosen a guest speaker for their Unity Rally on September 12th at the fairgrounds. The speech will be on "family values" given by the organizer of the Government Gone Wild series. This individual also is a financial backer of this rally. The well-respected individual that gave me this information could not understand how a professional gambler would be allowed to speak on family values within our local party. Go figure...

Victories

Congratulations go out to Ginny Brown-Waite,

Jeff Stabins and John Druzbick

for their Primary Election victories!

You All Rock!

Big day

Well, tomorrow is the big day for all the republican candidates competing in the primary election. The competition has been fierce this year but we all know only one winner per race will prevail to move on to the General Election. All the candidates need to be thanked for this "thankless" task of campaigning for public office. Good luck to all the candidates tomorrow and may the best person win in each race!

Tropical storm

Hernando County Community Coordinator, Brenda Frazier has sent out approximately 15 updates for Tropical Storm Fay by email over the last week. These detailed updates were quite helpful for the public about this tropical storm. Brenda should be commended for her hard work keeping the public informed during this storm. If you would like to receive these updates on future storms, please register at the Hernando County Government website located at http://www.hernandocounty.us/bocc/

Rag

Well, it looks like business as usual at the Hernando Today with the new editor, Chris Wessel taking over for the retiring editor, with his staff endorsements for county commission this morning. To refresh your memory, the previous editor nearly ran this newspaper into the ground with his personal vendetta to attack everything, and everyone in county government. This previous editor was not content with writing the news, only making the news with his articles and editorials that reeked of half truths and innuendos to sell his "rag" on the street.

Let's all calm down and take a real deep breath to analyze the endorsements of Zydenbos and Adkins for county commission. We will take a analytical approach to understanding the spurious ramblings of this editorial staff for these, almost comical, endorsements of Adkins and Zydenbos.

Let's play a little word game with these endorsements.

Which candidate for county commission most comes to mind when you think of words like sub-prime mortgage failures, foreclosures and personal bankruptcy. If you guessed Jaz Zydenbos, please pat yourself on the back.

It is really amazing that Mr. Zydenbos is being offered as the best choice for county commissioner with his past failures in the business world. Mr. Zydenbos blamed his 2002 bankruptcy on the collapse of online businesses in the Hernando Times on August 10, 2008. Jaz Zydenbos stated that he recovered well and able to buy and invest. So in 2005, Mr. Zydenbos started a new career as a real estate agent and mortgage broker. Zydenbos now blames the Hernando County for out-of-control spending during the height of the building boom when soaring home values brought in a windfall of property tax money and this is where the words sub-prime failure and foreclosure should bring you back to reality for this morning's endorsements. These numerous failures for this candidate in the private sector certainly do not provide adequate qualifications to oversee our county budget. We, as citizens, do not need Mr. Jaz Zydenbos' ambition to be a county commissioner to become just "another failed business opportunity" for our community.

A few word hints about the other candidate include sleight of hand, talking out of both sides of his mouth, hypocrisy, lackey and boot-licker for the REC chairwoman and state republican committeeman for Hernando County. If you guessed Jim Adkins, please yell bingo right now.

As a former fire chief for the city of Brooksville, Mr. Jim Adkins certainly was not a penny pincher by any stretch of the imagination and that's where the terms sleight of hand, and talking our of both sides of his mouth, come into this discussion. James Adkins has a long history in Hernando County “with this spare no expense approach” in the name of fire departments. A large, unnecessary capital expenditure built by this former fire chief Adkins was Brooksville Fire House #2 at 600 S. Brooksville Avenue that now sits abandoned in the city DPW parking lot. Mr. Adkins is the same individual that stood silent in the atrium of the county building last year when the Hernando County Fire Rescue asked for, and received, as 28% fee increase and this is where the term sleight of hand term applies once again. You see, he boosted about his presence at the budget hearings last year with his "ax the tax" mantra while secretly promoting massive fee increases for the HCFR.

