August 23, 2011

Campbell’s Sand and Gravel in Century has been cited by Escambia County for operating a borrow pit at Barth without a permit. The citation came just days after the county commission learned that six borrow pits in the county had been allowed to operate without permits for at least five years.

For full story please click here.

August 24, 2011

For Immediate Release:

Escambia County Commissioner Gene Valentino would like to invite you out this coming Friday evening to the Five Flags Speedway to enjoy watching Valentino and other local media celebrities and public officials take part in the United Cerebral Palsy Celebrity Race beginning at or about 7pm.

“I think it is great when local media personalities and public officials can, and do give back to the community in this manner” Valentino stated.

Valentino continues, “As much as this will be fun, the greatest reason is to help those who are in need of help”.

For more information about the local chapter of the UNited Cerebral Palsy, please visit http://ucpnwfl.org.

For more information about the upcoming celebrity race, please visit http://5flagsspeedway.com/events/?event_id=15.

Thank you for your time and we hope to see you there.

Greg Fink

Open Market Research, Inc.

850-525-5142

by Jamie Page:

Please visit http://www.pnj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2011108070312 for the viewpoint from the Pensacola News Journal.

Gene Valentino

First, let me say thank you to the Pensacola News Journal in allowing me this forum to address their recent editorial, which was a spinoff from the Frontera Circle story by Travis Griggs on July 31, 2011.  The PNJ article regarding this low income neighborhood was accurate.  However, it caused your editorial opinion to rush to a false assessment on my position on economic development, low/high – income housing, affordable housing, and my general concern for the needy.

In this article I stated that our emphasis in the community should be high income housing, higher paying jobs and more economic development.  This is true.  The article also stated that I was not interested in expanding low income housing programs. This is false.

To clarify, it’s not that I don’t want low income “affordable” housing. It’s that I’m bothered we have so much.  I have always stated that government’s role in part is to help and those who cannot help themselves.  So I remain supportive of low-income/affordable housing.   But like the rest of the county so many homes here are in default with their mortgages, abandoned or both.   So which would you prefer, my presence on Frontera Circle or my presence before industry leaders getting them to bring their businesses and jobs here?  Doing the latter does not mean we forego the former.  We do both responsibly.  We do both with political leaders who are considered “game changers”; who are willing to push forward with a vision.  That’s leadership!  After all, you voted them in to do just that.

The fact is the Pensacola region has more Habitat for Humanity homes as a percentage of population, than most other regions in the country.  In the last year I have been to a Habitat for Humanity ribbon cutting ceremony in my District and have spoken strongly in favor of the Habitat for Humanity program, and I remain supportive of their purpose.  Some folks from the Frontera Circle area have even shown up at my ‘Coffee with the Commissioner” meetings over the last 4 years expressing their concerns. (By the way PNJ, you’re invited to come to our ‘coffees’.  You’d learn a lot about your readers, my constituents. I have.)  If I do nothing these next four years except to focus on helping Jim Hizer (Chamber President) bring jobs to Escambia County, well, I could not think of a better use of my time.  More jobs mean more money moving in the community.  That means more money for social services. That means more help for those in need of family counseling.   With an improved family unit there are fewer domestic issues, fewer arrests, lower jail costs, and a home, not abandoned, that is occupied with productive community workers.  Improving their quality of life through such necessary intervention means their home becomes more affordable because their self-esteem has grown.  These concerns are connected, not disjointed.

“Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.”  Building more “affordable” housing does not solve the real problem and is not the issue.  The Frontera Circle issue is a microcosm of a nationwide issue; social and economic destabilization resulting in the denigration of a community.  However, the successful communities in the United States worked both fronts simultaneously and succeeded in minimizing blight and such destabilization.    We have thousands of homes now that are able to be purchased reasonably.  But, we need an employer that sees the advantage in growing his bushiness base in Escambia County and paying his workers competitively, and a bank that’s ready to lend them money responsibly.  What other remedy is there?

We must look forward to a day when we are not in need of expanding our already high level of low income housing.  This is a goal.  I do not suggest, nor should you imply from this statement that a nation and county as wonderful as ours should ever turn its back on those in need.

When I was fortunate to be elected first in 2006, I wrote the first county-based economic incentive plan to stimulate businesses and jobs to our area.  In the first three months on the job my fellow commissioners supported the Panhandler Ordinance which I authored with Alison Rogers, County Attorney. It has since withstood a recent Escambia County Court challenge by the ACLU.  This was my effort to clean up the streets and improve public safety.  But again, this was not an effort to deny personal liberties or quash freedom of speech.  However, if we are serious and expect class act businesses to come to town, then we need to look and act the part.

The citizens of Escambia County need and deserve better from their elected officials.  More jobs, better jobs, safer streets, a higher quality of life, and a stronger approach to economic development should be the goal for every elected official.  But, we don’t get there if we do the same thing over and over.

