Education

Education is the foundation of opportunity, and as a teacher I am pleased to see the continued, full implementation of Florida's A+ Plan. It is a program that rewards success, promotes accountability, and creates opportunities for parents who lack the financial resources to take control of their kids' education! This has proven to be the best way to shake up the education monopoly and to introduce competition (whether through private, charter, or home schooling), incentives, and consequences into a once failing system. The only way to improve education is to have the energy, determination, and belief to take on a status quo that has too often allowed social promotion, protected ineffective teachers, and given administrators precedence over parents.

Here in the state of Florida, we are finally giving necessary resources to teachers and principals at the local level, as opposed to administrators in Tallahassee, let alone Washington. Our state has seen steady and constant improvement by students everywhere. To view a summary of these results, please click here.

The initiative which perhaps best illustrates our state's increasing emphasis on incentives and competition to spur student achievement is the School Recognition Program. Under the School Recognition Program, any public school that earns an "A" grade or improves by one letter grade from the previous year is eligible to receive a special financial award independent of the funds regularly appropriated to that school. I have had the honor personally to present dozens of checks to schools in my district. I can attest from firsthand experience the pride which students and faculty alike feel in their accomplishments, the value which students learn to attach to hard work, and the motivation which this recognition affords them to continue to excel.

I support the Corporate Tax Credit (CTC) Scholarship Program, which provides tax incentives to corporations to fund privately administered scholarships for students from low-income families who seek to attend private or out-of-district public schools. It permits poor students whose parents cannot otherwise afford a private school education a way to escape underachieving schools. This year, 17,000 poor children received privately funded scholarships of $3,500 each. Not only has the CTC program has saved taxpayers $140 million in three years, funding for public education increased over those same years by $2.1 billion.

Despite the excellent progress we have made under the leadership of Governors Jeb Bush and Charlie Crist, more work remains to be done. As a state we must always continue to improve our educational system. We must give teachers the authority to maintain discipline in their classrooms. We must implement strategies to reduce the administrative burdens on school districts and school district personnel, especially teachers. We must do more to ensure that Florida is able to attract and retain teachers who are qualified and quickly dismiss those who are not. We must adopt some form of teacher testing and peer review to verify the skill and competence of those to whom the education of our children is entrusted. If the great efforts we have so recently made with such extraordinary success are an indication of what we can accomplish hereafter, the future of Florida's system of education -- and our state's prosperity -- appears increasingly promising.


Taxes

I believe in low taxes and in tax simplification. As a history professor, I am convinced that much of the prosperity we enjoy today is due to the economic freedom we have experienced throughout our history as a nation. When citizens keep more of what they earn, they will save, spend, or invest those additional dollars, promoting freedom and responsibility, raising our standard of living, and benefiting the economy for us all. Experience also proves that government in Florida does not have a revenue problem -- it has a spending problem.

Low taxes are not just a saying with me. In 2007, as Chairman of the Senate Finance and Tax Committee, I assisted in authoring the largest tax cut in Florida history: a comprehensive property tax reduction that will save our state's taxpayers $31.6 billion over five years.

1. Cut and Cap. This plan requires local governments, for the 2008-2009 tax year, to reduce property tax revenues to 2006-2007 levels, and to cut property taxes by an additional 3, 5, 7, or 9 percent, depending on each government's taxing performance over the last five years. Local governments that have acted responsibly will not be penalized, while those that have rapidly increased taxes will face the deepest reductions. After the initial tax cut, annual increases in property tax revenues will be capped at the rate of growth of Floridians' personal income. This implements my deep conviction that government's budget should not grow faster than yours.

2. Super-Exemption. This plan not only provides a tax cut, but it also addresses the fundamental failings of our property tax system. It replaces Save Our Homes, which created inequities among comparable properties and burdened the ability of taxpayers to relocate, with a super-homestead exemption equal to 75 percent of the first $200,000 and 15 percent of the next $300,000 of any homestead's value. A $250,000 home, for example, would enjoy a $157,500 exemption. At the same time, the plan is measured and gradual. Existing taxpayers whose taxes are lower under Save Our Homes can continue to enjoy the tax benefits of that system until they opt out. It is their choice.

The first phase of this plan is law, while the second phase will be submitted to voters on January 29, 2008. You-the voters-will have the final say.