The textbook definition of lackey and boot-licker is a person who tries to please someone in order to gain a personal advantage which fits Mr. Adkins to a tee when it come to his association with the state republican committeeman and the REC chairwoman. While these two republican party representatives have been personally promoting their "puppet" for over four years with their actions and pocketbooks, Mr. Adkins has ingratiated himself with his menial tasks like a marionette dancing to the music.

It's time to end the era of "good-old-boy politics, as usual" in Hernando County by overwhelmingly rejecting these two negative candidates at the polls next Tuesday.

Fair tax meeting

I received this notice from Charlie Keller, press secretary for Congresswoman Ginny Brown-Waite's Washington office, in reference to the Fair Tax town hall meeting scheduled for today in Pasco County:

Today's scheduled Fair Tax town hall meeting is still on schedule. However, due to the passing of her husband, Congresswoman Brown-Waite has asked Florida State Representative Will Weatherford to act as her surrogate to emcee the event and introduce U.S. Representative John Linder. The Congresswoman will not be at this event.

Services

Harvey Waite's Funeral Services:

Visitation
3:00 – 6:00 pm
Friday, August 22, 2008
St. Anthony’s Catholic Church
20428 Cortez Blvd
Brooksville, FL 34601


Funeral Services
6:00 – 7:30 pm
Friday, August 22, 2008
St. Anthony’s Catholic Church
20428 Cortez Blvd
Brooksville, FL 34601

Note: There will be a gathering following the service at Heffernan Hall adjacent to the Church


Flowers may be sent to:

Turner Funeral Home
504 East Jefferson Street
Brooksville, FL

If people would prefer to make a donation, the family asks that you send all gifts to Hernando Pasco Hospice.

http://www.hphospice.org/
Hernando-Pasco Hospice
12107 Majestic Blvd.
Hudson, FL 34667
Ph: 800-486-8784
Fx: 727-868-9261

Harvey Waite

August 19, 2008

HARVEY F. WAITE PASSES AWAY

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – Sadly, the office of Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite announces that the Congresswoman’s husband of thirty years, Harvey Waite, passed away today following a bout with pancreatic cancer. At the time of his passing Harvey was surrounded by his loved ones at their home in Brooksville, Florida.

Harvey was born in Bayshore on Long Island, New York on January 2, 1940. He served in the United States Army from 1958 to 1961, doing part of his tour stationed overseas in Japan. Returning to New York after his military service, Harvey joined the New York State Police, where he enjoyed a long and distinguished career as a State Trooper.

Following his retirement from the State, Harvey and Ginny moved to Florida, eventually settling in Hernando County in 1995. Active in many local organizations, Harvey was particularly proud of his service to St. Anthony’s Catholic Church, his membership in the Nature Coast British Car Club, and the 10-13 Club of Hernando County. Prior to his cancer diagnosis, Harvey also worked as an Investigator in the Public Defenders Office.

As an usher at St. Anthony’s Church, Harvey was able to continue his service to God. A lifelong Catholic, Harvey’s funeral service will be held at St. Anthony’s. Harvey was also an active member of the Nature Coast British Car Club. He and Ginny would show their red 1959 MGA at Club meetings, and Harvey would often be seen tooling around town with the top down.

Always described as the handsomest man on the block wherever he lived, Harvey was a friend to everyone he met and always had a kind word and a quick smile. Known for being handy with his tools, when Harvey reaches the gates of Heaven, St. Peter will probably say, “Welcome Harve...it is good to finally have someone who can fix the Gates.”

Harvey is survived by his loving spouse, Virginia “Ginny” Brown-Waite, sister Barbara Webber of North Carolina, and brother Wayne Waite of New York. He is also survived by their three children Danene Mitchell and her husband Joe, Lorie Busiere and her husband Randy, and Jeannine O’Neill, as well as their four grandchildren Shawn Solomon, Justin Busiere, Christopher Busiere and Autumn Mitchell.

Please keep Congresswoman Ginny Brown-Waite and her family in your thoughts and prayers.

