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To a series of questions posed by the League of Women Voters of Orange County Florida, hear answers from candidates who qualified to run for Orange County Public School districts’ first voter-elected board chair. Each is heard unedited in this program. The candidates are Homer Hartage, Leona Rachman and Bill Sublette. In addition to opening and closing statements from each candidate, each is asked to respond to a series of thirteen questions asked by the forum’s moderator. The Q&A portion of this forum runs 45-minutes in addition to 4-minutes of League announcements and an explanation of event rules.
Feature Length — 00:55:02
Recording assistance provided by Marshall Simmons
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In Seminole County, Florida, kids enrolled in the county’s public schools have just returned to the classroom from their summer vacation. That occasion warrants this 1-on-1 interview with Seminole’s Superintendent of Schools’ Dr. Bill Vogel.
We ask Vogel about a range of vexing issues facing the school district. Those issues include the recent statewide controversy surrounding FCAT – the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test, the pending statewide class size amendment, merit pay and the federal Race to the Top initiative, the proposed half cent sales tax to benefit the district, and the seemingly always present budget challenges.
Feature length – 23:16
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Voting Smart features excerpted answers to questions recently asked at a public forum of the three candidates running for election as school board members in District 5 of Seminole County, Florida. Those candidates are Tina Calderone, Becky Erwin and Jeanne Morris – the incumbent. If one of these 3 candidates receives 50% plus 1 vote, that candidate will be elected in the August 24 primary with no need to go forward to the November general election. However, if none receive more than 50% plus 1, there will be a November 2 runoff between the top 2 vote-getters in this race. Two other candidates running for district # 2 are featured in a separate
Voting Smart segment now on line. The event was recorded Wednesday evening, July 28, 2010 at Crooms Academy of Information Technology, a magnet high school in Sanford, Florida.
Feature length – 33:22
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Voting Smart features excerpted answers to questions recently asked at a public forum of the two candidates running for election as school board members in District 2 of Seminole County, Florida. Those candidates are Paul J. Ackerman and Karen Almond. Neither candidate is the incumbent, as the current office holder – Sandy Robinson, is not seeking re-election. Your vote will elect one of these 2 candidates in the August 24 primary. No voting will be necessary for this seat in the November general election. Three other candidates running for district # 5 are featured in a separate Voting Smart segment now on line. The event was recorded Wednesday evening, July 28, 2010 at Crooms Academy of Information Technology, a magnet high school in Sanford, Florida.
Feature length – 23:57
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To a series of questions posed by the League of Women Voters of Orange County Florida, hear answers from candidates who qualified to run for the 3 out of 7 seats as a member of the Orange County Public School board. For district # 1, the candidates are Joie Cadle the incumbent and current board chair, and her challenger, Jacqueline Centeno. For district # 2, the candidates are George Collins and incumbent Daryl Flynn. A 3rd candidate in this race did not attend. He is Valentine C. Okonkwo. For district # 3, the candidates are Robert A. Lynn and incumbent Judge “Rick” Roach. In addition to opening and closing statements from each candidate, each is asked to respond to a series of 7-questions asked by the forum’s moderator. The Q&A portion of this forum runs 57-minutes in addition to 4-minutes of League announcements and an explanation of event rules.
Feature Length — 01:06:08
Recording assistance provided by Marshall Simmons
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To a series of questions posed by the League of Women Voters of Seminole County, hear the responses from candidates qualified to run for election or re-election to the board of the Seminole County Public School System. All 5 of the qualified candidates spoke at this event. Each will be heard unedited in this program.
In district 2, candidates speaking are…Paul J. Ackerman and Karen Almond. Neither candidate is the incumbent. In district 5, candidates speaking are…Tina Calderone, Becky Erwin and Jeanne Morris. Jeanne Morris is the incumbent.
The candidate portion of this feature runs 1 hour 17-minutes in addition to 5-minutes of event rules and League announcements.
Feature Length — 01:28:28
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On this Heard in Central Florida, you’ll hear an assessment on the effectiveness of the recently adjourned 2010 session of the Florida legislature from the perspectives of three local subject matter experts—Deidre Macnab, president of the League of Women Voters of Florida; Mark Simpson, public radio journalist for 90.7 WMFE-FM; and, Dick Batchelor, a locally recognized political analyst and business consultant. The league invited State Senator Lee Constantine to present. Senator Constantine did not respond to their invitation. The presentation portion of this feature runs 41-minutes. It is followed by 20-minutes of answers to audience questions. This event — known as the League of Women Voters of Seminole County’s Hot Topic Luncheon — was recorded Thursday, June 24, 2010 at Sergio’s Italian Restaurant in Sanford, Florida. The event drew more than 40 league members and members of the public. Deana Schott, immediate past president of the League of Women Voters of Seminole County hosted the event.
Feature Length — 01:11:49
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Formal remarks are offered by three state legislators – Altman, Adams and Plakon — on their view of the results of the recently adjourned 2010 state legislative session and the impact such results had on Central Florida related issues. Those issues include SunRail, funding for public education, aerospace economic incentives, bond ratings, unemployment tax, property insurance premiums and tax credits among others. Audience questions evoked responses centered on financial aid to local school districts, home owners’ property insurance, pension reform, Tax Payer Bill of Rights (TABOR) and state taxes on common area maintenance rates on leased property. Their 45-minute presentation begins with 25-minutes of remarks from the legislators and 20 minutes of answers to followup questions from the luncheon audience.
Feature Length — 54:18
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Central Florida Matters returns to the series we call Voting Smart… in this feature addressing local issues facing voters and candidates in the upcoming 2010 elections. To help us sort through those local issues and focus on the key ones, we put together a panel of two local experts … each with a respectable collection of experience and insight — Marilyn Crotty and Michael Hoover, who describe the local issues facing the voter AND the local candidates.
Marilyn E. Crotty is the Director of the John Scott Dailey Florida Institute of Government at the University of Central Florida and also serves as Executive Director of the Tri-County League of Cities. Dr. Michael Hoover is a Professor of Political Science at Seminole State College and a frequent participant on Central Florida Matters.
Feature length – 23:02
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At the mid-point of Bob Dallari’s second year as chairman of Seminole County’s Board of County Commission, we visit for a review on key issues facing the commission. Hear his comments regarding a commissioner’s recent suggestion to lower the millage rate on property taxes…the prospects of voter approval of state constitutional Amendment-4/Hometown Democracy…the progress of hiring a new county manager…his assessment of county-related issues addressed by the recently adjourned state legislature… his view of possible amendments to the boundaries affecting the use and development of the county’s east side rural lands… the progress on the Yankee Lake Regional Water Treatment facility… the Central Florida Commuter Rail system – known as Sun Rail, and the possibilities of extending or sun-setting a 1cent sales.
Feature length – 26:23
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