In addition to property tax reform, my record in the Legislature demonstrates a consistent commitment to lower taxes, highlighted by the following:

1. Abolition of the Intangibles Tax. In 2005, I sponsored a bill that Governor Bush signed into law to cut the intangibles tax rate in half. In the following year, the Governor signed a bill, which I supported, completely eliminating the intangibles tax. As a tax on the value stocks, bonds, and other savings and investments, this archaic and intrusive tax discouraged and punished economically beneficial conduct.

2. Limits on Taxes and Spending. I continue to promote two constitutional amendments to restrain government's appetite to tax and spend. One would make the enactment of a tax increase more difficult by requiring two-thirds of the Legislature, rather than a simple majority, to concur in any increase. This rule would recognize the sanctity of your tax dollars and would require the Legislature to reflect and to act carefully and deliberately before increasing the tax burden on the public. The other would limit increases in state spending to the increase in median household income in our state, while allowing the Legislature to exceed the limit in case of emergency. We must restrain government's spending problem to avoid future tax increases.

3. The Freedom Caucus. I am the co-founder of the Freedom Caucus -- a group of legislators dedicated to lower taxes and more freedom. I also work closely with Grover Norquist, chairman of Americans for Tax Reform (ATR), to promote tax reduction and to stop wasteful government spending, and was recently awarded ATR's Hero of the Taxpayer Award. I have repeatedly taken the ATR's Taxpayer Protection Pledge to oppose any effort to increase taxes, and I have never voted for a tax increase while in office.

4. Common Sense Tax Reductions. We must reform the communications services tax. This tax, including its state and local components, taxes each cell phone bill at a rate of up to 21 percent. In our mobile and rapid society, cell phones are no longer a luxury, but often a necessity, and our tax laws should not penalize Florida's families by imposing exorbitant taxes on their essential means of communication. I have also sponsored a bill to exempt educational materials such as textbooks used by students in our state's colleges and universities. I hope that in the future the Legislature embraces such measures, extending tax relief to activities that should receive every encouragement. These are some of the many steps we can take to keep Florida's economy running strong.


Economy

Florida's economy continues to run strong in comparison with the economies of other states. However, in this age of easy mobility our state must compete to attract and retain businesses and investment by creating an economic environment that is friendly to useful enterprises. As a state we should reduce or eliminate unfair taxes and paralyzing regulations. Such taxes tend to discourage the formation of small businesses and to drive aspiring entrepreneurs out of business. I work closely with such groups as the Florida Chamber of Commerce to combat these obstacles to our growth. I am honored to have twice been named a "Champion for Business" by Associated Industries of Florida.

Tort reform is an area of great concern to me. Many of our problems today flow from abuses of our legal system. My goal is a system that penalizes frivolous lawsuits and moves towards a system of loser pays. We have already made great strides. In 2006 we put an end to joint-and-several liability, a scheme which unjustly placed the burden of large damage awards on the party with the greatest ability to pay-regardless of that party's degree of fault.

The Legislature can also contribute in a principled and meaningful way to local economic development. One example is enterprise zones. In an enterprise zone, businesses and residents are exempted from many state and local taxes and fees, providing incentives for businesses to relocate to or remain in distressed areas where economic development is most needed. Enterprise zones stimulate activity in underproductive regions of the state in an innovative way. Incentives such as these can encourage business activity in the disadvantaged areas of our state and open a door of hope and opportunity for present and future generations.


Health Care

Health care is one of those issues that affects us all. To promote quality, affordable health care, our state should dedicate itself to the following important principles:

1. Patients Decide. First and foremost, it is vital that patients and doctors, not administrators, make all medical decisions.

2. Incentives and Competition. The best way to ensure access to high quality, affordable health care is to introduce incentives and competition into our health care system. Competition will naturally give people more options, improve quality, and reduce costs.

3. Research and Innovation. Our state has taken a leading role in the development of biotechnology, and state and local investment in this emerging industry has already yielded dividends. Several large biotech companies are building facilities and attracting scientists to Florida. Florida's colleges and universities have also taken steps to ensure that Florida remains a leader in the health sciences. The University of Florida is constructing a 280,000 square-foot cancer and genetics building and a $39 million nanoscience building, and the University of Central Florida recently received approval for a new medical school.

