County Candidate Questionnaire

Transcription

1 Southwest Florida Leadership Initiative County Candidate Questionnaire Personal/ background information to be shared with SWFLI Members: Name: Warren Wright Home Address: 4058 Manning Ave Fort Myers FL Home Telephone: _ Fax: Address: Profession/Occupation: Elect Wright for Commission Business Address: Business Telephone: Fax: Where may we contact you during normal business hours? EDUCATION Schools, Colleges attended: _Vanderbilt University

2 Degrees Held: Bachelor of Arts Professional Accreditation/State Licensures: Union/Professional Association Memberships: GENERAL INFO Marital Status: Married X Single Divorced Spouse's Name: Spouse's Occupation: Do you have Children? _NO How Many? At Home Ages: Away

3 Do you own your own home? YES How long have you lived in Florida? 15 YEARS_ Years in District _14 years and 6 months, due to redistricting General information to be shared with SWFLI Members Why are you running for public office? I am a dedicated and knowledgeable resident of Lee County with the skills needed to promote the quality of life that makes Lee County the outstanding place we know today. Lee County is slowly recovering from the devastating financial meltdown that has left many hard working locals without a job or a home. This crisis should not be characterized as just a passing "economic storm," but instead it heralds a new reality that must be directly confronted by a series of fiscal efficiencies and thoughtful allocations of our limited resources. In other words, putting our tax dollars where it will do the most good. The practice of balancing Budgets that borrow from reserves to maintain the status quo and avoid any real fundamental change is not leadership. Further, this practice has a very limited shelf life, as we run out of the reserves that have allowed the County to avoid facing the issues at hand. In learning to operate within this new economic normal, we must be forward thinking and look to the future to find and implement new ways to re-energize our community. My county view incorporating policies and programs of efficiencies, realistic allocation of tax dollars and a positive step into the future with regard to technology and laying a foundation for job creation, will facilitate that shift to a more vital and prosperous Lee County. Lee County is a special place that deserves to be protected and managed with great care and I am determined to play a role in protecting that specialness and holding on to its gifts for future generations.

4 Please list your civic, professional and political involvement: Fort Myer City Councilman Member of the Metropolitan Planning Organization Member of the Tourism Development Council Boys and Girls Club of Lee County How do these qualify you for or relate to the office you are seeking? In order to govern effectively, you must understand the process of how government works and have the tools necessary to evaluate the effectiveness of programs and other government initiatives to determine their worth. My experience in both the public and private sector are critical to my ability to be a productive and effective leader. My success in the private sector provides me with a wealth of valuable experience and knowledge. As a leader in pharmaceutical sales, I have obtained national sales distinction in 3 of the last 4 years. The skills necessary to assure repeated success in the private sector are equally valuable in government. The under-rated skill of listening with the goal of understanding the viewpoint being offered is of great importance in governance. The skill of critical analysis and its applicability to our economics and environment is equally important. Additionally, if one is equipped with these skills and has the audacity based on good information to challenge status quo thinking in order to seek a stronger and healthier community model, that candidate becomes the harbinger of change. As a Fort Myers Councilmember, one accomplishment I am most proud is cleaning up Billy s Creek. I was able to get the city, the county, the state, 20/20 and SFWMD to work together to create the Billy Creek Filter Marsh. A public eyesore and dumping ground, it is now a park and functioning clean water system that serves our community. At the beginning of my term, there were only 2 neighborhood watch programs, neither of which were active. When I finished my term there were 9 programs fully functioning. Many of the neighborhoods felt distrust with the police department and I was able to help repair and build relationships where there had been none at all. While on the TDC, I have played an active role in protecting the bed tax revenue and making sure it is reserved for its original purpose, which is to promote tourism in the off season. When I came on board, the County had taken 20% and devoted it to baseball

5 stadiums. I made it very clear through comments, public meetings and news paper editorials stating that the bed tax should not be raised as it would be a hardship on hotel and motel operators who just had their first good season in a very long time and in what ways this money should be spent. As an elected official I have done my best to act with integrity and to put first the will and safety of the people. Please tell us about your philosophy of government: I think government should do a few things and do them well. It should focus only on core services. I don t feel government can truly create jobs but it can set the table, cut red tape, and eliminate unnecessary fees, all facilitating a productive environment through reasonable policies. Government can and should invest in infrastructure that will help broaden and diversify our economic base. What are the most important issues in your campaign (please try to be as specific as possible): 1. Fiscal responsibility 2. Innovative job growth 3. Environment/Urban Sprawl Please list three specific things you plan to accomplish if elected: 1. I will not borrow from our reserves to balance a budget that does not reflect a need for real fiscal change. I have a proven voting record while on the Fort Myers City Council of not spending what we do not have. I have been the lone vote where I refused to take money from reserves to balance a bloated budget. We must focus on pragmatic solutions demonstrating that government should just do a few things and do them very well. Everything is on the table for either improved efficiency or elimination. Here are just some examples: a. All county contracts need to be re-negotiated. The city of Sanibel did this a few years back and was able to get a reduction in fees for nearly 90% of its service contracts. b. Personnel costs must be addressed. In order to avoid layoffs, Health and Retirement packages need to be more in line with Private industry standards. Individual employees will have to contribute more into the system like private industry employees have already been doing.

