Two months ago, I asked readers if they had any questions they wanted to ask the candidates for Orange County mayor.
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Boy, did they.
Readers submitted more than 100 questions that were impressively detailed and important — about everything from roads and the environment to transit and taxes.
One of the most unusual came from former radio host Jim Philips who said he used to ask candidates one simple question: Have they ever peed in a public pool?
“If they answered no, they were liars and deserved no further consideration,” Philips said, noting that former Gov. Bob Graham answered “yes” without hesitation. “He was re-elected. People want the truth, no matter how unpleasant!”
Duly noted. Still, readers had many other topics they want addressed. So, just as I did eight years ago, I’m taking the questions directly to the candidates.
I sent all the questions below to all four candidates Friday. I’ll summarize their responses in a future column and post a much longer piece online that features their unedited answers.
The four candidates are former Congresswoman Stephanie Murphy, Orange County Clerk of Court Tiffany Moore-Russell, County Commissioner Mayra Uribe and Chris Messina, a tech entrepreneur who mounted a previous, unsuccessful campaign a few years ago. The three women are Democrats. Messina is a Republican. The office is nonpartisan.
Far and away, the most-asked question involved hotel taxes. Many readers — including Wayne, Brad, Kelly, Jeff and about a dozen more — wanted to know if any candidates plan on making a serious push to change state law to allow that money to be spent on things this community truly needs. (Things other than just the convention center and Visit Orlando’s advertising budget.)
Larry Y. asked: “With respect to the utilization of the Tourist Tax, where do they stand regarding further expansion of the convention center and funding of Visit Orlando? And what changes would they actively advocate to change?”
Anne had a more basic question: “Why are you running?”
Others wanted to nail down specifics. For instance, one of the biggest environmental controversies in recent years involved the Central Florida Expressway Authority’s decision to run a toll road through Split Oak Forest, an environmental preserve county leaders vowed decades ago to protect forever.
County leaders have waffled back and forth about whether they should keep fighting to protect this land. So Sheila and Mike asked: “If you are elected, how will you proceed with the proposed toll road through Split Oak Forest?”
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Sheila and Mike weren’t the only couple who tag-teamed their questions.
Mark and Sandy wanted straight talk on spending, asking: “What specific spending priorities would the next mayor increase, protect, or cut within the county’s $8 billion budget — and what measurable outcomes should residents expect in the first two years?”
Mark and Sandy followed that up with a question near and dear to my heart: “What concrete steps will they take to lift wages in a county dominated by low‑paying service jobs? How will they attract and grow higher‑skill, higher‑wage industries?”
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Then there was Steve and Barb who asked: “Do you believe rural boundaries should be preserved? If so, how do plan on doing so,” given the Legislature’s attempt to block the protections?
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I love all this couples questioning! Couples who wonk out on public policy together stay together.
Larry F. just wanted to know which candidates have done their homework, asking: “How many County Commission meetings have you attended from beginning to end?” (And don’t lie, cuz we can check the tapes!)
Alan also had a very specific question: “Are you willing to consider converting the former Kaley Street work-release center into a shelter for those experiencing homelessness?”
Several people asked about toll roads — and for good reason. Florida has more miles of toll roads than any other state in America, and Central Florida is the most-tolled region of this most-tolled state. The question: Do you support expanding the number of toll roads we have, reducing them or keeping them the same?
John and Brad wanted to know where the candidates stand with regards to bringing a Major League Baseball team to Orlando, specifically whether they support the idea and, if so, what kind of public money or resources they’d like to use to make it happen.
Speaking of public resources, several people — including reader Cheryl and columnist Scott — wanted to know if any candidates have plans to expand this region’s notoriously lackluster bus system, Lynx. So the three-part question here is: Do you believe Lynx should be expanded? Do you believe it deserves a dedicated funding source? If so, what source should it be?
Our current mayor wanted to raise the sales tax to pay for roads and transit. Voters rejected that idea. But several readers wanted to know if any candidates want to try again.
Speaking of taxes, it seems fair to also ask the candidates whether they plan on voting yes or no on this year’s constitutional amendment on cutting taxes on homesteaded properties and the corresponding revenues for local government.
There were lots of other questions — about whether SunRail should be expanded, what role the county should play in supporting arts and culture and if the candidates have any plans for improving this region’s sad-sack mental health options.
Honestly, I don’t expect candidates to have perfect answers to every question. I’m even OK if they occasionally say they’re still trying to find solutions. But I do expect anyone who wants my vote to give straight answers.
While we wait for them to respond, I’d encourage you to follow the lead of some of the folks above and think about the specifics. Every candidate this year will tell you that “affordability” is a top concern. You deserve details.
And if you’re really lucky, you’ll find a life partner who will join you in your love of all things wonky … and warn you when to get out of the pool.
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15 questions for the candidates for Orange County mayor. Where do they stand?