GETTING RESULTS NOW. WE’RE GOING TO GET RIGHT OVER TO NEWS 6 MORNING ANCHOR JUSTIN
WARMOTH WITH THE WEEKLY.
>> THIS IS THE WEEKLY ON
CLICK, ORLANDO DOT COM WITH
JUSTIN WARMOTH.
>> GOOD MORNING. I’M JUSTIN
WARMOTH. FLORIDA’S PRIMARY
ELECTION IS RIGHT AROUND THE
CORNER. IN FACT, TOMORROW IS
THE DEADLINE TO REGISTER TO
VOTE. YES, FLORIDA IS A CLOSED
PRIMARY STATE, BUT THERE ARE
STILL A NUMBER OF NON PARTISAN
POSITIONS UP FOR GRABS. THAT
INCLUDES ORANGE COUNTY MAYOR.
THERE ARE 3 CANDIDATES LOOKING
TO UNSEAT MAYOR JERRY DEMINGS,
WHO CAN AVOID A RUNOFF
ELECTION IN NOVEMBER. IF HE
GETS THE MAJORITY OF THE VOTES
IN THE PRIMARY THIS WEEK I SAT
DOWN WITH MAYORAL CANDIDATE
KELLY, SOME AROUND AN
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR AT UCF AND
VICE CHAIR OF SAVE ORANGE
COUNTY ABOUT HER PLATFORM AND
WHY SHE DECIDED TO RUN.
COUNTY ABOUT HER PLATFORM AND
WHY SHE DECIDED TO RUN. Offer ends July 24. >> I DECIDED TO RUN FOR MAYOR.
I I ESSENTIALLY I GOT TO THE
POINT IN ORANGE COUNTY WHERE I
SAID. WHAT IS IT THAT WE HAVE
TO DO AS CITIZENS TO BE HEARD?
YOU KNOW, WHY? WHY IS IT TH
TO DO AS CITIZENS TO BE HEARD?
YOU KNOW, WHY? WHY IS IT TH Offer ends July 24. SPECIAL INTERESTS COME BEFORE
CITIZENS? WHY IS IT THAT? IT
WE CAN SHOW UP AT THE BCC AND
AND OUR VOICES COLLECTIVELY
STILL DON’T MATTER. AND OVER
THE YEARS, YOU KNOW, I’VE BEEN
IN THE TRENCHES FIGHTING IT
WITH DIFFERENT GROUPS OF
PEOPLE FIGHTING FOR
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT WITH
SAVE ORANGE COUNTY. WE
REALIZED EARLY ON THAT THIS
WAS A LEGAL AND POLITICAL
BATTLE. WE WERE TOLD TO DO
THINGS LIKE, YOU KNOW, SHOW UP
TO YOUR BOARD OF COUNTY
COMMISSIONER MEETINGS. WELL,
THOSE MEETINGS HAPPEN AT
09:00AM AND 02:00PM. SO THAT
MEANT, OK, I’LL TAKE A HALF A
DAY OFF OF WORK. AND REARRANGE
KIDS SCHEDULES AND GO DOWN TO
THE BCC, SIGN UP AND SPEAK FOR
3 MINUTES AND THEN SIT IN THE
AUDIENCE AND HOPE THAT MY
COMMENTS MADE A DIFFERENCE
THAT IT WAS HARD. WHEN THAT
DIDN’T WORK THIS AT ALL. BUT
YOU CAN’T JUST COME ALONE. YOU
HAVE TO COUNT WITH MANY
PEOPLE. SO WE ORGANIZE GET A
LOT OF PEOPLE TOGETHER. GO
DOWN TO THE BCC. NOW WE’VE GOT
A LOT OF PEOPLE SAY DON’T GET
3 MINUTES NOW. YOU JUST GET 2
MINUTES TO TALK AND THEN YOU
SIT DOWN ANYWAY AS A GROUP.
