The Okaloosa County Republican Executive Committee and Okaloosa County's Florida Democratic Party have united for a common cause: to speak out about election reforms.

"When you see that an ad is paid for by The Friends of Snidely Whiplash, go to the Division of Elections website … find out who’s behind it," Gaye Ellis, the Republican's chairwoman, said today in a public statement.

Using Tallahassee-based political action committees to give "hard" and "soft" money to finance local elections is among "shameful, reckless legal tactics to try and win a county election," John Whitley, state committeeman of the Democrats group, said in a public statement.

Both groups presented their statements at noon outside the Water and Sewer Building in Fort Walton Beach.

Dan Krassner of Integrity Florida couldn't attend but also issued a statement. 

Click for Ellis', Whitley's and Krassner's complete statements. 

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Okaloosa Democrats, Republicans speak about campaign finance

CRESTVIEW — Okaloosa County commissioners on Monday approved a tentative tax increase on unincorporated residents to generate money for storm water improvements.

The 4-1 vote — required to increase the Municipal Services Taxing Unit — came during a regularly scheduled 2014-15 budget review.

Commissioner Don Amunds opposed the measure, saying he wanted to look for other revenue sources.

Under the proposal, the county would increase its MSTU tax on unincorporated residents from .18 mills to .2990 mills, which would generate $781,207. That money would be set aside solely for storm water improvements.

The tentative MSTU increase will get a final vote in September when the board approves its 2014-15 budget.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Tentative tax increase would help solve storm water problems

CRESTVIEW — Local businessman and sitting City Councilman Tom Gordon has announced his candidacy for mayor. He is the first to toss his hat in the ring for the 2015 election.

Gordon, a lifelong Crestview resident, owns Gordon Air Conditioning, a family business started by his father, and Gordon Martial Arts, a downtown business noted for frequent charitable events for local causes.

Appointed to the council upon the April 2012 resignation of Philip Berezo, Gordon rapidly gained a reputation for being a fiscal watchdog and having an aversion to expanding government reach.

“As a community, we need friendly and helpful access. We need a mayor to provide clear direction, leadership and accountability,” Gordon said.

“I’ll be able to lean on my experiences on the City Council, being a business owner, and the many, many things we’ve done to better the community.”

Gordon, the son of Brady and Edna Gordon, graduated from Crestview High School in 1989 and attended Okaloosa-Walton Community College.

He was a rookie player on Crestview’s semi-pro Thunderbirds football team until taking his seat on the City Council. He is married to Barbara Gordon. They attend Woodlawn Baptist Church, where Tom Gordon has been a member since 1972.

Email News Bulletin Staff Writer Brian Hughes, follow him on Twitter or call 850-682-6524.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Businessman, council member announces run for mayor

Two Tallahassee-based entities are targeting incumbent District 4 County Commissioner Don Amunds in political mailings and so-called robo calls. The ads label Amunds a “double dipping millionaire” with ties to corrupt former Sheriff Charlie Morris and former Okaloosa County Tourist Development Council director Mark Bellinger. Amunds termed the allegations “misleading half truths.”

A group called the Small Business Advocacy Council paid for the mailing. The Main Street Leadership Council provided the robo calls. Michael Fischer, who in 2010 served as Rep. Matt Gaetz’s campaign treasurer, chairs both political action committees. Gaetz, R-Fort Walton Beach, acknowledged donating money to the Small Business Advocacy Council and confirmed that Fischer was “responsible for the content” of the mailing and robo call.

Gaetz — who has endorsed Amunds’ opponent, Trey Goodwin, a former Fort Walton Beach city councilman, in the District 4 race — has donated $20,400 to the Small Business Advocacy Council since 2011. His PACs contributed just $1,000 to the Main Street Leadership Council, according to Florida Division of Elections records. The organization received $65,000 from the Committee for a Conservative House, chaired by state House Speaker Will Weatherford. Goodwin and Amunds are Republicans, as is Henry Kelley, the third candidate in the race.

