Two questions have been placed on the ballot by the Palm Beach County Commission. One was requested by the Children s Services Council, the second by the Palm Beach County School Board. Both are reauthorizations of existing property tax levies and do not raise taxes. Referendum # 1: Children s Services Council BALLOT SUMMARY: Shall the Children s Services Council of Palm Beach County, which provides early learning and reading skills, development, treatment, preventative and other children s services in Palm Beach County, be reauthorized to continue in existence as a district with voter-approved taxing authority, with independent oversight and accountability as required by law, unless and until it is dissolved as specified in s.125.901(4)(a), Florida Statutes? Explanation: The Children s Services Council (CSC) was authorized as a Special Taxing District in 1986 by Palm Beach County voters and must be reauthorized periodically. In 2000, voters approved an increase in the millage cap to 1.00. The CSC contracts and supervises nonprofit agencies to provide prenatal and early childhood development services to assure children s health and school readiness. The CSC appears on the Property Tax bill with a current millage rate of 0.7475. A vote YES approves continuation of the Special Taxing District status and assures that the CSC has a dedicated source of funding. A vote NO removes the CSC funding guarantee. There would be no certainty that the county could absorb the cost in its current budget.. Referendum # 2: Palm Beach County School Board BALLOT SUMMARY: Shall the School Board of Palm Beach County have the authority to continue to levy 0.25 mills of ad valorem millage dedicated for operational needs of non-charter District Schools to fund teachers as well as arts, music, physical education, career and academic programs for the fiscal years beginning July 1, 2015 and ending June 30, 2019, with oversight by an independent finance committee of citizens and experts? Explanation: This.25 per $1,000 of assessed valuation was first added to the School portion of the Property Tax in 2008. A referendum to extend the tax was approved by 66% of Palm Beach County voters in 2010. As required by law, the District is asking for authorization to cover the cost of programs listed in the ballot for an additional four years. A vote YES continues to provide these programs for the Palm Beach County Public Schools. A vote NO decreases funding for the programs in Palm Beach County Public Schools. To locate your district numbers and your voting poll site, refer to your Voter Card or go to www.pbcelections.org. VOTERS GUIDE The League of Women Voters is proud to publish its first Palm Beach County Voters Guide in twelve years. This publication provides information about the Palm Beach County candidates for Congress, State Senate, State House, County Commission, as well as information regarding the two countywide ballot issues. The League of Women Voters of Florida has produced a State Voters Guide with information about candidates for Governor and three Cabinet Offices (Attorney General, Chief Financial Officer, and Secretary of Agriculture and Consumer Affairs), as well as information about the three proposed statewide Constitutional Amendments. Copies of both Guides will be available at libraries, green markets, government offices and other locations throughout Palm Beach County and online at www.lwvpbc.org. To order additional copies, email us at voterguide2014@gmail.com or call (561) 276-4898. This Voters Guide is designed to help you become a more informed voter. We encourage you to participate in our valued democratic process. All Florida citizens must be registered to vote by Monday, October 6, 2014, in order to vote on Tuesday, November 4. Please vote the entire ballot. The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan political organization that encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy. 1
2 SPECIAL SECTION OF THE PALM BEACH POST REAL NEWS STARTS HERE SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2014
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Florida has a bicameral legislature with a 40-member Senate and a 120-member House of Representatives. Senators are elected for staggered four-year terms and are limited to two consecutive terms. House members serve two years and are limited to a total of four consecutive terms. The Legislative Session is convened annually on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in March and in session not to exceed 60 days. Did You Know? If a ballot is spoiled, a voter may have up to two replacements for either an absentee ballot or a ballot received at the polls. Registered voters may update their address by phone (561-656-6200), in writing, or in person up to and including Election Day. The League of Women Voters is one of America's most trusted nonpartisan civic organizations LEGISLATIVE CANDIDATE QUESTIONS So far Florida has refused to accept $51 billion in federal funds that would extend affordable health care to working class citizens. Would you support the acceptance of these funds? Please explain your reasoning. As a low-lying state, Florida is extremely vulnerable to the effects of sea level rise caused by global warming. Would you support joining the more than 30 states that have passed a renewable energy standard with a clear target for reducing reliance on fossil fuels and providing an incentive for businesses in developing sustainable sources of energy? Do you support Florida s laws that