AND STILL, YOU KNOW, IT DIDN’T
SEEM TO EVER INFLUENCE THE
VOTE OF THE BOARD, WHETHER IT
WAS FOR LAND USE CASE LIKE I’M
FILLING IN A WETLAND OR IF IT
WAS ABOUT A REZONING, YOU
KNOW, WHERE YOU BOUGHT INTO A
RURAL PROPERTY AND NOW THEY
WANT TO BUILD HIGH DENSITY AND
THE RULE SERVICE AREA, WHETHER
IT WAS ABOUT AFFORDABLE
HOUSING, IT’S JUST WE’RE STILL
WE’RE CONSTANTLY IN THIS FIGHT
MODE. AND I DON’T UNDERSTAND,
YOU KNOW, WHAT IS IT THAT WE
HAVE TO DO? YOU MAKE
APPOINTMENTS WITH ALL THE
COMMISSIONERS. YOU SEND
EMAILS. YOU DO CALLS YOU TAKE
IT TO THE POLLS AND YOU TOSS
OF ONE POLITICIAN OUT AND YOU
ELECT AN ADVOCATE FOR YOUR
COMMUNITY THINKING LIKE, OK,
WELL, NOW WE HAVE A CHANCE.
AND YOU STILL CAN’T GET IT AT
THE BCC. AND SO THAT
FRUSTRATION. AND AS THE
ANALYSTS FIGHT JUST FOR PEOPLE
TO BE HEARD, I FINALLY I GOT
TO A POINT WHERE I SAID, YOU
KNOW WHAT, AT THE VERY
BEGINNING, WE SAID THIS WAS A
LEGAL AND POLITICAL FIGHT.
WE’VE DONE THE LEGAL ROUTE. WE
ACTUALLY SUED ORANGE COUNTY
WITH-WITH SAVE ORANGE COUNTY.
WE WON IN COURT FOR URBAN
SPRAWL THAT ORANGE COUNTY WAS
FOUND TO BE VIOLATING OUR
COMPREHENSIVE LAND USE PLAN
FOR URBAN SPRAWL AND ALL THE
DOCUMENTS AND AND HARM THAT IT
CAUSES TO POPULATIONS AND
NOTHING CHANGED. SO WE DID THE
POLITICAL BATTLE. WE TOSS ONE
CANDIDATE WON, YOU KNOW,
POLITICIAN OUT. WE’VE GOT TO
ADVOCATE IN DIDN’T WORK. SO
WE’RE BACK AGAIN FOR THE
POLITICAL BATTLE AND I FILED
TO RUN FOR MAYOR, BECAUSE I’M
I’M JUST I’M TIRED OF SAYING
WHAT ELSE DO WE HAVE TO DO TO
BE HEARD?
>> YEAH, I YOU KNOW, MAYOR
DURING HIS STATE OF THE COUNTY
ADDRESS, HE HIGHLIGHT IT.
WHAT’S BEEN GOING ON THE
POPULATION GROWTH, THE TOURISM
TAX DOLLARS THAT HAVE
SEEMINGLY REACHED RECORD
NUMBERS, ESPECIALLY AFTER THE
PANDEMIC AND THEN ALSO
NAVIGATING THIS THROUGH THE
LET’S TALK ABOUT THAT. HOW YOU
FEEL HE AS A LEADER OF THIS
COUNTY WHEN IT COMES TO
MANAGING SOMETHING THAT WE
SEE? YOU KNOW, WE’VE SEEN ONCE
IN THE LAST CENTURY.
SEE? YOU KNOW, WE’VE SEEN ONCE
IN THE LAST CENTURY. Offer ends July 24. >> AMANDA: COMING FROM THE
TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY
INDUSTRY, I WORKED IN
RESTAURANTS FOR YEARS AND THEN
HAVING A PHD IN TOURISM AND
HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT.
UNFORTUNATELY, I FEEL AS
THOUGH THE MAYOR FAILED OUR
NUMBER ONE ECONOMIC
CONTRIBUTOR TO OUR LOCAL
ECONOMY HERE WITH THE TOURISM
AND HOSPITALITY. AND WHEN I
SAY THAT IT WASN’T SO MUCH
THAT WASN’T THE BIG DOGS AT
THE TOP THAT WERE HURTING AS
MUCH. ALTHOUGH THEY DID. THEY
DID FEEL THE PINCH FOR SURE.
YOU KNOW, THE UNIVERSAL
STUDIOS AND THE DISNEY WORLD.
BUT IT WAS IT WAS THE SMALL
AND MEDIUM SIZED BUSINESSES.