Real people

In the mail yesterday, I received my residential TRIM notice. I'm pleased to say that my Ad Valorem rate is expected to be reduced by $170.17 for this year. After shuffling through the rest of my mail, I found a very nice campaign flyer from Jeff Stabins. The inside subtitle from Commissioner Stabins' flyer really fit the mood which said, "Commissioner Jeff Stabins...A regular guy trying to help real people solve their problems with common sense solutions". Well, Jeff, you sure helped our household with lowering our property taxes. Thank you.

Rock

This morning's Hernando Times had an article that highlighted the judicial candidates f0r Group 11 of 5th Judicial Circuit. Candidates, Ric Howard and Rhonda Portwood apparently have turned an usually quiet judicial race into a real confrontation for this seat.

Apparently, Ric Howard threw the first proverbial "rock" by minimizing Ms. Portwood professional credentials early in the race. Rhonda Portwood then criticized Ric Howard for what she perceives as harsh and undo punishment in his courtroom.

After watching Ric Howard in action at last week's Hernando County Chamber Forum, it is very apparent that the tensions in this race run very high. Ms. Portwood was unable to attend this event and was strongly condemned by Ric Howard during his remarks. Mr. Howard's appearance at this forum took on the tone of arrogance and reeked of a self-serving attitude that did not appear to bode well with many in the public.

Dynamic

The Greater Hernando Chamber of Commerce candidate forum last night was a major success. All candidates with primary opponents featured in this forum were fairly questioned by editors of the two local newspapers. Editor, Mike Konrad represented the Hernando Times at the forum, with his count-part from the Hernando Today, Chris Wessel, asking pertinent questions of the candidates.

Hernando County School Board candidate, Gene Magrini had the opportunity to enlighten the public about his extensive professional background in human resources and the management of budgets in the excess of $180 million. Gene has three children enrolled in Hernando County schools, unlike his opponents, which gives him real insight on the inner-workings of the school system. His professional world experience in management and coaching is a plus for this position.

Although judicial candidates are restricted under non-partisan rules, Denise Lyn gave a powerful presentation for her bid in the 5th Circuit Judge, Group 3. Ms. Lyn is even an Air Force veteran who received a commendation medal for her service.

It was rather amusing to watch the candidates for the congressional seat, 5th district. Mr. Werder arrived late and fumbled with his presentation. John Russell is now trying the softer, gentler approach trying to convince the public he is not an angry individual. Grandma Carol should have used the money she paid to have her name placed on the ballot for a fantasy, vacation cruise.

The three candidates for county commission that stood out above all the rest in the forum were Jeff Stabins / district 1, John Druzbick / district 3 and Billy Healis /district 5.

Jeff Stabins clearly pointed out the fiscal conservative nature of his current term while illustrating 25% reduction in Ad Valorem taxes to the homeowners of this county under his tenure. Mr. Stabins briefly pointed out his economic incentive plan to jump start the economy in his presentation and explained that any reduction in impact fees was not feasible due to necessary capital improvements. Mr. Stabins indicated that all taxpayers would have to make up the short fall in impact fees if the impact fees were temporally reduced for builders. Jeff clearly shined in his positive presentation at this forum.

John Druzbick's campaign pledge included his desire to have true zero-based budgeting in Hernando County. Mr. Druzbick strongly stated that the county government should be a "pay as you go" system and indicated that he would continue with the consolidation of departments when elected commissioner. John's dynamic presentation that gave him a distinctive edge over his opponents.

As a newcomer to the political scene, Billy Healis started off slightly nervous in his presentation but it was obvious that he clearly relaxed after he mentioned his wife and children in the audience. Mr. Healis' articulate presentation was the highlight of the district 5 race discussion, with his pledge to work for the betterment of the entire county, unlike his opponents that have played to the special interests in the community. Billy presented a refreshing change from the far, right wing, fringe element of his counterparts in this race.