Goodwin claimed he knew nothing of the negative PAC ads until a mailer arrived at his home.

Amunds noted that both of his opponents in the District 4 race have the backing of state lawmakers. Sen. Greg Evers has used his own PAC to contribute to Kelley’s campaign. Kelley, in turn, pointed out that Amunds and Goodwin have received plenty of money from local special interest groups, including $5,000 each from companies controlled by developer Peter Bos.

While state politicians are employing legal committee-based fundraising methods, Dan Krassner, executive director of the nonpartisan government watchdog group Integrity Florida, said committees and political parties often transfer funds to each other, which makes it difficult to trace the exact donor.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Okaloosa commission race goes negative with mailer, robocalls

CRESTVIEW — The City Council launched its review of the city’s 2014-15 budget at a Monday evening workshop dominated by discussion of the proposed fire assessment.

The proposed $29 million budget is balanced, City Clerk Betsy Roy said, and includes a 3 percent increase in expenditures over the current fiscal year.

FIRE ASSESSMENT

Councilman Mickey Rytman said a proposed fire assessment — which would levy a fee on all the city's commercial and residential properties — would stymie business development while hurting residents on fixed incomes.

“Seeing another fire assessment tax on commercial development, I don't want to see that happen,” Rytman said. “I hate to put a burden on people.”

Council President Shannon Hayes said the assessment makes provisions for low-income residents, allowing them to apply for an exemption or reduction in the fee.

“What bothers me is the ones who aren't paying anything,” Hayes said.

Councilman Tom Gordon, who had favored the assessment if it meant a decrease in ad valorem taxes, said he could not support the proposal now that it appears to raise taxes on businesses.

“I can't be in favor of something that's going to make it harder for businesses to come to Crestview and provide good-paying jobs,” he said.

“I see it as a tax,” Councilwoman Robyn Helt said. “I am also not optimistic that the city would not be able to offset the amount of millage to offset that assessment.”

Helt said the proposal has no safeguards to prevent a future council from raising the millage again even if property owners’ rates initially decreased to offset the assessment.

COUNCIL ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT

The city council agreed that a full-time council administrative assistant is needed to handle its day-to-day operations.

Upon the forced resignation of the previous director of Administrative Services, such duties have fallen on the city clerk, contrary to the city charter.

“Until we get proper management in place, I don't want to put this tax, or whatever, on my fellow citizens because we don't manage our money properly,” Rytman said, referring to the fire assessment.

Gordon agreed, saying the city is fortunate to currently have a diligent clerk, but a future clerk may not be as skilled or conscientious.

“The police department is waiting on tables so they can have dogs,” resident Ken Nielsen said, referring to a recent Cops for K-9s fundraiser. “Maybe you guys can wait on tables to pay a city administrator.”

For now, the council agreed that a detailed review of the proposed budget was needed to trim unneeded spending.

“We just need to roll up our sleeves — or wear short ones — and go through the budget line item by line item,” Helt said. “We need to look at our largest expenditures and make sure we're being fiscally responsible.”

Email News Bulletin Staff Writer Brian Hughes, follow him on Twitter or call 850-682-6524.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Council: Detailed budget review necessary, fire tax loses traction

Okaloosa County Administrator Ernie Padgett has submitted his resignation after 18 months on the job. Padgett said he’s leaving because, after two budget cycles, he and his wife, Lydia, are ready for a change of pace.

In a letter to county commissioners Wednesday, he said his departure would be effective Oct. 1. County commissioners expressed surprise and disappointment at Padgett’s announcement.

Padgett, who underwent a quintuple bypass in September 2013, said health was not a factor in his decision to leave.

Padgett said he and his staff are focused on crafting a progressive county budget that will secure funding for even a small level of storm water upgrades.

After Padgett leaves, he and his wife plan to do some traveling, including visiting friends in Australia.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: County administrator resigns