4. Tort Reform. Burdensome litigation is one of the causes of the high cost of health insurance and medical services. The Legislature has already enacted measures designed to distinguish frivolous from meritorious medical malpractice claims and to promote the speedy and inexpensive settlement of these claims. For example, in 2003, when physicians were leaving the state, curtailing their practices, or retiring early because of unaffordable increases in medical malpractice premiums, we placed reasonable limits on the uncontrolled and arbitrary award of "pain and suffering" damages, and the cost of medical malpractice premiums has stabilized. We should continue to streamline the litigation of medical malpractice claims to ensure that, while injured victims are compensated, insurance carriers and services providers are not unnecessarily loaded with heavy costs which the consumer will ultimately bear. I also supported the constitutional amendment adopted by voters in 2004 that would revoke the medical licenses of practitioners who are found to have repeatedly committed medical malpractice.

5. Medicaid Reform. A systematic reform of Florida's 35-year old Medicaid program is an urgent priority. We must make the program more cost efficient and adapt it to advancements in medical technology and health services. About 25 percent of state spending each year is for Medicaid, and this percentage is increasing. Its current rate of growth is unsustainable, and will require either severe reductions in other important services, or large tax increases that would stifle Florida's economy. To better serve the dual objectives of quality health care and cost efficiency, the Legislature is pursuing reforms to convert Medicaid from a fee-for-services program to a premium-based program similar to private health plans. Instead of paying a fee for each unverified service, the state would pay a fixed premium. This will encourage preventative care, early detection, and cost effective treatments. A voluntary pilot program implementing these reforms was approved in 2007 for two of the state's eleven Medicaid areas.

It is a real misfortune for us all that health care, as a political issue, is very easy to misrepresent. If we as a Legislature and as a state can set aside partisan charges, and engage in a fair, open, and honest debate. With truth as our guide, we can find solutions that will benefit all consumers of medical services and promote the availability of quality, affordable health care.


Environment and Energy

Few issues are more important to me personally than making the most of the unique opportunity we have to preserve the environment. We can grow the economy together and preserve our environment, without sacrificing one to the other. This is why I supported Preservation 2000 and why I now support our state's newest environmental initiative, Florida Forever. Under these programs, our state has acquired and protected 3.7 million acres of land for future generations of Floridians.

Florida Forever is a 10-year program enacted in 1999 to apply $3 billion of bond revenues to purchase and protect environmental lands. These purchases:

   •  enhance the vitality of endangered animal species,
   •  cultivate water resources and supplies,
   •  create recreational and educational environmental settings,
   •  preserve archaeological and historical sites, and
   •  increase the amount of forestland and urban greenspaces in every part of Florida.

Locally, the Indian River Lagoon Blueway Project has already preserved nearly 4,000 acres around our community's unique estuary. To view the most recent report of the Florida Forever Program, including the progress of individual environmental projects, please click here.

To preserve our environment and promote domestic security, we must have the courage to transition from an archaic, petroleum-based economy to new technologies. One promising solution is cellulosic ethanol, which utilizes plant wastes rather than corn to produce more energy with lower emissions than traditional ethanol. With cellulosic ethanol, we can:

   •  reduce our dependence on foreign oil,
   •  reduce the cost of fuel, possibly to $1.30 per gallon,
   •  reduce potentially harmful emissions by 88 percent,
   •  increase economic activity in our agricultural areas, and
   •  provide surplus electricity to our power grids through the combustion of plant residues.

In addition, the Legislature has adopted incentives for the sale of biofuels, the use of renewable energies, including solar power, and the purchase of energy-efficient appliances. We must also encourage the safe use of nuclear power, which emits no combustion byproducts and already produces 15 percent of Florida's energy from three power plants. In 2006, we streamlined the approval process for the construction of nuclear power plants, and applications for at least three new sites are expected in the near future.

Millions of Floridians have contributed to the protection of our environment. Our state's net ban, adopted by voters in 1994, protects dolphins and other marine life by prohibiting the use of entangling fishing nets. To further protect our oceans, I sponsored a bill to creating the "Discover Florida's Oceans" specialty license place. All revenues from the sale of these plates are devoted to the Wildlife Foundation of Florida and the Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute for ocean and coastal research and conservation and education projects. If you wish to contribute to the protection of Florida's oceans by purchasing a "Discover Florida's Oceans" plate, simply ask for one at your local Tax Collector's office. Together, through efforts great and small, we will prove to be faithful stewards and will preserve our state's unique environment for future generations of Floridians.