Laurie Pizzo and Anthony Palmieri, along with Morris Porton of the governmental affairs committee of the Chamber, worked tirelessly so the public had the opportunity to become informed on the candidates. All the volunteers at the Chamber of Commerce should be commended for this forum which gave the public a real-life peek at the candidates in the primary election on August 26, 2008.

Amendment 5 pulled...

Amendment 5 has been removed from the ballot by U.S. Circuit Court Judge John C. Cooper from Leon County. Judge Cooper wrote in his opinion, “The court finds that the ballot title and summary provided in the proposition for Amendment 5 fail to fairly inform the voter, in a clear and unambiguous language, of the chief purposes of the amendment and the language of the title and summary, as written, is misleading in the foregoing respects".

Survey

The Greater Hernando Chamber of Commerce sent out a questionnaire for county commission candidates that can be viewed on their website.

Even though this candidate survey was geared toward the business community, it gives a clear prospective to the public about the professional manner of each candidate. Most candidates answers were clear and concise, typed in a neat, business-like manner. Several exceptions to these answers were that of Mr. Jim Adkins who chose to hand write short, incomplete answers to his questions, compared to the long, drawn-out response of Chris Kingsley that never really got to the point.

Anyway, check it out for yourself and drawn your own conclusions at:

http://www.hernandochamber.com/?page=survey

***Don't forget about the candidate forum being presented by the Chamber of Commerce tonight (6 p.m) in the County Commission Chambers.

Enjoy

Billy Healis, candidate for county commission, district 5 will be having a meet & greet in downtown Brooksville tomorrow, August `15th, from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Main Street Eatery. Billy will be on hand to welcome the public and discuss his campaign for county commissioner. So stop in, ask your questions, and enjoy a free desert and beverage on Billy!

Safety sake

Did anyone read Frances Earl's drivel in the Hernando Today this morning? Ms. Earl's delusional ranting was a lame attempt to justify the past, irrational actions of John Russell who is candidate for House Of Representative, district 5. This is the same John Russell that has been banned for life from ever visiting Mickie Mouse at Disney World because of his aggressive behavior several years ago. What part of lunatic does Ms. Earl not comprehend with her self-proclaimed warrior of peace? Ms. Earl should have noted that any one attending a campaign event where Mr. Russell is appearing should be inoculated for safety sake. Watching Mr. John Russell in action is like witnessing a pit bull with rabies...

Journey to Ireland

In the wee hours Sunday morning, I disembarked a flight home from JFK Airport. This was the last leg of my nine day journey to Ireland. If I had to use a one word description of my trip it would be spectacular!

This trip of a life time was made even better because my daughter went with me. We traveled by car from Dublin though Wexford, Waterford, Cobh, Killarney, and concluded our trip in Shannon. Having never driven on the left had side, this journey was even more exciting because the roads are barely wide enough for one vehicle. The entire country uses a system of roundabouts, instead of traffic signals, which makes for very interesting travel. Even though we were driving a small, fuel-efficient diesel vehicle, the approximately $11.00 per gallon would make any one stand up and take notice.

One stop at the Waterford Crystal Factory gave my credit card a real work-out. The tour included the entire manufacturing process of their fine crystal making process. Even though I am apprehensive about heights, my daughter and I climbed the 108 steep, spiral steps at the Blarney Castle and the views were nothing less than superior. The Cliffs of Moher presented another challenge to tackling heights but the photos we took were well worth our efforts.

The most memorable stop on our journey was at the Dunbrody Abbey School of Cookery. Proprietors, Pierce and Valerie McAuliffe, were marvelous hosts for our afternoon of Irish-inspired cooking lessons. My daughter and I thoroughly enjoyed this Irish couple's warmth and hospitality. Their cooking lessons provided an in-depth look at the foods of Ireland. We came away from their school loaded with recipes of brown bread, scones and savory tarts.

All in all, the most treasured memory of my visit to Ireland was the quality time spent with my daughter whom I miss having close because she lives in Seattle. This vacation will be always be ingrained in our memories. We will forever remember seeing the Leprechaun in Killareny that rainy afternoon that brought us the luck of the Irish!

