Election Day is Tomorrow November 6, 2018

Are you ready to vote?

St. Petersburg, Fl

Opinion by: 
E. Eugene Webb PhD

Here are few useful links as you form your opinion and try to better understand what each proposed Constitutional amendment will do!

The League of Women Voters and this pdf from Florida Tax Watch give great insight on each amendment, along with their recommendation on how to vote on each. They also explain the implications for voting for or against each amendment.

Florida Association of Counties offers a quick explanation for each proposal, along with analysis of how some of the amendments will impact county governments if they’re approved. Click on each amendment to learn more and to read editorials on the topic from the state’s largest papers.

Below is a handy table with recommended votes based on my research of various political sites, newspapers and Blogs.

There is a column to record your vote and you can print it and take it with you to speed up your voting process at the polls.

2018 PROPOSED FLORIDA CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS			YOUR VOTE
1	Increased Homestead Property Tax Exemption	YES
2	Limitations on Property Tax Assessments	YES
3	Voter Control of Gambling in Florida	YES
4	Voting Restoration Amendment	NO
5	Supermajority Vote Required to Impose, Authorize, or Raise State Taxes or Fees	YES
6	Rights of Crime Victims; Judges	NO
7	First Responder and Military Member Survivor Benefits; Public Colleges and Universities	YES
8	REMOVED
9	Prohibits Offshore Oil and Gas Drilling; Prohibits Vaping in Enclosed Indoor Workplaces	YES
10	State and Local Government Structure and Operation	YES
11	Property Rights; Removal of Obsolete Provision; Criminal Statutes	YES
12	Lobbying and Abuse of Office by Public Officers	YES
13	Ends Dog Racing	YES

Below is the official description of the proposed constitutional Amendments  

Proposed Constitutional Amendments

No. 1 Constitutional Amendment - Affects: Article VII, Section 6 Article XII, Section 37 

Increased Homestead Property Tax Exemption - Proposing an amendment to the State Constitution to increase the homestead exemption by exempting the assessed valuation of homestead property greater than $100,000 and up to $125,000 for all levies other than school district levies. The amendment shall take effect January 1, 2019.

No. 2 Constitutional Amendment - Affects: Article XII, Section 27 

Limitations on Property Tax Assessments - Proposing an amendment to the State Constitution to permanently retain provisions currently in effect, which limit property tax assessment increases on specified non-homestead real property, except for school district taxes, to 10 percent each year. If approved, the amendment removes the scheduled repeal of such provisions in 2019 and shall take effect January 1, 2019.

No. 3 Constitutional Amendment - Affects: Article X, Section 29

Voter Control of Gambling in Florida - This amendment ensures that Florida voters shall have the exclusive right to decide whether to authorize casino gambling by requiring that in order for casino gambling to be authorized under Florida law, it must be approved by Florida voters pursuant to Article XI, Section 3 of the Florida Constitution. Affects articles X and XI. Defines casino gambling and clarifies that this amendment does not conflict with federal law regarding state/tribal compacts.

The amendment’s impact on state and local government revenues and costs, if any, cannot be determined at this time because of its unknown effect on gambling operations that have not been approved by voters through a constitutional amendment proposed by a citizens’ initiative petition process.

No. 4 Constitutional Amendment - Affects: Article VI, Section 4

Voting Restoration Amendment - This amendment restores the voting rights of Floridians with felony convictions after they complete all terms of their sentence including parole or probation. The amendment would not apply to those convicted of murder or sexual offenses, who would continue to be permanently barred from voting unless the Governor and Cabinet vote to restore their voting rights on a case by case basis.

The precise effect of this amendment on state and local government costs cannot be determined, but the operation of current voter registration laws, combined with an increased number of felons registering to vote, will produce higher overall costs relative to the processes in place today. The impact, if any, on state and local government revenues cannot be determined. The fiscal impact of any future legislation that implements a different process cannot be reasonably determined.