THE PEOPLE THAT ARE
FUNCTIONING WITH REDUCED MAN
POWER ANYWAYS, REDUCED HUMAN
CAPITAL. THEY DIDN’T HAVE THE
ABILITY WHEN THE CARES FUNDING
CAME IN TO REALLY STOP AND
FIGURE OUT HOW DO I FILL OUT
THIS APPLICATION? HOW DO I
APPLY? YOU KNOW, HOW CAN I
FUNCTION? HOW CAN I KEEP MY
EMPLOYEES EMPLOYED? YOU KNOW,
SO THAT THEY’RE THEY’RE NOT
LOSING THEIR MONEY, YOU KNOW,
THEIR SALARIES. AND I DIDN’T
SEE THE GOVERNMENT OUTREACH
THAT WE NEEDED TO HAVE TO KEEP
THOSE BUSINESSES AFLOAT. AND
WE HAD A RECORD AMOUNT OF LIKE
THE SMALL AND MEDIUM
BUSINESSES IN THE HOSPITALITY
INDUSTRY CLOSE AND FACE MAJOR
FINANCIAL HARDSHIP THAT THOSE
FAMILIES, THOSE BUSINESS
OWNERS ARE GOING TO HAVE TO
FIGURE OUT FOR YEARS TO COME
BECAUSE THEY HAD LOANS TO TO
GET THOSE BUSINESSES UP AND UP
AND RUNNING. SO I WAS NOT
PLEASED WITH
>> WHAT ABOUT ITS VAX A
VACCINATION MANDATE THAT HE
HAD FOR GOVERNMENT WORKERS.
>> SO I I AM THE MOST
PROGRESSIVE CANDIDATE ON THE
BALLOT AND I STAND FIRMLY BY
IT IS YOUR BODY. IT IS YOUR
CHOICE. WITH THAT BEING SAID,
IF YOU CHOOSE NOT TO GET
VACCINATED, YOU NEED TO DO
YOUR PART. YOU KNOW, YOU NEED
TO YOU NEED TO BE SAFE. YOU
NEED TO WASH YOUR HANDS. YOU
NEED TO KEEP A SOCIAL
DISTANCE. YOU NEED TO WEAR A
MASK. IF YOU SEE IF YOU FEEL
SICK, YOU NEED TO STAY HOME.
YOU KNOW, SO YOU HAVE TO DO
YOUR PART. WHAT I WHAT I
LEARNED FROM MY RESEARCH WITH
MY JOB AT UCF IS WHAT WHAT I
WAS VERY CONCERNED ABOUT IS
THAT I INTERVIEWED ABOUT 100
PEOPLE ANONYMOUSLY THAT WERE
WORKING IN OUR LOCAL AREA AND
THE TOURISM HOSPITALITY
INDUSTRY. AND WHAT I LEARNED
IS THAT THE EMPLOYEES BECAUSE
THEY WERE FEARFUL OF LOSING
THEIR SHIFTS, LOSING THEIR
HOURS BEING LAID OFF THEY
FOUND A WAY AROUND THE
SCREENING PROCESS OF IF YOU
FEEL SICK OR IF YOU’RE RUNNING
A TEMPERATURE AND SO THEY
WOULD GO TO WORK EVEN IF THEY
KNEW THAT THEY HAD BEEN
EXPOSED TO COVID SIMPLY
BECAUSE THEY COULDN’T AFFORD
TO STAY HOME. TO ME, THAT’S
NOT THAT’S NOT A CRISIS.
THAT’S AN EMERGENCY. WHEN YOU
HAVE A GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT IS
WORKING PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK
AND THEY’RE FEARFUL FOR LOSING
THAT HOUR EARLY WAGE OR THEIR
TIPS AT THE END OF THE SHIFT
THAT THEY’RE ACTUALLY PUTTING
THEMSELVES PUTTING THE
COMMUNITY, YOU KNOW, AT A
LARGER RISK SIMPLY BECAUSE
THEY CAN’T AFFORD TO STAY
HOME. AND THAT WAS A FAIL OF
ORANGE COUNTY GOVERNMENT WHERE
WE DIDN’T REACH OUT AND TRY TO
FIND A MECHANISM TO GET THOSE
PEOPLE FUNDING THAT COULD
SUPPORT THE HIGHER STANDARD OF
LIVING THAT WE HAVE IN ORANGE
COUNTY. YOU KNOW SOMETHING
THAT’S ALSO ON THE WELL, IT’S
NOT GOING TO BE FOR THE
PRIMARY, NOT AUGUST, BUT
>> IN NOVEMBER WILL BE THE
TRANSPORTATION TAX PROPOSAL
THAT WILL BE UP TO ORANGE
COUNTY VOTERS. SET SALES TAX
THAT WILL GO TO
TRANSPORTATION. ROUGHLY
ESTIMATED 600 MILLION DOLLARS
ANNUALLY TO IMPROVE LAYING
SUNRAIL. WHAT HAVE YOU?
