Race to the House

South Florida candidates battle it out in two major state rep races. Who will you send to Tallahassee?

By Angie Hargot and Ben Torter

Which candidates will be the next to assume a State House seat?

On Aug. 26 SunPost readers will go to the polls to choose members of the state House of Representatives for Districts 106 and 109. We gave each candidate in our readership districts a list of questions about how they would handle some of the toughest issues they will face. Here’s what they had to say.

DISTRICT 106

Joe Geller

Mayor of North Bay Village, Geller has been chair of the Miami-Dade County Democratic Party for roughly 12 years, and worked with the campaigns of President Bill Clinton, presidential candidates Al Gore and John Kerry, and former Attorney General Janet Reno. Geller has served as a member of the Miami-Dade County Fair Campaign Practices Committee, works extensively with the American Jewish Congress, is on the Advisory Board of the Women’s Emergency Network, and works pro bono for the Democracy Movement, as well as serving as co-counsel for human rights organization SAVE Dade.

Top concerns for District 106?

“Windstorm insurance availability and affordability, health insurance availability and affordability including prescription drugs, better funding for education, and property tax fairness.”

The rising costs of windstorm and flood insurance?

“We need to get tough on the insurance companies. We need to put their executives under oath to find out why they haven’t kept their promises to reduce rates if the state increased funding for the catastrophic insurance fund. We need to force them to disclose their profits and their rate-making models, and to better regulate how they use models to set rates. We need to encourage hardening of buildings and tough building regulations, which have to apply to the Panhandle the same way they do here in South Florida. We need to give condo owners incentives to harden their buildings, too. We must allow people to get insurance on seawalls. We need to press for a national catastrophic insurance fund.”

Constitutional Amendment 5?

“I oppose Amendment 5 completely. It is a terrible idea. We’re already underfunding schools, and this will just exacerbate the problem. Sales taxes are regressive, and they are also unstable, since they tend to provide the least money when you need the money most; in hard times, people stop buying things and spend less on vacations. This would also
hurt our vital tourist industry. The Legislature cannot be trusted to replace the missing money, and every year would be a struggle for education funding. A broad-based services tax is a failed idea that should not be revived.”

Richard L. Steinberg

The son of former Florida State Sen. Paul B. Steinberg, Miami Beach City Commissioner Richard L. Steinberg has served on the board of directors of the Dade County Bar Association and Miami Beach Bar Association, and serves the community as a member of the board of directors of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Miami and as a member of the Miami Beach Transportation and Parking Committee. Steinberg was 28 when in 2001 he became the second youngest person ever elected to the Miami Beach City Commission. He serves as vice chair of the Land Use and Development Committee, president and legislative chairman of the Miami-Dade League of Cities and as a governing board member for the Miami-Dade Metropolitan Planning Organization, among other roles in the community.

Top concerns for District 106?

Education: “Sadly, state leaders have made education a low priority. We must change course and make K–12 and higher education our top priority if we intend to move Florida in the right direction with a vibrant economy.… We must properly fund our education system, increase teachers’ pay, reduce class sizes and overhaul the FCAT to take away the emphasis on a one-size-fits-all test that merely aims for minimum competency.…”

Property insurance premiums: “If elected, I will advocate and support common-sense solutions that ensure our property insurance market is stabilized and rate premiums are lowered.”

Health care: “In Tallahassee, I will support reforms to the Florida KidCare program so every child in our state has access to quality and affordable health care. Second, I will build on the health care reforms that Governor Crist and the Legislature supported during the 2008 legislative session, which were a small first step to provide coverage to the 3.8 million uninsured Floridians.... I will fight to expand the Prescription Drug Affordability Program to cover more seniors and lower prescription prices by pooling with other states."

The rising costs of windstorm and flood insurance?

