Our Recommendations

Last updated on 11 Oct 08.

I apologize that I do not have any analysis of these races. We have only selected based on our best judgement and advice from knowledgeable friends.

United States President
John McCain/Sarah Palin
Barack Obama/Joe Biden 		If you haven't made up your mind in this race, I can't help you, further than to recommend a brief perusal of this and this.
United States Congress District 15
Bill Posey
Stephen Blythe
Frank Zilaitis 		No brainer. Bill Posey is one of the bright lights in the county.
State Senate District 24
Thad Altman
Kendall T. Moore
State Representative District 29
Ralph Poppell
Wes McCarville
State Representative District 30
Rich Workman
Amy C. Tidd
County Sheriff
Jack Parker
Gary E. Young
Property Appraiser
Jim Ford
Larry E. Hughes
Tax Collector
Lisa Cullen
Laura Dils
Supervisor of Elections
Lori Scott
Frank C. Grieco, Jr.
Frank Buckoski
County Commission District 1
J. Roger Shealy
Robin Fisher 		Mr. Shealy comes highly recommended by Bill Tolley, a local rock of Christian conservatism in politics.
County Commission District 3
Trudie Infantini
Edward (Ed) Geier
County Commission District 5
Andy Anderson
Daniel Reyes
School Board Member District 4
Karen Henderson
Gary A. Shiffrin
School Board Member District 5
Andrew J. Ziegler
Stuart Rowan
Florida State Supreme Court
Charles T. Wells RETAIN
Florida Fifth District Court of Appeals
Kerry I. Evander
C. Alan Lawson
Richard B. Orfinger
William David Palmer
Thomas D. Sawaya
 		All five judges were Bush appointees, and have kids. Beyond that, we have not been able to find any definitive information. The next step would be to look up some opinions: will do, time permitting. All five wrote a letter, jointly, to the Florida Family Policy Council saying that they would not respond, due to the issue of prejudicing any eventual rulings. On balance, we recommend retention at this time.
Melbourne City Council District 1
Tammy Sandberg
Mike Nowlin
Melbourne City Council District 3
Kathy Meehan
Pat Poole
Merrill Robertson
Palm Bay City Council Seat 2
Brian Jacob Anderson
James Brock
William Capote
Natasha C. Logan Munnings
Palm Bay City Council Seat 3
Bruce Wechsler
Michele Paccione
Grace White 		Mr. Wechsler is an intelligent, highly articulate Libertarian.
Florida Constitutional Amendment 1: Property Rights of Aliens
YES No law forbidding ownership by aliens is contemplated or on the books. It is an outdated relic from the 1900s.
Florida Constitutional Amendment 2: Marriage
YES This is a highly emotional measure. We Christians need to realize that the culture's legal structure has, per se, no effect whatever on the eternal institution of measure—it was instituted by God, under His rules, and only He can change it. On the other hand, any culture that departs from His ideas can expect trouble, because as an Engineer, He designed humans to operate according to His principles. Considering marriage from the government's point of view, the whole point of which is to secure our survival and our rights, there is a compelling interest in maintaining this institution as uniquely between a man and a woman for life for two reasons. First, and most importantly, a man and a woman, united in it, are uniquely able to sustain the birth, education, and sustainment of children in a peaceful, healthy, and economical fashion. Second, the emotional turmoil that results from transient male-female relationships is a major cause of poverty and crime. Even if, on a moral basis, one approves of homosexual unions, there is still a compelling reason to encourage this institution in this particular form uniquely in law. Every addition of other types of domestic arrangements dilutes the attraction of marriage, since creating a unique privelege is the whole point of the law.
Florida Constitutional Amendment 3: Storm Upgrades
NO The legislature should not prohibit any consideration that influences the fair market value of a house in estimating its tax liability. There are always market distortions due to these piecemeal efforts. In this case, an exemption for upgraded wind tolerance of the roof would apply to existing homes that upgraded, but not to new homes. So there is an incentive NOT to build them in new homes, because they are less expensive as an upgrade (you get the increase in home value and safety without the tax).
Florida Constitutional Amendment 4: Conservation Compensation
YES It would be better if private property rights were respected. However, this would at least provide an disincentive for the government to interfere in private lands. The amendment, as stated, is vague, and leaves it to the legislature to determine the amount of any savings or exemptions and the conditions under which the savings should be applied. Depending on what they do, they can render this amendment nugatory in effect.
Florida Constitutional Amendment 6: Land Use/Fishing Assessment
NO Again the legislature is interfering here with free market forces. The measure would force the tax assessor (how exactly?) to "assess" the value of the property of water-based businesses (fishing, boat-building/repair, etc.) based only on its current use. But market values are always based on whatever a buyer might want to use it for. It is infeasible and unjust.
Florida Constitutional Amendment 8: Allow Local Sales Tax for Community Colleges
NO We do not need more ways for the county to levy taxes, especially on a piecemeal basis (i.e., for BCC in this case).
Brevard County Charter Amendment: Limit Growth in Property Tax Revenue
YES The horse bolted, now we're closing the barn door (with swinging mouse, cat, and dog mini-doors still left open). Note that this limits the increase in the total assessed value taxes collected, not the individual homeowner's tax bill. So, for example, if a large number of new homes were built, so that the tax base increased by 10%, the tax rate on the assessed value portion of your bill would actually go down. Conversely, if the tax base drops substantially (because of, say, a large drop in the value of homes!), then the millage rate limits, not this restriction, would take over. Note, there are major exceptions. Nevertheless, it is another much-needed brake on out-of-control increases in taxes.
If it is enacted, I expect the commission to react by moving budget items out of the "assessed value" (ad valorem) part of the property tax and into the "special fees" portion to avoid the restriction. So, there's no substitute for good commissioners.