ANNUALLY TO IMPROVE LAYING
SUNRAIL. WHAT HAVE YOU? Offer ends July 24. >> INFRASTRUCTURE,
TRANSPORTATION. IS THAT
SOMETHING THAT YOU BELIEVE
NEEDS TO HAPPEN BEFORE? THAT
KNOW WHAT I I STRONGLY OPPOSE
THAT ACTUALLY, THAT WAS THE
STRAW THAT BROKE THE CAMEL’S
BACK ON APRIL. 26, I WENT AND
FILED TO RUN FOR ORANGE COUNTY
MAYOR.
>> WE GET A ABOUT 80 MILLION
TOURISTS A YEAR TO ORANGE
COUNTY AND ONE OF WHAT I DO AS
TOURISTS A YEAR TO ORANGE
COUNTY AND ONE OF WHAT I DO AS Offer ends July 24. A AS FOR UCF IS THAT I’M PART
OF A RESEARCH TEAM FOCUSED ON
DOING SOCIO ECONOMIC POLICY
REFORM TO ENSURE THAT THE
BENEFITS OF TOURISM COME BACK
OUT TO THE LOCAL COMMUNITY.
WITH IN ACCORDANCE WITH STATE
STATUTE. WE CAN MASSAGE. WE
CAN MANEUVER AND WE CAN REFORM
OUR TOURISM DEVELOPMENT THAT
THAT MONEY COMES BACK OUT AND
IT CAN GO INTO INFRASTRUCTURAL
IMPROVEMENTS YEARS AGO. IN
NOW, CURRENTLY SOME OF IT
COMES OUT AND IT GOES INTO THE
SET AREA AND THE TOURIST
DISTRICT. IT ALSO GOES BACK
INTO THE TOURISM BUSINESS IS
THE PRIVATE BUSINESSES. I
INTO THE TOURISM BUSINESS IS
THE PRIVATE BUSINESSES. I Offer ends July 24. DON’T BELIEVE THAT IT’S THE
IT’S THE COMMUNITY WHO
INDOORS. 80 MILLION TOURISTS A
YEAR. IT’S THE COMMITTEE WHO
SITS WITH THEM IN THE TRAFFIC
JAMS ON THE ROAD. THEY USE OUR
NATURAL RESOURCES WHEN THEY
COME HERE. THAT MONEY NEEDS TO
COME BACK OUT TO THE
COMMUNITY. SO BEFORE WE TALK
ABOUT RAISING OUR SALES TAX TO
7 AND A HALF PERCENT, I THINK
THAT WE HAVE TO EXHAUST WHAT
THE TOURIST DEVELOPMENT TAX
CAN DO FOR THIS COMMUNITY.
WE’RE HAVING A RECORD
INFLATION OF 40 YEARS. WE HAVE
AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING
EMERGENCY. I DON’T CALL IT A
CRISIS LIKE THE MAYOR DOES. IT
IS AN EMERGENCY. WE’VE GOT GAS
PRICES ARE SOARING. FOOD
PRICES ARE GOING UP. NOW IS
NOT THE TIME HE SAYS IF NOT
NOW, THEN WHEN SHOULD WE TALK
ABOUT RAISING OUR SALES TAX?
WILL I CAN THINK OF ABOUT 100
OTHER TIMES THAT WE SHOULD
TALK ABOUT RAISING A SALES TAX
AND NOW IS NOT ONE OF THEM.