GBW Fair Tax talk

**Media Advisory**
REP. BROWN-WAITE TO HOST FAIR TAX TOWN HALL MEETING IN PASCO COUNTY
Rep. John Linder, Author of the FAIR Tax Legislation, to Attend as Special Guest Speaker

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – U.S. Congresswoman Ginny Brown-Waite (FL-05) today announced that she will host U.S. Rep. John Linder (GA-07) for a town hall meeting on Wednesday, August 20th designed to help area residents learn more about the issue of tax reform, specifically the Fair Tax proposal. At the event, attendees will be able to ask questions on tax reform, learn more about various reform measures pending in Congress, and share their views on the topic. Rep. Linder is the author of the Fair Tax legislation, and the bestselling co-author of The Fair Tax – Saying Goodbye to the Income Tax and the IRS.

Rep. Brown-Waite is a co-sponsor of H.R. 25, the Fair Tax of 2007 and an advocate of fundamental tax reform as a catalyst for economic growth and job creation. At the event, Rep. Linder will discuss the Fair Tax, an innovative proposal he introduced that calls for the elimination of the federal income tax and the creation of a national sales tax. For more information about the legislation, please visit www.fairtax.org.

DATE: Wednesday, August 20, 2008

TIME: 2:00 – 3:30 pm

LOCATION: Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church
Rosary Hall
2348 Collier Parkway
Land O’ Lakes, FL

WHO: Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite (FL-05)
Rep. John Linder (GA-07)

Candidate forums

Upcoming candidate forums:


Tuesday, August 5th, 6:00 p.m.
School Board Candidate Forum Q&A
Sponsor: Nature Coast Republican Women’s Network
Location: Oak Hill Hospital, 4th floor conference room

Wednesday, August 6th, 3:00 p.m.
School Board Candidate Forum Q&A
Sponsor: Wellington Republican Club
Location: Wellington Club House

Wednesday, August 13th, 6:30 p.m.
Candidate Forum
Sponsor: Ridge Manor Community Association
Location: 34240 Cortez Boulevard, Ridge Manor

Thursday, August 14th, 6:00 p.m.
Candidate Forum
Sponsor: Hernando County Chamber of Commerce
Location: County Commission Chamber, Hernando County Government Center

Interesting...

I received this via email from a very staunch conservative & thought you might like it:


INTERESTING DATA JUST RECEIVED ON TAXES

This is something you should be aware of so you don't get blind-sided.This is really going to catch a lot of families off guard. It should make you worry.Proposed changes in taxes after 2008 General election:

CAPITAL GAINS TAX

MCCAIN 0% on home sales up to $500,000 per home (couples)

McCain does not propose any change in existing home sales income tax.

OBAMA 28% on profit from ALL home sales.

How does this affect you? If you sell your home and make a profit,

you will pay 28% of your gain on taxes. If you are heading toward retirement

and would like to down-size your home or move into a retirement community,

28% of the money you make from your home will go to taxes. This

proposal will adversely affect the elderly who are counting on

the income from their homes as part of their retirement income.

DIVIDEND TAX

MCCAIN 15% (no change)

OBAMA 39.6%

How will this affect you? If you have any money invested in stock market, IRA, mutual funds, college funds, life insurance, retirement accounts, or anything that pays or reinvests dividends, you will now be paying nearly 40% of the money earned on taxes if Obama become president. The experts predict that 'higher tax rates on dividends and capital gains would crash the stock market yet do absolutely nothing to cut the deficit.

INCOME TAX

MCCAIN (no changes)

Single making 30K - tax $4,500

Single making 50K - tax $12,500

Single making 75K - tax $18,750

Married making 60K- tax $9,000

Married making 75K - tax $18,750

Married making 125K - tax $31,250

OBAMA (reversion to pre-Bush tax cuts)

Single making 30K - tax $8,400

Single making 50K - tax $14,000

Single making 75K - tax $23,250

Married making 60K - tax $16,800Married making 75K - tax $21,000

Married making 125K - tax $38,750

Under Obama your taxes will more than double!