No. 5 Constitutional Amendment - Affects: Article VII, Section 19

Supermajority Vote Required to Impose, Authorize, or Raise State Taxes or Fees - Prohibits the legislature from imposing, authorizing, or raising a state tax or fee except through legislation approved by a two-thirds vote of each house of the legislature in a bill containing no other subject. This proposal does not authorize a state tax or fee otherwise prohibited by the Constitution and does not apply to fees or taxes imposed or authorized to be imposed by a county, municipality, school board, or special district.

No. 6 Constitutional Revision - Affects: Article I, Section 16, Article V, Sections 8 and 21, Article XII, New Section

Rights of Crime Victims; Judges - Creates constitutional rights for victims of crime; requires courts to facilitate victims’ rights; authorizes victims to enforce their rights throughout criminal and juvenile justice processes. Requires judges and hearing officers to independently interpret statutes and rules rather than deferring to government agency’s interpretation. Raises mandatory retirement age of state justices and judges from seventy to seventy-five years; deletes authorization to complete judicial term if one-half of term has been served by retirement age.

No. 7 Constitutional Revision - Affects: Article IX, Sections 7 and 8, Article X, New Section

First Responder and Military Member Survivor Benefits; Public Colleges and Universities - Grants mandatory payment of death benefits and waiver of certain educational expenses to qualifying survivors of certain first responders and military members who die performing official duties. Requires supermajority votes by university trustees and state university system board of governors to raise or impose all legislatively authorized fees if law requires approval by those bodies. Establishes existing state college system as constitutional entity; provides governance structure.

No. 8 Removed

No. 9 Constitutional Revision - Affects: Article II, Section 7, Article X, Section 20

Prohibits Offshore Oil and Gas Drilling; Prohibits Vaping in Enclosed Indoor Workplaces - Prohibits drilling for the exploration or extraction of oil and natural gas beneath all state-owned waters between the mean high water line and the state’s outermost territorial boundaries. Adds use of vapor-generating electronic devices to current prohibition of tobacco smoking in enclosed indoor workplaces with exceptions; permits more restrictive local vapor ordinances.

No. 10 Constitutional Revision - Affects: Article III, Section 3, Article IV, Sections 4 and 11, Article VIII, Sections 1 and 6

State and Local Government Structure and Operation -Requires legislature to retain department of veterans’ affairs. Ensures election of sheriffs, property appraisers, supervisors of elections, tax collectors, and clerks of court in all counties; removes county charters’ ability to abolish, change term, transfer duties, or eliminate election of these offices. Changes annual legislative session commencement date in even-numbered years from March to January; removes legislature’s authorization to fix another date. Creates office of domestic security and counter terrorism within department of law enforcement.

No. 11 Constitutional Revision - Affects: Article I, Section 2, Article X, Sections 9 and 19

Property Rights; Removal of Obsolete Provision; Criminal Statutes - Removes discriminatory language related to real property rights. Removes obsolete language repealed by voters. Deletes provision that amendment of a criminal statute will not affect prosecution or penalties for a crime committed before the amendment; retains current provision allowing prosecution of a crime committed before the repeal of a criminal statute.

No. 12 Constitutional Revision - Affects: Article II, Section 8, Article V, Section 13, Article XII, New Section

Lobbying and Abuse of Office by Public Officers - Expands current restrictions on lobbying for compensation by former public officers; creates restrictions on lobbying for compensation by serving public officers and former justices and judges; provides exceptions; prohibits abuse of a public position by public officers and employees to obtain a personal benefit.

No. 13 Constitutional Revision - Affects: Article X, New Section, Article XII, New Section

Ends Dog Racing - Phases out commercial dog racing in connection with wagering by 2020. Other gaming activities are not affected.