TALK ABOUT RAISING A SALES TAX
AND NOW IS NOT ONE OF THEM. Offer ends July 24. >> COMING UP, SOME RABBLE TAKE
US THROUGH HER VISION TO
PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT,
INCLUDING THE SPLIT OAK
THIS IS THE WEEKLY ON CLICK, ORLANDO DOT COM WITH JUSTIN WARMOTH. WELCOME BACK. ORANGE
COUNTY MAYOR JERRY DEMINGS HAS
3 CHALLENGERS IN THE UPCOMING
PRIMARY ELECTION AS HE SEEKS A
SECOND FOUR-YEAR TERM. ONE OF
THOSE CHALLENGERS UCF
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR KELLY,
SOME RAT HAS BEEN WORKING TO
STOP THE COUNTY FROM ALLOWING
THE CENTRAL FLORIDA EXPRESSWAY
AUTHORITY FROM BUILDING A TOLL
ROAD THROUGH PART OF THE SPLIT
OAK FOREST.
>> LET’S TALK ABOUT THE SPLIT
UP FOR SOME OF THAT. SOMETHING
YOU’VE BEEN IF YOU IF YOU IF
YOU’VE BEEN THE COMMISSION
MEETINGS, THEY PROBABLY HAVE
SEEN YOU SPEAK ON THIS AND
IT’S SOMETHING THAT VOTERS 86
1% OF THEM VOTED TO PROTECT
THE SPLIT UP FOR US TO THAT
FALLEN DEAF EARS.
>> IT DID. GOES BACK TO MY
PLIGHT OF HOW I STARTED TO
THIS. THE PLANS TO RUN FOR
MAYOR, YOU KNOW, SO YOU NEED
THAT. THE COMMISSIONER IS YOU
GO TO THE BCC MEETINGS ARE
STILL NOT HEARD. SO WHAT THE
PEOPLE DID AS WORKED ENDLESSLY
TO GET A CHARTER AMENDMENT TO
PROTECT FOREST. THAT WAS
PURCHASED WITH TAXPAYER MONEY.
IT WAS LEFT IN PERPETUITY TO
THE PEOPLE IN THE WILDLIFE OF
ORANGE COUNTY TO OFFSET OVER
DEVELOPMENTS THAT WAS
OCCURRING AT THAT TIME. AND SO
WHEN THE BCC DIDN’T HEAR US
WHEN THEY STILL VOTED TO PUT
THE TOLL ROAD THROUGH THE
FOREST, WE TAKE IT TO THE
CHARTER AMENDMENT. OUR COUNTY
CONSTITUTION AND WORKED REALLY
HARD TO GET AN AMENDMENT ON
THE BALLOT THAT THE PEOPLE
COULD VOTE FOR AN 86%. IT WAS
A BIPARTISAN PAST, VOTED TO
PROTECT THAT FOR US AND STILL.
Offer ends July 24! THE BCC DID NOT THINK THE
MAYOR DID NOTHING NOT EVEN TO
COME OUT AND SAY I HEAR I’M
WITH YOU.
>> I WILL STAND IN FRONT OF
Offer ends July 24! YOU AS YOUR LEADER BESIDE YOU
AS YOUR NEIGHBOR AND BEHIND
YOU TO SUPPORT YOU. HE DID
NOTHING EXCEPT TO SAY IT’S OUT
OF OUR HANDS. WELL, I’M SORRY,
AS MAYOR WITH A FOREST THAT’S
IN YOUR COUNTY AND WITH THE
CITIZENS OF VOTING TO PROTECT
IT, IT’S NOT OUT OF YOUR
HANDS. IT’S IN YOUR HANDS.
THERE’S ALSO BEEN A LOT OF
TALK ABOUT CAPPING RENT, RENT
STABILIZATION IN ORANGE
COUNTY.
>> AND IT SEEMS A FEW
COMMISSIONERS ARE LISTENING TO
THE PEOPLE TRY TO DO SOMETHING
ABOUT IT. IT DOESN’T SEEM LIKE
AT LEAST RIGHT NOW OR IN THE
NEAR FUTURE. THAT’S SOMETHING
THAT WILL BE DONE. WHAT YOUR
VISION ON ON STABILIZING RENT
AND FREEING UP MORE DOLLARS TO
IMPROVE THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING
EMERGENCY.
