- March 12, 2025
What should be done with regard to the housing market?
I do not see the county government being involved in the free market, further than the recent impact-fee reductions that were put in place by the Board of County Commissioners. Further county government involvement in the private market would be ineffective.
Is there room for further cuts to the county budget or would that mean sacrificing too much?
The county budget has been reduced by about $1 million since 2007, and the social service programs to our seniors cannot be reduced or eliminated. The county has been reducing expenditures for five years and has picked the low-hanging fruit already.
According to County Administrator (Craig Coffey), the staffing of the county is at a minimum number. Quality of life has to be maintained and our great quality that we has bears costs.
Why should people vote for you instead of your opponent?
There are definite contrasts between my opponent and myself.
a. I have more than 40 years of experience in management of companies, in union and nonunion environments, ranging from 27 to more than 500 employees. My opponent does not have this extensive or quality of experience.
b. I recently ... received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Aviation Business Administration from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. I emphasized accounting to better be qualified to analyze and question the budget.
c. The Florida Association of Counties offers ... training (for) County Commissioners to better perform their duties. These programs have been in effect since 1996, and I will pledge to follow the lead of our four former and current commissioners who have dedicated the time to attend these seminars.
Former Flagler County Commissioner Robert Abbott referred to this training this way: “The knowledge I gained while going through the (training) program was like getting a PhD in county government.” My opponent has not dedicated the time to gain any of these educational advantages in his 20-year tenure.
d. The over-crowding at the Flagler County jail has existed for more than 10 years, the same length as the half-cent sales tax, which is expiring Dec. 31. I preferred that this taxing question be placed on a referendum and the citizens of the county given an opportunity to express their opinion of it. My opponent was the deciding vote to pass this tax to the citizens.
I recently presented an alternative product to the jail situation, which deserves more consideration than being categorically dismissed as unacceptable by the (commission). If acceptable, this product would greatly reduce our investment in this project.
Any subject that comes before the (commission) will be voted on, by me, based on the merits of the issue, not the advantages received for reelection. I will not and have not taken contributions from any company over (which) I may have to make a meritorious decision, especially no developers who may present requests.
In the past four years, my opponent has voted against the majority only two times of consequence.
I will be prepared for the meetings because I will be a full-time commissioner, not a part-timer, as my opponent says he is.
I want to serve the citizens of Flagler County, not because “I have nothing else to do,” as my opponent says.
I pay my annual ad valorem taxes because I own a home in Flagler County. My opponent has not owned a home in Flagler County since 1996, and even though he has determined how much you and I have to pay, he has “no skin in the game.”
In the past four years, my opponent has voted for four tax increases.
Following the questionnaire, we had each candidate come in for a follow-up interview. A sample of Whitaker’s responses are found below.
“I don’t know what more the county can do (with the budget). … They have made the obvious cuts … I don’t know how many more internal cuts there can be. … Most of the … social services … those can’t be cut. … Cutting services to those people, to me, is off the table
“(The commissioners) are going to say the only year they’ve raised taxes is this year … but if you look at the millage rate … this is the fifth consecutive year.”
On George Hanns’ voting record, Whitaker said:
“He has voted with the majority all but six times in the last four years. … Two of the times that he didn’t vote with the majority was to not place me on two of the county committees. … He (also) voted against the Carver Gym operating budget.”
On allegations to being removed from a county board for misconduct, Whitaker said:
“I wasn’t removed off the board; they cancelled the entire board.”
On why he should be elected over Hanns, he said:
“(Voters) are going to get somebody who cares about them, not somebody who doesn’t have anything better to do. … My opponent says he’s a part-time commissioner … we don’t need a part-time commissioner; we need a full-time commissioner. … You’re not going to get somebody who’s going to vote with the majority to ensure re-electability, because I’m running for a four-year term. I’m not running for a 20-year term. You’re going to get a guy who has the education to understand and analyze the budget.”