LOCAL BALLOT QUESTIONS

For City and County Ballot initiatives and Referendums check your local County Supervisor Elections web site

Pinellas County Located at the bottom of the page

City of Clearwater, City of Madeira Beach, City of St. Petersburg, City of St. Pete Beach, Town of Redington Beach, City of Tarpon Springs

Hillsborough County Amendments and Referendums at the bottom of the Page

Manatee County  You will need to fill out some voter information

Sarasota County  Sample Ballots are in PDF format and require Adobe Acrobat Reader to view. Acrobat Reader is available by clicking a link on the site.  

This election is extremely important. These Ballot questions are key to Florida and your local jurisdictions future. Be sure to vote on all of the state and local ballot initiatives. 

E-mail Doc at mail to: dr.gwebb@yahoo.com or send me a Facebook (E. Eugene Webb) Friend request. Like or share on Facebook and follow me on TWITTER  @DOC ON THE BAY.

See Doc's Photo Gallery at Bay Post Photos.  

Disclosures:

Contributor to: Rick Scott for US Senate , Ron DeSantis for Florida Governor

Please comment below

Ron DeSantis: Building a Healthier Florida

Ron DeSantis: Tear Down Barriers and Empower Patients

St. Petersburg, Fl
Opinion by: E. Eugene Webb PhD
Author: In Search of Robin, So You Want to Blog.

From the Ron DeSantis Campaign Wed Site

A New Challenge for a New Time

By 2020, official estimates predict Florida will have a population of 26.5 million people with 20 percent over the age of 65.  As our population grows and ages, our health care system must adapt and evolve.  Ron DeSantis understands that a one-size-fits-all solution will not meet the diverse needs of our state.  Ron DeSantis believes that we must contain costs in order to expand access and protect the quality of our health care system.

Empower Patients

Floridians have more choices in picking out their cellphone plans than their health insurance plans. Every day in the grocery store, we make decisions about what we want to buy, weighing price, necessity, and quality, and deciding what’s right for us. But, when it comes to something as important as health care, we have fewer choices and less information.  Government, insurance companies, and the health care bureaucracy have, by accident or by design, created a system difficult to understand, hard to navigate and impossible to control.  Ron DeSantis wants to tear down those barriers and empower patients. He wants to look past the 20th Century paradigm of employer-provided insurance vs. government-provided insurance. On the health care train, Ron DeSantis believes the patient should be the conductor, not the passenger.  We live in a large, diverse state and Floridians have different needs and wants.  In health care, one-size doesn’t have to fit all.

As Governor, Ron DeSantis will ensure every patient has:

The Right to Buy the health care plan that works best for them and their families. We can accomplish this by modernizing Florida’s insurance laws so patients have access to non-traditional products, like expanded, direct physician care agreements or tailored plans, like short-term coverage or limited-benefit plans. Ron DeSantis will push the Federal government to allow for expanded use of association health plans and to change Federal tax laws to allow individuals to carry their own individual health plans from employer to employer.

The Right to Know how much their health care really costs by aggressively implementing Florida’s groundbreaking health price transparency law and giving Floridians real-time information about actual prices and outcomes.

The Right to Shop for lower cost health care options by incentivizing insurance companies to share some of the savings they realize with the patient in the form of cash payments.

The Right to Quality health care by resisting any effort to ration health care by giving bureaucrats in Tallahassee control over personal health decisions.

Protect Access for Patients with Pre-Existing Conditions

Ron DeSantis believes that no person should be denied access to medical care based on the existence of a pre-existing condition.  It has been a well-settled Federal law for more than 20 years that insurance companies may not exclude a pre-existing condition from coverage nor charge higher premiums for an insured who moves from one health plan to another.  The recent issue related to pre-existing conditions has focused on a smaller group – people with serious health problems who are uninsured and are now mandated by Federal law to purchase insurance.  Should a Federal court strike down the protections afforded to this subgroup or should Congress repeal the law, Ron DeSantis will work to ensure hard-to-insure Floridians with significant health needs have access to coverage by creating a more diverse, robust insurance market that will enable and encourage Floridians to buy insurance before they get sick.