Thank you very much for your time.

http://www.weartv.com/newsroom/top_stories/videos/wear_vid_16802.shtml

Thursday, July 21 2011, 07:25 PM CDT

I pledge to you that I will continue to press BP to clean-up the beaches and to compensate citizens and business owners for their fair and rightful share of revenues lost. We knew that long after the media took its spotlight off Pensacola, we would be left with an on-going concern. Oil will continue to impact our shores. A federally-based program sponsored by Congress, with matching funds from BP, is the solution. Their massive effort to clean-up is required. The ocean floor, from the shoreline to hundreds of yards out to sea, should be the primary focus.  Focusing only on beach clean-up does not address the real problem.  BP said they would not leave until our beaches were restored to the condition it was prior to April 20, 2010.  I’m holding them to that.  Your days have been long.  Your efforts have been tireless; handling a response to a crisis we did not bargin for.  Your efforts have not gone unnoticed.  I will need your support and ask that you stand at my side when we take this issue as far as we must for resolution. There’s a power in the spirit of the people on this coast…and that includes YOU, our Escambia County Team.   I’m honored to have you with us as we go forward to protect Escambia’s best keep secret, our sugar white sands.

My Priorities are in my “contract” with you going forward:

·  Further Streamlining of Government

·  More Financial Incentives for Businesses

·  Better Paying Jobs!

We made promises in the last 4 years and will stay the course with :

Enhancements to the ECONOMIC DEVELOPENT PLAN which I wrote into law and was adopted on October 4, 2007.  This plan provides incentives for businesses and creates jobs.

More FUNDING of ROADS.   We will continue with the expansion of the states adoption of my RTFA plan; just-starting road improvements.

Accelerating DISTRICT COMMUNICATIONS through further training and use of my Precinct Leader System.  This provides greater accountability to my office. Our “Coffee With the Commissioner” meetings, three times per week throughout District 2, will continue on the existing Mon/Wed/ Fri schedule.

2)  What is your political philosophy?  (100 words) LWV

I was head of the “Young Republicans” in Watertown, Connecticut at 16 years of age in 1971.  I have remained a conservative Republican since then.  The 18 year old vote came to fruition in 1973 and was a major platform issue at the time.  I believe government that governs least governs best.  In a true Democratic Republic the elected should lead effectively but never forget who they work for.  Government’s role is to incentivize but not own or control individual liberties.

3) With expected deficits in next year’s budget, what specific revenue increases and/or budget cuts would you support? (300 words) LWV

The budget for fiscal year 2010-2011, was recently approved by me and 4 other commissioners at a value of about $377-million.  This is nearly $100-million less than it was when I took office 4 years ago.  The mill rate (tax rate) was reduced 5.62 percent.  Further tax reductions will see on upcoming tax invoices. During my term as Chairman in 2008, we reduced that year’s budget $25-million.  The cuts we made were carefully considered.  The “streamlining” promise I made was addressed here.  Going forward our focus should shift toward financial incentives that stimulate economic growth and jobs.  While I’m proud we’ve cut to the bone, it’s now time to focus on investing in jobs.  My economic plan can be viewed at www.myescambia.com .

4) Please identify measures that can be taken to reduce healthcare cost for employees. (300 words) LWV

We have a smoke free / drug free hiring policy.  I support the keeping of vending machines in government buildings but I prefer and support a healthier program.

5) Please discuss the proposal to request a congressional decision for Pensacola Beach and Navarre residents to become landowners rather than lessees and the possible effects on the longstanding public ownership of the beaches.  (300 words) LWV

Congressman Miller and the State Legislature are poised to assist Escambia County with an act of Congress and a change to the state’s special act empowering the county to make the needed changes to the structure of the Santa Rosa Island Authority.  In government the term “coterminous” refers to the concept of fairness and parity in the use of tax dollars.  Moreover, the taxation methodology must be consistent with the concept on “one man, one vote”.   Therefore the Santa Island Authority, governing as is, creates a ‘disconnect’ and inconsistency in how the elected officials are forced to deal with services on Pensacola Beach, versus the rest of the waterfront of Escambia County.   I have proposed, and it is now under design with county staff the new, “Waterfront Development Authority” (WDA).

This authority would govern a defined waterfront district, from the Santa Rosa border to the Alabama border.  This district would have a CONSISTENT taxation methodology addressing the unique concerns of our vibrant waterfront potential.  Additionally, all leased land would be deeded over at no charge to the real property owner; the theory being that taxes that would now be paid on the land value would balance-out and put all county tax payers on a level playing field.

This would also eliminate the unnecessary tax on business revenue that unfairly singles-out businesses on Pensacola Beach. The revenue source for the WDA would be collected from the entire waterfront community, not just Pensacola Beach, and would eliminate the current business sales revenue tax on Pensacola Beach.  Simultaneously, for all other waterfront areas there would be a source of funds to address improvements that have been ignored for decades.   Moreover, the priorities and concerns of our ENTIRE waterfront community can be addressed through the proposed WDA board, similar in design to the Santa Rosa Authority.

Best regards,

Auby Smith

District 9 Political Action Trustee
Florida Realtors