Debate set for July 16
By Samantha Joseph
Staff writer
MARTIN COUNTY - Less than two weeks shy of their debate in Palm City, the Democratic and Republican candidates for the District 28 state Senate seat are detailing the issues at the center of their campaigns.
Democratic candidate Bill Ramos and Republican contender Joe Negron, are set to face off in a July 16 debate at the Whispering Sound Clubhouse, located at 3645 S.E. Whispering Sound Drive, Palm City.
For Mr. Ramos, education, environmental protection and strengthening the local economy are the central focus.
"My issues are the issues that have been affecting our state for many years, and have been pushed off," he said.
For Mr. Negron, fiscal conservatism, education, safeguarding consumers, protecting the environment and public safety are top priorities.
"I'm knocking on thousands of doors and listening to voters," Mr. Negron said. "This is going to be a strong grassroots campaign."
The men are vying for the seat that Sen. Ken Pruitt, R-Port St. Lucie, is set to vacate on Aug. 4, one year before the end of his four-year term.
The successful candidate will represent a district that includes Martin County, northern Palm Beach and parts of Indian River, Okeechobee and St. Lucie counties.
District 28 residents are scheduled to make a decision in about a month. Voter registration ends on July 6, with early voting set to begin on July 27 and end Aug. 1. The special election is scheduled for Aug. 4.
As he hits the campaign trail, Mr. Ramos is promising to invest in education and attract jobs to the district that pay $40,000-$70,000 annually.
He plans to focus on building solar, water, wind and natural gas resources and using the resources of regional farming to create goods for local consumption and export.
"I fully support growth and development when and where we need it, but let's not make it the primary component (of the economy). We need to bring in real industry," he said.
On his agenda are plans to manufacture solar panels, engage in hydrogen research, develop eco-tourism and create environmentally friendly or "green" building standards that include solar heating and rain-water collection in new projects.
His campaign also includes promises to remove sales tax exemptions to special-interest groups, which he said avoid billions in taxes.
The candidate also rallied against FCAT, the standardized state test, which he says costs $300 million a year, and promised to raise teachers' salaries to at least the national average of $50,000 annually.
For his part, Mr. Negron would push for the enforcement of laws to protect consumers from fraud. He also has his record as a former state representative, who served in the Florida House of Representatives for six years.
The former chairman of the House Appropriations Committee in 2005 and 2006, Mr. Negron worked with former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush to control government spending.
His Web site credits him with a record of success in this area, stating, "When Joe completed his service in the House, Florida had over $8 billion in reserves, more than any other state."
In the House, he also showed his support for another priority, proposing increases for school funding. He supported the Everglades restoration project efforts to clean the St. Lucie River and Indian River Lagoon, his camp notes.
"I'm strongly opposed to those freshwater releases from Lake Okeechobee that contaminate our rivers and kill our fish," he said.
Instead, he'd like to see water from the lake flow south into land the state would purchase from U.S. Sugar.
In the House, his efforts at ensuring public safety included overseeing funding of the Homeland Security Training Center at Indian River State College, his Web site states.
To register to vote, call (772) 288-5637.
For more information on the debate, call (772) 781-2611.
To reach Mr. Negron, call (772) 287-0304.
To contact Mr. Ramos, call (772) 214-2904.