IMPROVE THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING
EMERGENCY. Offer ends July 24! >> AMANDA: AS AS MAYOR WITHIN
THE THE STATE OF FLORIDA, YOU
HAVE THE RIGHT TO DECLARE
HOUSING EMERGENCY FOR ONE YEAR
IF THE EMERGENCY IS IF YOUR
CONDITIONS ARE MEETING A
DETRIMENT HARM TO THE SOCIETY.
I BELIEVE THAT A 30% INCREASE
FOR ANY FAMILY IS AN
EMERGENCY. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT
RENT, PARTICULARLY WHEN WE
LOOK AT ORANGE COUNTY AND
ORLANDO COMING IN DEAD LAST IN
THE COUNTRY FOR WAGES. SO YOU
HAVE A LARGE MAJORITY OF
PEOPLE AND FAMILIES THAT ARE
WORKING PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK
LIVING PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK.
SO 30% INCREASE ON AVERAGE.
NOW SOME OTHER SAW HIGHER THAN
THAT. THAT’S AN EMERGENCY. SO
WHAT THE AIR IS ON ORANGE
COUNTY IS THAT THEY’RE LOOKING
AT IT FROM A MARKET BASED
PERSPECTIVE IN SAYING YES, BUT
THERE’S ALL THESE OTHER THINGS
THAT WE CAN’T CONTROL. THERE’S
INFLATION. THERE’S FOOD
PRICES, ET CETERA. WE CAN’T
CONTROL THOSE. SO THAT’S IT’S
A CRISIS. IT’S NOT AN
EMERGENCY. I’M LOOKING AT IT
FROM THE UNIT OF THE FAMILY
LEVEL AND FROM THE FAMILY
LEVEL PASS AN EMERGENCY. AND
SO WE NEED TO STEP IN, DECLARE
THE EMERGENCY. YOU GET ONE
YEAR AND THEN WE NEED TO THINK
CREATIVELY WHAT WHAT DO WE
HAVE WITHIN OUR WHEELHOUSE OR
OUR TOOLS? WHAT CAN WE USE?
THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT WE
CAN DO LIKE LOOKING AT PUBLIC
HOUSING. WE HAVE PROJECTS LIKE
WHERE WE HAVE SOME HOTELS THAT
HAVE EITHER CLOSED OR THAT ARE
VERY RUN DOWN. WE CAN LOOK AT
THE CONVERSION OF THOSE
PROPERTIES INTO AFFORDABLE
HOUSING FOR THAT FOR TEMPORARY
RELIEF. WE HAVE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO LIMIT LAND
SPECULATION WHERE YOU HAVE
INVESTORS GOING INTO IT.
COLDER AREAS OF OF ORANGE
COUNTY BUYING THE HOMES,
ANTICIPATING THAT THE MARKET
WILL CLIMB. AND WHAT IT’S
DOING IS IT’S MOVING OUT. THE
PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN THERE FOR
YEARS SO WE CAN LIMIT LAND
SPECULATION I HEAR THAT. I
HEAR THOSE SMALL OWNERS, YOU
KNOW, SAY, HEY, I JUST ON ONE
PROPERTY. I JUST ON 2
PROPERTIES. AND I THINK THAT
WE CAN WORK IN ORDINANCE OUT
WHERE WE CAN PROTECT THOSE
SMALLER PROPERTY OWNERS. BUT
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT INVESTMENT,
LANDLORDS, THE CORPORATE
LANDLORD, THIS IS WHERE WE’RE
GETTING A MASSIVE PROBLEM IN
ORANGE COUNTY AND IT NEEDS TO
BE MANAGED. IT’S THE PEOPLE
THAT ARE SUFFERING AND IT’S WE
HAVE TO THINK CREATIVELY, YOU
KNOW, IT’S IT’S NOT DECLARE
THE EMERGENCY. GIVE YOURSELF A
YEAR AND FIND SOLUTIONS TO THE
PROBLEM. SO I MEAN, THERE’S WE
HAVE A MONTH LEFT UNTIL THE
PRIMARY, WHICH
>> THIS IS A NON-PARTISAN
RACE. SO YOU’RE NOT YOU KNOW,
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT YOU
WANT TO SEE OUR OR D NEXT TO
NAMES. BUT EVERYONE HAD
EVERYWHERE. ORANGE COUNTY WILL
VOTE FOR THIS RACE AND 50% IS
WHAT THE MAYOR NEEDS A
MAJORITY TO NOT HAVE A RUNOFF
ELECTION IN NOVEMBER.