Expand the Reach of Our Providers

A strong system requires strong components, and for Florida’s health care system that means expanded training and better retention of health care workers, particularly doctors and nurses.   We should partner with our universities and medical schools to bring the highest-quality programs and the most cutting-edge research to Florida.  Ron DeSantis wants Florida to become a national leader in medical innovation by allowing hospitals and doctors to use state-of-the-art technology, like telemedicine.  In our globally-connected world, no Floridian should go untreated because of a lack of access to specialists.

Support Our Seniors

Ron DeSantis hopes all Floridians are able to lead long, happy, healthy and productive lives.  However, as we age, we face challenges from the worsening of chronic diseases to age-related conditions, like dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease.  Ron DeSantis will fight to keep Florida’s network of senior services – from community access to home care to assisted-living facilities to nursing homes – ready and able to meet the needs of our seniors.

Maintain Our Social Safety Net

Ron DeSantis recognizes government has an obligation to those who are truly unable to help themselves.  He will continue to support Florida’s longstanding tradition of providing access to health care and social services for economically-distressed pregnant women, children, persons with disabilities, persons suffering from catastrophic illnesses and seniors.  Ron DeSantis will also keep Florida’s network of safety-net hospitals strong and armed with the resources they need to continue providing high-quality care to those Floridians unable to pay.  He will advocate for expanded access to and early intervention of mental health and substance abuse treatment programs.

Respect Taxpayers’ Money

Florida spends more public money (41.7 percent) on health and human services than on any part of the state budget, which means there is a greater risk of inefficiency, waste, fraud and abuse.  As Governor, Ron DeSantis will fight to ensure Floridians see real value for their public investment.  He will continue to support Florida’s groundbreaking Medicaid managed-care model, which has helped to curb the growth of that entitlement program.  He will also aggressively combat fraud in Medicaid and other health and human services programs.  No one – no individual, no doctor, no insurance company – is above the law.

Help Floridians Struggling with Opioid Addiction

Florida has recently made some strong first steps in addressing the opioid addiction crisis but much work remains.  As Governor, Ron DeSantis will advocate for expanded access to and early intervention of mental health and substance abuse treatment programs. He will work with our local partners to leverage local resources.  Numerous communities, civic and religious organizations throughout the state assist victims of addiction. Rather than duplicating those efforts, Ron DeSantis will help these local organizations to develop best practices, facilitate resource sharing and identify new avenues for financial support.  He will also seek federal-state partnerships to bring new dollars to opioids fight, while ensuring we are measuring the real-world effectiveness of our programs.  He will also finish implementing Florida’s medical marijuana constitutional amendment so sufferers of chronic pain have access to an alternative to the use of opioids.  As Governor, Ron DeSantis will not let the Washington or Tallahassee bureaucracy get in the way of helping those in need.

Ron DeSantis: Tear Down Barriers and Empower Patients

Ron DeSantis on Florida Health Care

E-mail Doc at mail to: dr.gwebb@yahoo.com or send me a Facebook (E. Eugene Webb) Friend request. Like or share on Facebook and follow me on TWITTER  @DOC ON THE BAY.

See Doc's Photo Gallery at Bay Post Photos.  

Disclosures:

Contributor to: Rick Scott for US Senate , Ron DeSantis for Florida Governor

Please comment below

Ron DeSantis on the Environment

Restore the Everglades, Stop Toxic Algae Discharges and Send Water South

St. Petersburg, Fl 

Opinion by: E. Eugene Webb PhD 

From the Ron DeSantis Campaign Web Site

The issues with Lake Okeechobee and the Everglades developed over the course of more than a hundred years. Politicians continue to propose one-off, short-sighted, band aid “solutions” that provide no relief to those subjected to red tide and algae clogged water. The DeSantis administration will provide a comprehensive, long-term approach that includes effective stakeholder involvement and cooperation from all levels of government. Floridians are demanding leadership and as Governor, Ron DeSantis will:

Pursue Southern Storage and Everglades Restoration. The cornerstone of a comprehensive solution to Lake Okeechobee is restoring the Everglades, with the centerpiece being the completion of a southern reservoir to store water. The federal government has fallen nearly $1 billion short in their commitment to Everglades restoration. Ron DeSantis is committed to completing the suite of Everglades Restoration projects in the Central Everglades Planning Process (CEPP) and Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP). To accomplish this, our next Governor must have the ability to work with President Trump, his administration, and Congress to finally deliver on Everglades restoration for Florida. No one is better suited to accomplish these goals than Ron DeSantis. Beginning day one, DeSantis will work with the Trump administration and Congress to ensure the federal government honors its 20-year old funding promise to CERP by appropriating its $200 million in matching federal dollars to build the Southern Reservoir and complete the entire suite of projects. The 120-billion-gallon reservoir will be built primarily on state land and will serve as a dynamic storage system discharging clean water into Everglades National Park and then into the Florida Bay. Ron DeSantis understands that fulfilling the promises of Everglades restoration is a critical investment in protecting our natural resources, creating jobs, and enhancing a lifestyle for millions of residents and visitors to Florida. The entire inventory of projects approved for Lake Okeechobee would reduce discharges by almost 63%.

Continue the Success of Raising the Tamiami Trail. The DeSantis administration will continue the state’s commitment to raising the Tamiami Trail. This state-approved project will bridge 2.6 miles of the Tamiami Trail in order to allow clean water to flow into the southern Everglades rather than drain from Lake Okeechobee into the Caloosahatchee and St. Lucie estuaries. Raising the Tamiami Trail is vital to ensure that the Everglades system works as it was intended and to allow water to continue to flow south where it belongs.

Protect Our Beaches

Florida’s beaches are the envy of the world. Last year, the Sunshine State welcomed more than 116 million visitors, many of whom enjoyed beaches across our great state. Protecting our beaches, coastline and state waters is essential to Florida’s economy. Ron DeSantis is committed to ensuring Floridians never experience another Deepwater Horizon Spill crisis, and that we work to end the unprecedented red tides in Southwest Florida. As Governor, Ron DeSantis will:

Fight to Prevent Oil Drilling off Florida’s Coast. Our coast is one of the most important economic drivers of Florida and Ron DeSantis has a proven track record in supporting measures to ban offshore drilling in the Gulf of Mexico. Florida has seen firsthand the dangers that off-shore drilling can bring to our beaches and shorelines. Starting day one, DeSantis will utilize his unique relationship with President Trump and his administration to ensure that oil drilling never occurs off Florida’s coastlines.

Find Solutions to the Unprecedented Red Tides in Southwest Florida. Red tide is a naturally occurring event off the coast of Southwest Florida, but the length and severity of this crisis is unprecedented.  It is imperative Florida finds the underlying cause to this event and works to implement an appropriate solution.  As Governor Ron DeSantis will issue an executive order reestablishing a task force composed of experts in the field of marine and oceanic science to research and report the causes and solutions to Florida’s red tide crisis.

Commitment to Beach Restoration. Florida has seen a rash of hurricanes severely erode many of our beautiful beaches across the state. As a source of recreation for Floridians and visitors alike, restoring and maintaining our beaches is a priority for Ron DeSantis. Florida must continue to fund solutions to combat beach erosion and as Governor, DeSantis will seek out innovative technology and funding opportunities to keep our coastline pristine.

Emphasize Smart Growth and Resilience to Rising Sea Level for South Florida.  South Florida serves as the Gateway to Latin America and home to some of Florida’s best beaches. Due to its success, growth and unique environment, South Florida faces rising sea level challenges that we must address including water usage, vulnerability to hurricanes, and flooding. We must plan ahead to protect and sustain South Florida and ensure this area of the state remains vibrant. Ron DeSantis will work with local governments to prioritize sustainable growth and flood mitigation efforts and rising sea levels.