limit local governments from enacting restrictions on firearms, or do you believe that local municipalities should have greater control over gun regulations in their own communities? Please explain your position. Florida s geology consists of porous limestone with underground rivers. What regulations would you support regarding hydraulic fracturing (fracking), in particular regarding a community s right to enact local land use regulations for drilling and know the chemicals being used? Florida offers a broad spectrum of school choice programs, including virtual and charter schools, plus tax credit funding for private and religious schools. What steps would you support to ensure that there is better fiscal management and educational accountability for students, regardless of the school they attend? More than 20 states have enacted online voter registration as a cost-effective means of ensuring that citizens can easily register to vote and update their registration online. What is your position regarding online voter registration in Florida? Please explain. 4 DISTRICT 32 Joe Negron (R) Incumbent Place of Residence: Stuart Age: 53 Occupation: Attorney I oppose and voted against expansion of Medicaid. I support using available state and federal funds for premium assistance so hard working Floridians can have private health insurance that they own and help pay for, with co-pays and deductibles just like their fellow citizens. No. I support ongoing efforts of utility companies to diversity sources of fuel, including use of renewable resources. Yes, I support the law in Florida that prohibits local governments from infringing on the Second Amendment rights of law abiding citizens. In fact, I filed the bill (now law) that keeps local governments from passing a patchwork of inconsistent laws; we should have one set of guns laws in Florida that apply equally to everyone. I have not seen or considered any proposed fracking regulations. There should be fiscal management and educational accountability for traditional public schools and for charter schools. I believe in parental choice in education. I support the voter registration policies currently in place in Florida. It is very easy in Florida for citizens to register to vote, as it should be, with lots of portals for access. DISTRICT 32 Bruno Moore (D) Place of Residence: Port St. Lucie Age: 43 Occupation: I would support expanding the Medicaid funding available to Floridians. The withholding of this vital resource is being done as a political ploy and disregards the thousands of Floridians whose health and lives depend on its availability. I would support exploring alternate energy sources. One such alternative that is an emerging energy technology is water current harnessing. It's also an environmentally friendly way of generating power and energy I would support Eco friendly innovations such as these to try to shift our reliance on fossil fuels. I believe local municipalities should have greater control over gun regulations and monitoring. Each municipality is different, with different crime rates, different levels of firearm sportsmanship, etc. Because of these nuances, it's incumbent upon the local government to make these choices. I oppose any fracking in Florida whatsoever and would introduce and sponsor legislation prohibiting it's practice. Teachers best serve their students when allowed to be creative. I would encourage that in the classroom. I'd establish mentoring programs that encourage students through interaction with popular local figures, and move students away from the rigors of standardized testing to a more holistic method of ascertaining ability. I believe that voting is a fundamental right. As such, we should do as little as possible to infringe on that right. Online voter registration is only a natural addition to that idea.
6 SPECIAL SECTION OF THE PALM BEACH POST REAL NEWS STARTS HERE SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2014
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8 SPECIAL SECTION OF THE PALM BEACH POST REAL NEWS STARTS HERE SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2014
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10 SPECIAL SECTION OF THE PALM BEACH POST REAL NEWS STARTS HERE SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2014
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2014 SPECIAL SECTION OF THE PALM BEACH POST REAL NEWS STARTS HERE 11
12 SPECIAL SECTION OF THE PALM BEACH POST REAL NEWS STARTS HERE SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2014 This 2014 Palm Beach County Voters Guide was made possible by the generosity: Detach and mail LWVPBC Membership Application Membership in the League of Women Voters is open to all U.S. citizens, male or female, of voting age who subscribe to the purpose and policy of the League. Name: Address: City: Zip: Email: Phone: DUES AND CONTRIBUTIONS Dues year is October 1st through September 30th. Susan B. Anthony Supporter $100 (includes Annual Membership) Individual Annual Membership $55 Household Membership $85 Student Membership $25 Additional Contribution Total Amount Enclosed $ $ Please make your check payable to: LWV Palm Beach County P.O. Box 6208 Delray Beach, FL, 33482-6208 Because we lobby at the state and national levels, membership checks for dues and contributions to LWVPBC general fund are not tax deductible. To make a tax-deductible contribution, submit a separate check payable to LWVPBC Education Fund Inc. The LWVPBC Education Fund is a 501(c)(3) organization. 12