Controlling Spending and Tax Relief is Necessary to Make Lee County Better!
By: Shawn Seliger

It is time for a change; it is time to make Lee County better. Throughout the county, residents know we live in paradise. Unfortunately, all is not well in paradise.

Local residents know the story all too well. Our real estate market is in a slump, the local economy is struggling, and the spiraling cost of taxes and runaway spending are forcing people to leave our beloved community.

The reason I am a candidate for Lee County Commissioner, District 5 is to improve—not just maintain--our quality of life.

As your Lee County Commissioner, I will roll up my sleeves, listen to moms and dads, senior citizens, and small business owners, and get to work and make Lee County better! As a life-long Republican, one of the principles to which I hold dearly is fiscal responsibility. I believe that the Board of County Commissioners should limit the rate of growth in the budget of the general revenue fund to no more than the sum of the rate of inflation and population growth (unless an extraordinary circumstance occurs, such as a hurricane). This will help curb the growth of local government and force us to tighten our belts and determine our fiscal priorities. As a conservative, I believe that government can do more with less and that throwing money at projects is not always the answer to confronting challenges and solving our problems. This is the political philosophy which defines me.

As your next Lee County Commissioner for District 5, your employee, I will always look for more efficient ways to handle taxpayer money. County spending should be reduced by choosing the most cost-effective way to do things without compromising the quality of the work or the public health, safety and welfare of Lee County residents.

In viewing other funding projects, we must first determine our priorities. We cannot afford every program that comes before the Board of County Commissioners. This should not be deemed a reflection on the value of a particular program, but rather a reflection of what we can afford to do in these challenging financial times. We must put our priorities in line. Without order of preference, our priorities should be to adequately fund law enforcement, emergency medical services, roads, water and sewer capacity improvements, human agency support, environmental improvement/preservation projects and funding for parks and libraries.

When the incumbent was elected, he promised (among many other things) that he would demand significant tax reduction. At the budget hearing on September 20, 2007, he compared this budget to other budgets and stated, "This is the most frugal." Yet he voted against almost all of the budget items. He also failed to propose anything prior to or at the budget hearing as an alternative to the proposed budget. Like you, I am and remain disappointed that he failed to propose substantive tax relief and spending cuts as a part of the solution. As we enter the election cycle, he will likely and conveniently present a tax relief plan as part of his re-election campaign. Recognize this for what it is: empty rhetoric.

Our county is facing too many serious problems to be left to career politicians who want to continue doing business the same old way. My opponent has failed to lead. The infighting on this board is costing all of us money. Moreover, the residents of Lee County are tired of the double talk and grandstanding from career politicians and want an action-based approach to solving problems.

As your next Lee County Commissioner, I will work hard to bring county spending under control. I will propose a complete top-to-bottom review of spending to see what and where we can cut expenses to function more efficiently, so as to provide meaningful and substantive tax relief for our county residents. I know that we can improve in terms of fiscal responsibility to make Lee County better. I look forward to listening to the residents of our community and working together to make Lee County better!

Shawn Seliger is a Republican Candidate for Lee County Commissioner, District 5.