I am a candidate for Marion County Commission District 3. I have volunteered in our community, working on a wide range of issues, since 1985. My experiences during this time leave me concerned that we are losing our quality of life. I fear my children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren here in Marion will not get to enjoy the quality of life that your family and mine have known. Unfortunately Marion County is becoming less affordable for our working families and retirees. I do not want Marion County to become another Miami Dade.

Water use is being restricted; we hear every day that our water is diminishing because of development and drought conditions. Yet our county leaders continue to approve more development. Our buildable lot inventory is over 100,000. It isn't reasonable to add more lots until we solve our most pressing problems and know where the water resources are coming from and what they will cost. Allowing the continued deterioration of our world class springs would be a tragedy.

Highways are over crowded and at times unsafe. We face over $800 million dollars of unfunded maintenance to our existing highways. New construction for additional capacity is unfunded. We continue to take impact fee money and add capacity to roads that favor building additional roof tops instead of being used to improve unsafe and congested highways. After hiring two separate consultanting firms in 2007 to evaluate impact fees on development, the commissioners still have refused to implement their recommendations.

Our Solid Waste System is broken; we have wasted over $30 million dollars in reserve money that was designated for providing long term solutions. The county has hired a consultant to advise what to do with our solid waste. We cannot continue to add more waste to the system when for years we have not successfully managed what we have now.

The Sheriff is now working with fewer resources than other counties our size. The men and women of our Sheriff's department have kept us safe and have done a great job of doing more with less people and resources. Unfortunately, we may have arrived at a critical time in the budget process. Fully funding law enforcement is essential to keeping us safe and secure.

Fire Rescue and Advanced Emergency Services has improved in some parts of the county, while others have sustained diminished levels of service. We had over 60,000 911 calls last year, over 80 percent were for medical emergencies. The county is now reorganizing a very successful advanced life support program called EMSA because of cost and budget shortfalls. It is possible we could loose the benefit of long time skilled employees as a result of this reorganization. The most important services provided by local government are those services that secure the public health and safety. We must find the funding for Fire Rescue and Ambulance Service so we can secure these critical services for all citizens of Marion County.

It doesn't take a PHD in government management to know that local officials have not objectively found solutions to our growth related issues. We only need to look at south Florida to understand what unmanaged growth will bring. Let's fix what is wrong and work to provide good jobs while protecting our environment. Our working families are challenged beyond imagination by rising fuel costs, higher insurance costs, little or no health insurance, rising property taxes and low wages. Our retirees are given one price tag to get them here and then given another price tag after they are here for a while. That is not fair. I am not willing to witness the deterioration and loss of our open green spaces, beautiful horse farms and the peaceful, quiet, safe enjoyment of life here in Marion. I see no reason for us to become another South Florida. This is why I am a candidate.

PLEASE VOTE FOR MIKE SIZEMORE FOR MARION COUNTY COMMISSION DISRICT 3 ON NOVEMBER 4TH.

Sincerely,

Mike