How does this affect you? No explanation needed.

This is pretty straight forward.

INHERITANCE TAX

MCCAIN 0% (No change, Bush repealed this tax)

OBAMA Restore the inheritance tax

How does this affect you?

Many families have lost businesses,farms and ranches,

and homes that have been in their families for generations

because they could not afford the inheritance tax.

Those willing their assets to loved ones will lose them to these taxes.

NEW TAXES BEING PROPOSED BY OBAMA

* New government taxes proposed on homes that are more than 2400 square feet

* New gasoline taxes (as if gas weren't high enough already)

* New taxes on natural resources consumption (heating gas, water, electricity)

* New taxes on retirement accounts and last but not least....

* New taxes to pay for socialized medicine so we can receive the same level of medical care as other third-world countries!!!

School board forum

HERNANDO COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD CANDIDATE FORUM

HOSTED BY THE


NATURE COAST REPUBLICAN WOMEN’S NETWORK


TUESDAY ~ AUGUST 5, 2008 ~ 6PM
MEDICAL OFFICE BUILDING ADJACENT TO
OAK HILL HOSPITAL (ENTRANCE C)


CANDIDATES SPEAKING ARE
GENE MAGRINI AND ROBERT NEUHAUSEN

ALL GUESTS ARE WELCOME TO ATTEND. FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT PAT MCNIFF AT 352-666-8972 OR EMAIL AT PKMCNIFF@SURFMK.COM

Prosperity

Economist, Hank Fishkind proclaimed that our county was in recession at the Hernando County Board of Commissioners meeting on July 22, 2008. After listening to Mr. Fishkind's presentation, which included a long list of statistical data for his recession claim, he suggested that the county government increase our sales tax by 1 cent and to get creative in raising additional money with more MSBU's.

Obviously, Mr. Fishkind believes in the philosophy that we can tax our way to prosperity by raising sales taxes, and additional fees through MSBU's, in Hernando County. Dr. Fishkind sounds like the democrats in Congress that want to add 10 cents tax for fuel. Congressional democrats are using the logic that less fuel is being purchased so they need to raise more money through taxes for transportation funds. Congressional democrats apparently haven't heard anything about supply-side economics. People are buying less fuel because the price is so high and now democrats in Congress want to raise the taxes. Go figure!

President Ronald Reagan was quoted in his farewell address to the Nation as saying, "Common sense told us that when you put a big tax on something, the people will produce less of it. So, we cut the people's tax rates and the people produced more than ever before". Hopefully our county commissioners will keep this quote in mind when they begin to discuss an economic stimulus package to jump start Hernando County and put people back to work. A reduction of impact fees, and additional Ad Valorem reduction for property owners using local contractors, would surely spur the economy better than a raising the sales tax and MSBU rates.

Food for thought...

I received the following information from my brother last week & thought you might find it interesting:

George Bush has been in office for 7 1/2 years. The first six the economy was fine.

A little over one year ago:

1) Consumer confidence stood at a 2 1/2 year high;
2) Regular gasoline sold for $2.19 a gallon;
3) the unemployment rate was 4.5%.
4) the DOW JONES hit a record high--14,000 +0D
5) American's were buying new cars, taking cruises, vacations o'seas, living large!...


But American's wanted 'CHANGE'! So, in 2006 they voted in a Democratic Congress & yep--we got 'CHANGE' all right.

In the PAST YEAR:

1) Consumer confidence has plummeted ;
2) Gasoline is now over $4 a gallon & climbing!;
3) Unemployment is up to 5% (a 10% increase);
4) Americans have seen their home equity drop by $12 TRILLION DOLLARS & prices still dropping;
5) 1% of American homes are in foreclosure.
6) as I write, THE DOW is probing another low~~11,100--

$2.5 TRILLION DOLLARS HAS EVAPORATED FROM THEIR STOCKS, BONDS & MUTUAL FUNDS INVESTMENT PORTFOLIOS!