Our infrastructure in Hillsborough County is crumbling despite county government collecting billions in tax dollars earmarked for infrastructure. How is this possible?
We pay the 3rd highest taxes in the state—and if the current county commissioners have their way, we’ll be paying the highest taxes of all 67 counties in the entire state next year.
Yet our county commissioners keep saying “we’re broke.” So, I combed through the county’s 850-page, $7.5 billion budget, and I’m here to tell you the county’s overspending is outrageous. We supposedly can’t afford to fix our roads, yet we apparently have enough money available to spend millions of tax dollars on pet projects and giveaways to the commissioners’ wealthy friends and campaign supporters.
High taxes hurt working families and seniors throughout the county. Seniors on fixed incomes are being taxed out of their homes. Families already living paycheck-to-paycheck are now struggling to get by. Young couples aren’t able to afford to begin their families. Entrepreneurs can’t start their own businesses. Poverty is increasing in the county. Residents are going across state lines to buy homes and make purchases. All this, and we aren’t even fixing our roads.
Why? It’s simple: the county board wants to force everyone onto public transportation. They are pushing all available funding into building a light rail system, copying an “equity lens” plan from the City of San Francisco. This despite 96% of county residents in a recent county survey stating they won’t ride a train or bus, even if one is made available.
It’s time we stood up to a government that clearly does not care about working families in our county.
I’m running for Hillsborough County Commissioner to bring accountability and transparency to our county government. I will stop this unsustainable wasteful spending and ensure our tax dollars are finally being used to fix our county's crumbling infrastructure.
I’m the “boring budget guy.” I’m not a politician—I’m just a regular guy who focuses on getting the job done. Just like I did in the Navy during Operation Enduring Freedom, when I came home and rehabilitated the finances of a struggling family-owned manufacturing company, and as I’ve started and operated my own small business.
As your county commissioner, I will demand our tax dollars be used as they were intended—to fix our infrastructure. I will ensure all county residents benefit from the taxes we pay, not just city residents. I will create financial transparency so the public can see exactly where their tax dollars are being spent and can hold their government accountable. And I will shine a light on wasteful spending so we can responsibly lower taxes.
My opponent, County Board Chair Kimberly Overman, has brought failed, big-city politics to Hillsborough County. She uses the heavy hand of government to punish anyone who disagrees with her far-left agenda, especially small businesses. She has been caught calling county residents “super stupid” and “dumbasses.” She rejects bipartisan deals on the county board in favor of hyper-partisan political games. She even wanted to make our kids wear lanyards in school to shame them for not following her liberal agenda.
I readily admit I don’t have all the answers. But that’s the point—government doesn’t have all the answers, it shouldn’t be dictating how we live our lives and enacting policies that hurt families. I have spent my life fighting for your rights and I will continue to do so.