OBVIOUSLY HE HAS NAME
RECOGNITION. OBVIOUSLY HIS
WIFE IS ON THE BALLOT AS IS.
IT’S WHAT’S THE CONFIDENCE
LEVEL? I YOU KNOW, MEAN, I
JUST I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW,
THAT THIS IS AN UPHILL BATTLE,
AND SO BETWEEN NOW AND AUGUST
23RD, WHAT WHAT DO YOU WHAT
FOLKS, ORANGE COUNTY RESIDENTS
TO KNOW AND AND HOW DO YOU
GAUGE YOUR LEVEL OF OPTIMISM
HERE?
>> I’M VERY OPTIMISTIC, BUT IT
IS AN UPHILL BATTLE. I AM THE
>> I’M VERY OPTIMISTIC, BUT IT
IS AN UPHILL BATTLE. I AM THE Offer ends July 24! ONLY CANDIDATE ON THE BALLOT
THAT IS REFUSING DONATIONS
FROM DEVELOPERS, BUILDERS AND
SPECIAL INTERESTS. THE ONLY
ONE THAT MEANS THAT I’M TAKING
CONTRIBUTIONS ONLY FROM PEOPLE
BECAUSE THAT IS WHO I’M
ACCOUNTABLE TO. I I NEED
CAMPAIGN AWARENESS TO GET OUT
THERE. AND SO WHAT I’M DOING
IS I I WE’RE HITTING THE
STREETS. I MEAN, WE’RE HITTING
THE PAVEMENT ARE GOING DOOR TO
DOOR KNOCKING ON PEOPLE’S
DOORS, ATTENDING EVENTS,
TALKING ABOUT IT. I’M TRYING
TO DO AS MUCH MARKETING AND
ADVERTISING AS WE CAN FOR
FREE. BUT I’M EAGER TO TALK TO
PEOPLE ABOUT THE POLICY REFORM
IDEAS THAT I WANT TO DO. AND
AND I GET A LOT OF SUPPORT FOR
THEM. SO, FOR EXAMPLE, IN
ORANGE COUNTY WHERE ONLY ABLE
TO VOTE ON ONE DISTRICT
COMMISSIONER. IT’S THE
DISTRICT WHERE YOU LEFT. SO I
LIVE IN DISTRICT 5. I CAN ONLY
VOTE ON DISTRICT 5
COMMISSIONER YET ALL OF THE 6
DISTRICT COMMISSIONERS GETS TO
VOTE ON WHAT HAPPENS IN MY
DISTRICT. I THINK THAT THAT’S
A MAJOR PROBLEM BECAUSE WE’RE
GETTING REPRESENTATION WITHOUT
ACCOUNTABILITY. WE HAVE NO
ABILITY TO KEEP THE OTHER
DISTRICT COMMISSIONERS IN
OFFICE IF THEY’RE REPRESENTING
OUR AREA.
>> OUR DISTRICT AND WE HAVE NO
ABILITY TO KICK THEM OUT IF
THEY’RE MAKING VOTES AGAINST
OUR COMMUNITY. THEY DON’T LIVE
IN OUR DISTRICT. SO HOW DO
THEY KNOW WHAT WE NEED? SO
WHEN I TALK ABOUT THIS, THESE
ISSUES TO PEOPLE AND LOOKING
AT DOING AT-LARGE ELECTIONS
FOR THE DISTRICT
COMMISSIONERS, IT EXCITES THEM
BECAUSE YOU SEE AND ENDS TO
THE FIGHTS LIKE MAYBE IF I AS
A DISTRICT 5, RIGHT, US
RESIDENT GET TO VOTE DISTRICT
1, 2, 3, 4, 6, MAYBE THEN THEY
WILL LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE
BECAUSE THEY HAVE
ACCOUNTABILITY. THE PEOPLE ALL
GET TO VOTE ON THAT. SO I TALK
ABOUT DOING THINGS LIKE THAT
THAT EXCITES PEOPLE AND IT IT.