Expand and Protect our Water Supply

Access to clean and reliable water is an absolute necessity not just for Florida’s environment, but also for our ever-growing population and expanding economy. Protecting Florida’s precious water quality will require partnerships between state and local governments in conjunction with public and private entities. Water is a resource that needs to be managed wisely and planned for long-term. As Governor, Ron DeSantis will:

Utilize All Available Water Supplies and Conserve Water. Ground water supplies, particularly in populated coastal areas are limited, shallow, and vulnerable to over-pumping, contamination, and salt water intrusion. Reuse of reclaimed water (i.e., highly treated wastewater) helps to conserve potable water supplies, since reclaimed water is used in place of potable water for irrigation, industrial, and other beneficial purposes.  In addition, many reuse activities can help recharge ground water supplies. Advanced treatment technologies also allow reclaimed water to be used to help meet drinking water demands, while protecting the public health and environment. As Governor, Ron DeSantis will work with the Florida Legislature to update Florida’s reclaimed water laws to enhance the use of reclaimed water as a water supply source. He will ensure that Florida’s laws are designed to protect the public health and the environment by requiring that the reclaimed water be treated consistent with its use.

Work to Ban Fracking in the State of Florida. With Florida’s geological makeup of limestone and shallow water sources, fracking presents a danger to our state that is not acceptable. On day one, Ron DeSantis will advocate to the Florida Legislature to pass legislation that bans fracking in the state.

Protect our State Lands, Parks, Springs, and Air

Florida is world renowned for our state lands, parks, and springs. We are blessed with some of the cleanest air in the country and our natural beauty continues to draw millions of visitors annually. It’s time to double down on our commitment to protecting these resources so that citizens and visitors can enjoy them for generations to come.  As Governor, Ron DeSantis will:

Continue the Legacy of Restoring and Protecting Florida’s Springs. Our springs are some of our state’s most treasured resources, but unfortunately over time we’ve seen significant deterioration. If we fail to act, we risk permanent and irreversible damage.  As Governor, Ron DeSantis will work with all stakeholders to implement a comprehensive springs restoration program to reduce all sources of nitrogen pollution.

Implement the Florida Water and Land Conservation Amendment (Amendment 1). Ron DeSantis is committed to honoring the will of Florida’s voters. The administration will work with Florida’s legislative leadership to ensure proper funding is put toward conservation and preservation. Ron DeSantis believes that while Amendment 1, passed in 2014 calls for the use of trust fund dollars for prospective land acquisitions, the voters also intended the funds be utilized for current restoration of conservation lands. Ron DeSantis’ plan would include vital springs protection funding, everglades restoration funding, beach restoration funding, various water quality and conservation of our state parks. The intent of Amendment 1 was to provide our states experts with the ability to utilize funds to provide maximum benefit for our taxpayers.

Protect our Clean Air. Florida is blessed to have some of the cleanest air in the country and as Governor, Ron DeSantis will continue this legacy through continued aggressive air quality monitoring and working with local stakeholders and utility companies to further improve our air quality. As one of the fastest growing states in the country it is of paramount importance that we not take our clean air for granted and maintain our stature as one of the cleanest air quality states.

Restore the Everglades, Stop Toxic Algae Discharges and Send Water South

Your vote makes a difference..... 
Be sure to vote November 6

E-mail Doc at mail to: dr.gwebb@yahoo.com or send me a Facebook (E. Eugene Webb) Friend request. Like or share on Facebook and follow me on TWITTER  @DOC ON THE BAY.
See Doc's Photo Gallery at Bay Post Photos.  

Disclosures:

Contributor to: Rick Scott for US Senate , Ron DeSantis for Florida Governor

Please comment below