Your recent front page article, “Lottery Expansion Draws in the Poor” is very true. This, and many other ways of raising money for government activities through taxation, will have a negative impact on working class people and the poor.  The latest initiative of two, half penny sales taxes will also have a negative impact on poor and lower income people.  The proposed taxes will affect the poor, as a higher percentage of income, more than the upper middle class and the rich.  I look forward to a Sun-Sentinel editorial opposing the new taxes as it is a heavier burden on the people least able to pay them.  

As the investigation continues into the mass shooting in Orlando, so does finger-pointing.  Guns, radical Islamic terrorists, political parties, and others are all being blamed for the actions of one misguided and deranged individual.  

While the political debates continue, what we must do at a local level to prevent further attacks like this is relatively simple.

We must ensure that our law enforcement officers are trained and properly armed to deal with a similar attack in our community.

A similar attack at a Sea Port or Airport could result in hundreds of casualties.  In South Florida, there are hundreds of soft targets where a single terrorist or a group of terrorists can easily rain mayhem and carnage on untold innocent Americans.

In most communities, law enforcement officers will be severely outgunned, which was clearly demonstrated in all of the most recent active shooter terrorist events.

Our law enforcement first responders to these terrorist attack...

Good afternoon Jeff and Christina.

Thank you very much for giving me the opportunity to speak to the International Union of Police Associations representing the Broward Sheriff’s Office (BSO) employees this afternoon.   Please share this email with Joe, Patrice, and Larry as I did not get email addresses from them.

Here is a recap of the items we discussed today and my positions:

Christina shared a comparison of law enforcement officers’ pay scale. The document compares entry levels and supervisor minimum salaries with other municipal departments and county agencies.  As I stated, I strongly support budgetary actions to improve BSO’s uniform personnel’s salary increases to make the agency more competitive. We must attract, hire and retain the best and brightest to fill vacancies in each of BSO’s Departments. 

We discussed a recent proposal for 2%, 2% and $1000 as the latest position in contract negotiations. I believe BSO employees have been traditionally underpai...

Well sort of. On Monday, I said the Broward Commission was voting to place a sales tax increase on the November ballot. To everyone's chagrin, the Commission placed two tax increases on the ballot. Neither one deserves your support. 

An initiative originating with the municipalities will, if approved, increase the sales tax from 6 to 7 cents on a dollar spent up to $5000. Most of the money raised will go to the cities to spend on maintenance, repair, replacement, and new infrastructure. So many of the same people who for years have failed to allocate money from the budget to maintrain, repair and replace infrastructurethe are asking for more money. Finally they are interested in infrastructure after years of kicking the can down the road. Now the tough decision is on our shoulders, the voters. I am not supporting this tax and suggest you consider working with me to defeat it.

Now for the second tax increase placed on the November ballot. The County proposed a 3/4s of a ce...