IT MAKES ME FEEL OPTIMISTIC
FOR THE ELECTION BECAUSE
PEOPLE ARE READY FOR THE
CHANGE WHERE THE PEOPLE COME
FIRST. PEOPLE ARE TIRED OF
OVERDEVELOPMENT AND SITTING IN
TRAFFIC JAMS. PEOPLE DON’T
WANT TO TALK ABOUT TAX
INCREASES RIGHT NOW. THEY WANT
TO HEAR ABOUT HOW THE LOCAL
GOVERNMENT IS GOING TO HELP
IMPROVE THEIR LIVES. AND
THAT’S WHAT MY CAMPAIGN AND
THE PROGRESSIVE POLICY REFORM
HAS BEEN ALL ABOUT. IT’S A
GROUND-UP APPROACH. AND THE
INTERESTING THING IS I TELL
PEOPLE ALL THE TIME MOST
PEOPLE WHO ARE RUNNING FOR
OFFICE ARE ALREADY THINKING
ABOUT HOW DO THEY WIN THEIR
REELECTION? I’M NOT THINKING
ABOUT RUNNING FOR REELECTION.
I ONLY ENTERED THIS RACE FOR
AGGRESSIVE POLICY REFORM AND,
YOU KNOW, I’M WILLING TO FALL
ON THE SWORD FOR IT FOR
WHATEVER IT MEANS. BUT I’M NOT
I’M NOT LOOKING FOR
REELECTION. I’M NOT LOOKING
FOR THE CAMPAIGN DONATIONS OR
THE PAC DONATIONS TO COME INTO
ME. SO I’M LOOKING TO
REPRESENT THE PEOPLE TO GIVE
THEM THE VOICE THAT THEY NEED
AND TO PROTECT OUR ENVIRONMENT
BECAUSE WE’RE ONLY AS HEALTHY
AS OUR ENVIRONMENT IS HEALTHY.
HOW DO YOU FEEL LIKE THE MAYOR
IS A HANDLE THIS THIS
REELECTION IS HE KIND OF
BRUSHED IT SEE, WHAT DO YOU
WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF HOW I’M SO
I’M SO HE’S REFUSING TO DEBATE
HIS HAS HIS CANDIDATES DON’T
HAVE.
>> ANYTHING THAT’S WORTHWHILE
TO PUT THEM ON THE SAME
PLATFORM AS HIM. HE’S NOT
DOING INTERVIEWS.
>> AND I THINK
>> YOU KNOW, IT’S REALLY
TAKING AWAY A CRITICAL PIECE
OF INFORMATION FOR VOTERS TO
BE ABLE TO MAKE AN INFORMED
ABOUT, YOU KNOW, PART WE
DEPEND UPON THE DEBATES TO
INFORM OURSELVES ON HOW WHICH
CANDIDATE IS GOING TO
REPRESENT OUR OUR NEEDS. OUR
FAMILY NEEDS IN OUR
COMMUNITIES NEEDS AND HE’S
ROBBING THE PEOPLE OF THAT
EXPERIENCE WITH SAYING, YOU
KNOW THAT MY RECORD STAND
BEFORE ME AND I MEAN, HIS
RECORD IS STANDING BEFORE HIM.
HE WE HAD TO CHARTER
AMENDMENTS, CONSTITUTIONAL
CHANGES WITH 86% VOTE FOR
SPLIT UP FOR US AND ALMOST 90%
FOR THE RIGHT TO CLEAN WATER.
HE’S FAILED TO IMPLEMENT
EITHER. SO HE LETS HIS RECORD
STAND BEFORE HIM. HE DOESN’T
LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE.
STAND BEFORE HIM. HE DOESN’T
LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE. Offer ends July 24! >> JONATHAN: AND AGAIN, THE
DEADLINE TO REGISTER TO VOTE
IN FLORIDA’S PRIMARY ELECTION
IS TOMORROW WITH EARLY VOTING
IN ORANGE AND OSCEOLA COUNTIES
GETTING UNDERWAY. AUGUST 8,
YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
ON THE KEY RACES IN THE KEY
DATES AS WELL AS HOW TO MAKE
SURE YOU ARE REGISTERED ON