Crime and Gun Control

Laws are on the books to be enforced, not simply to make us feel good. We should aggressively enforce those which are on the books and prosecute criminals to the full extent of the laws. It is essential that we give our police and our courts the resources and the authority they need to effectively secure the peace and order of the community and to combat lawlessness in every shape. We can do this without taking away liberties from those who obey the laws.

I received an A+ rating from the National Rifle Association (NRA), as a strong supporter of the Second Amendment. Yet I feel little sympathy for criminals who abuse this right to commit violent crimes. For this reason, I support Governor Bush's 10-20-Life initiative. This legislation created a minimum sentence of 10 years for those who commit a violent crime with a gun, 20 years if the criminal fires the gun while committing the crime, and 25 years to life if someone is harmed by a gunshot during the violent crime. I also support the death penalty.

In 2004, I proposed a pilot program to test the electronic monitoring of criminals released on probation, and, in 2005, the Legislature incorporated electronic monitoring into the Jessica Lunsford Act. The Lunsford Act requires electronic monitoring, during post-release supervision, of those convicted of a sexual offense against a child between the ages of 12 and 15, and lifetime electronic tracking if the victim was under 12 and the offender is ever released. Electronic monitoring relies on the Global Positioning System (GPS) to enable law enforcement officials to determine the exact location of the offender at any time. It will not only enable law enforcement to know whether any monitored offenders were present at the scene of a new crime, but will also have the effect of deterring crimes from ever being committed by increasing to the point of certainty the likelihood of detection and capture.


Domestic Security

I believe we can fight terrorism without impairing the liberties we enjoy. Our challenge in the Legislature will be to find and to implement the most innovative and effective methods by which to combat the enemy in this new and unprecedented international war on terrorism.

Soon after the attacks of September 11th, the Legislature empowered the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) to lead the state's counter-terrorism efforts. Under this law, the Chief of Domestic Security and the Domestic Security Oversight Council coordinate with seven Regional Domestic Security Task Forces (RDSTFs) established within FDLE's seven operational regions, as well as with local law enforcement agencies. This bottom-up approach recognizes the importance of allowing personnel on the spot, rather than legislators or bureaucrats in Tallahassee, to take the lead in forming policy and in developing counter-terrorism measures. Great strides have already been made in gathering and sharing intelligence. We adopted effective systems of early warning and detection, training law enforcement agents, equipping public health facilities, and promoting food safety and border protection. For example, Florida driver's licenses, once among the most frequently counterfeited documents, are now designed for instant authentication.

In 2005, the Legislature took further steps to assist law enforcement in the war on terror. We required our state's water management districts to conduct fingerprint-based background checks on certain employees with regular access to critical infrastructure. We promoted service in the Military Reserves and the Florida National Guard by enacting the Florida Family Readiness Program, which assists the families of service members in their times of need. We also appropriated $2.8 million to reimburse members of the Florida National Guard for premiums deducted from their pay under their life insurance plan. The Legislature must and will continue to be vigilant in opposition to terrorism and in defense of the freedom and security of all Floridians.

In 2007, we took the common sense step of prohibiting the state pension fund from investing in companies that engage in active business operations with the governments of Iran and Sudan, creating a deterrent that discourages private companies from enriching governments known to abet international terror operations.


Abortion and Life Issues

As a pro-life legislator, I work in conjunction with such groups as Pregnancy Resources to promote abstinence. I support the constitutional amendment, approved by a great majority of voters, which requires parental notification. I would support legislation to put an end to abortions occurring after viability, which is the most the Legislature can do under current judicial precedent, and I applaud the U.S. Supreme Court for its recent decision to uphold the ban on partial-birth abortion.

I am very supportive of ethical stem cell research. In Florida, because of ethical concerns, we choose to use government dollars on adult stem cell lines that have shown actual success, rather than on speculative embryonic research. Our state should continue to dedicate itself to the protection of the most vulnerable among us and to promote a culture that defends and cherishes life as the most fundamental of our inalienable rights.


Campaign Finance and Lobbyist Gifts

We have strict laws here in Florida that allow a maximum contribution of $500. We require full disclosure of all contributions and expenditures and prohibit legislators from accepting gifts from lobbyists. To see a list of my campaign contributions and expenditures, please click here.