6 c. For Lee County to realize efficiencies of scale in the future there needs to be more cooperation between existing municipalities and the county government. Sharing resources and partnering on utilities will go a long way in saving money and protecting our natural resources. 2. Lee County has a large senior population that is twice the national average. This is a strong and vital demographic contributing to a growing number of jobs. In Lee County, the 16th largest employer is 21st Century Oncology, the 14th is Shell Point Retirement Community, 12th is Hope Healthcare and the largest is Lee Memorial Health System. In other words, we are rich in a population demographic that is redefining how businesses and services are preparing for success in the next quarter century catering to baby boomers and their desire to maintain a healthy and independent lifestyle. In Portland Oregon, a coalition of interested parties have developed a Center for Aging and Technology, we need to learn from Portland s experience. Corporations see Portland as a place to develop and test their hi-tech devices that promote independent living. Lee County needs to embrace aging as an economic asset. A center for aging can be a private project or even a public/private partnership, but Lee County can take a leadership role and partner with business to cut through red tape such as inefficient permitting and zoning. 3. As a member of Tourism Development Council, I know a healthy eco-system equals a healthy economy. Over the last 12 years we have had a comprehensive plan for development in place but the plan has often been the victim of haphazard implementation. Jobs are further away from where people live, commute times are up, and our very special physical environment has not fared well. The Lee County Government has been promoting urban sprawl for the last 20 years. It has been attempting to create new economic zones outside of our existing cities and urban zones thus depleting them of their business and financial resources. It makes no sense to try to create jobs further away from our urban zones where people already live. Best urban practices will tell you so. There needs to be a policy shift from Suburbia to Redevelopment and Infill. I strongly support the effort to revise the Lee Plan to address Urban Sprawl and increase development in our areas with existing infrastructure. This policy will also create jobs and a new vitality in the building trades. One possible way to reinvigorate our building

7 industry is to have a complete reevaluation of our impact fee structure. Reductions should be provided to builders and developers that will work on repurposing existing areas that are functionally obsolete. This is better for our residents and it is better for our environment. What are the three most important duties of the office you are seeking? 1. To be aware of the issues and challenges facing all parts of the County not just my district 2. To work with all units of government striving for efficiencies of service and new revenue opportunities that does not require new taxes; 3. To diversify the Lee County economy strengthen what we have and create new opportunities for good paying jobs to do that the Board must end the bureaucratic county nightmare that stands in the way of efficiency and sustainability Have you read the following: (Please answer Yes or No) Charter: yes 2012/2013 Budget: _yes CAFR: yes ********The Economic Development Office says that they do not have the following documents. If you can direct me as to where they are, I will review them. Strategic Plan: Economic Development Plan: List the sources of revenues available to the County: (a) Ad valorem or property taxes pays for all of the county s business but within the ad valorem you have special property taxes for the 2020 land acquisition and then you have the MSTU which collects ad valorem in the unincorporated county for city-like services such as local parks, planning, code enforcement, etc. The general ad valorem which are tax payers contribute to pays for the Sheriff, the jail, regional parks, the beaches and other elected officials.

8 (b) Gas tax these are restricted funds for transportation and the County shares through an agreement with the cities (c) Tourist development dollars based on lodgings, which is used for tourism promotion, beach re-nourishment and baseball stadiums. (d) Franchise fees from Florida Power & Light and garbage and other services not restricted often used to support financing of projects (e) State revenue based on population not restricted (f) Block Grant funds used for low-income housing List the possible uses of each of the revenues you listed above: SEE ABOVE Explain the relationship between taxes and the millage: The millage produces taxes based on the assessed valuation of real property if the millage goes down then the taxes go down. Explain your understanding of the difference between policy and administration as described in the Charter: The BCC deals with policy issues and may not direct staff with exception of those employees that work directly for the BCC, such as the county manager and the county attorney. The Charter states that the BCC may not give staff work directives. The real question is how one defines policy versus defining administration? To me, everything is policy until the Board tells the Manager to go do it. Do you see yourself having any potential conflicts of interest which may prevent you from participating in any discussions or votes if elected, if so explain: NO Please share your vision for the County

9 Lee County Government needs to work more in concert with its municipalities to forge partnerships and strengthen inter-local agreements. Its focus should not be on promoting the expansion of suburbia or to develop competing economic centers, but to emphasize redevelopment and infill. The effectiveness of Impact fees versus the impact of these costs on inhibiting new construction and jobs needs to be brought up for review. There should also be an emphasis on transit-oriented development to work in concert with redevelopment. This may prove more cost effective as we allocate our limited infrastructure dollars. It may prove both more effective and more environmentally friendly. Plus, in our tourist environment, visitors may not only be willing to use transit but may even look at it as part of their vacation experience. Other development techniques such as TDR or Transfer of Development Rights should be pursued as a means to more effectively protect our wetlands with responsible growth in those areas where owners have developmental rights. Lee county funds must be strategically targeted. Two extremely important initiatives would be as follows; 1) Targeting Funds for building partnerships focused on sustainability and economic development with real substance things like better internet broadband availability and connections throughout the area in order to drive medical and green opportunities- will be essential for future growth in the high-tech arena; 2) Targeting Funds to take a leadership role in the Economic Redevelopment of Estero Bay. Rivers and streams feeding into the bay have a water quality of F, making it essentially sterile. A program of filter marshes and other best practices can turn that around. The bay at one point was a vibrant fish hatchery. With care and attention, it could once again be an economic engine that would rival the beaches with its year round commercial and sport fishing. A fundamental shift in such policies will be necessary for Lee County to move forward as it prepares itself for a more diversified and vibrant economic base. Such changes will be critical to make our county economically stronger as well as continue to improve our quality of life. Are you willing to come back to update SWFLI? Yes: _X No: Southwest Florida Leadership Initiative

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