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Thompson Believes Small Government Is The Best Government

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 12, 2008

Scott Thompson of Winter Haven has deep roots in Florida citrus and ranching. He is from the third generation citrus growers, cattle ranchers and farmers.

Thompson has worked in agribusiness, real estate and research and development. He and his wife, Kimberlee, have two daughters, Maralee and Alaina. Kimberlee, another Florida native, is a public school teacher and the owner of a small horse farm.

Thompson describes himself as an outdoorsman and a conservation-minded candidate who understands that Florida's environment must be protected, while respecting individual private property rights.

Q: The Florida Legislature shifted a chunk of the tax burden to local cities and counties. Was this a good or bad move? Please explain your answer.

The shift of the tax burden should have been managed better. Small government is the best government, and I firmly support local control. The Legislature needs to shrink the size of government by beginning with their own chamber, rather than forcing municipalities to adopt arbitrary state-imposed restrictions.

Q: Do you believe Florida's environmental laws are adequate, inadequate, or too stringent?

I do not believe that our current environmental laws are adequate. There are municipalities who are pumping raw sewage into our coastal waters, state funds for improving water quality and developing alternative sources have been slashed, and we are not adequately dealing with the problem of urban sprawl. Conservation and preservation of Florida's environment and water must be a top priority for future legislators.

Q: Is Florida's property tax system fair? If not, how would you change it? If so, make a case for why it's a fair system.

Florida's property tax system is inequitable and unfair. Expanding local and state governments have shifted the tax burden onto certain classes of property owners, creating two separate and very unequal property tax systems in Florida. True, comprehensive tax reform that better achieves equality will require legislators to make difficult and possibly even unpopular decisions. However, that is exactly the reason they are sent to Tallahassee. It is time for new leaders with new ideas.

Q: Do you support Gov. Crist's deal with U.S. Sugar? Was it handled properly?

While I support the intent of Gov. Crist's deal, I do not believe that it was handled properly. The deal was largely hatched in secret, out of the sunshine, and without transparency. While there are many positives that may come out of this ambitious purchase, many questions remain. What will happen to the 1,800 U.S. Sugar workers who are left without a job? How did negotiators arrive at the price of $9,875 per acre, and is that actually a fair price? Why is Florida considering using the area for ethanol production, and if sugarcane is going to be used to produce ethanol, then exactly why are Florida taxpayers being asked to fork over $1.75 billon? Instead of being answered, these questions lurk just below a shadowy surface. By negotiating in the sunshine, Gov. Crist and U.S. Sugar could have sought input from a variety of sources, and many of these questions could have been answered. However, that was not the way it was handled. I learned growing up that when something looks too good to be true, it probably is - increased transparency would have given us the answers we need.

Q: What can you do in the Legislature to keep home insurance rates low in the coming years?

Floridians have been waiting too long for lower homeowners' insurance rates. Over the last several years, politicians and lobbyists have colluded in Tallahassee, passing several schemes designed to lower our insurance rates. These schemes have failed to increase competition, failed to bring insurance companies back into the state, and failed to lower insurance rates. In 2008, legislators were given the opportunity to clamp down on all lines of insurance, not just hurricane insurance. J.D. Alexander, who chairs the state Senate's powerful General Government Appropriations Committee, was one of only seven senators to vote against these new provisions. As a state senator, I will fight for comprehensive insurance reform and the interests of the people, not the insurance companies.

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