“Today, we have four paths we should take to begin long-term healing: One path is where the state attracts new, small, private insurance companies that will bring new capital to the state so risk can be spread across the state rather than be concentrated in high-risk areas. These small, private insurance companies would be eligible for the state’s Small Insurer Capital Investment Build-Up program and would be required to write policies currently in Citizens Property Insurance. The second path is where the state creates a wind insurance program and offers all property insurance policies a level of coverage.… The third path is through the expansion of the My Safe Florida Home program to cover condominium owners. It has been determined that every dollar spent ‘hardening’ a home returns $4 over the life of that home.… The program should be expanded.... The fourth path is to obtain transparency in rate setting. Florida’s Office of Insurance Regulation must have the ability to examine the methodology used to determine rates... Insurers should not be able to avoid this oversight by purchasing reinsurance from related entities.”

Constitutional Amendment 5?

“I oppose Constitutional Amendment 5 because there is no guarantee that education funding will be held harmless. We have seen the disastrous cuts to education as a result of a $5 billion budget deficit. Legislative leaders have taken aim at public education funding by cutting over $1 billion this year and our children are paying the price for these poor decisions. I cannot imagine what could happen to our children and public education funding if the Legislature is left with a gaping $9 billion hole.”

DISTRICT 109

James Bush III

Bush III was elected to the Florida House of Representatives in 1992. He served four consecutive two-year terms, and has spent nine years as an evangelical minister. He has worked for more than 25 years in the Miami-Dade County Public School System as a teacher and administrator.

Top concerns for District 109?

“The population diversity of District 109 gives cause for a laundry list of district needs.  Yet, the two most pressing concerns are considered to be the availability of affordable housing and rising home-condo insurance cost, and living wage employment opportunities with health benefit options.” 

The rising costs of windstorm and flood insurance?

“There is no one right answer to fix this ongoing problem. The Legislature during its last session worked on CS/HB 983, entitled ‘Windstorm Insurance Coverage.’ When elected, I will work with the legislative staff, Insurance Committee and commission to ensure that we continue to explore the best possible options, and pass legislation that will ensure affordable coverage for all.”

Constitutional Amendment 5?

“I do not support the amendment in its current form and believe we should continue to review and evaluate other options for tax relief and dedicated funding for education. Removal of [the local school property tax] at a time when we are already facing major cuts in education would not be prudent.… Given our economy, [the sales tax increase] will bring an undue burden on the citizens.”

Johnnie Edward Cooper Jr.

Cooper Jr. served as a volunteer under state Reps. James Bush III and Kendrick Meek, a mayoral assistant under Opa-locka Mayor Robert Ingram, a committee member of the Legislative Committee and Democratic Action Group, and has previously run for state representative seats in Districts 61 and 109.

The SunPost could not obtain responses to the questions in time for publication.

Roy Hardemon

A Miami-Dade Parks Department employee, Hardemon previously ran for the District 109 seat in 1998, 2000, 2002 and 2004.

Top concerns for District 109?

“Economic development, education and crime.”

The rising costs of windstorm and flood insurance?

“Not being a homeowner, I have not studied the issue, but [I’m] committed to protect all homeowners [from] cost increases [in] insurance coverage.”

Constitutional Amendment 5?

“Stop the bait-and-switch games on property taxes.”

Robert Malone Jr.

Malone Jr. was a legislative aide to state Rep. Larcenia Bullard in 1994. He is a recruiter for Florida A&M University and an adjunct professor for Brown Mackie College. He has served in administrative roles with the Black Male College Explorers Program, as a member of the Community Action Agency of Liberty City and as a board member of Florida Coalition for the Homeless.

Top concerns for District 109?

“There is a lack of economic development that leads to job creation, 23 to 28 percent of individuals that lack health care in Miami-Dade County, [which amounts to] 700,000 people, and a significant number of  constituents in District 109 [who lack resources], and have to conduct their daily lives doing more with less. My passion is education. The leadership in the state of Florida should acknowledge that its educational system and consumers are in bad shape.… Resources should be spent to promote high expectations, not assessment tests.”  

The rising costs of windstorm and flood insurance?

“I would resolve the windstorm insurance crisis by initiating an active campaign to attract more insurance companies to Florida that sell windstorm insurance. The competition among the companies would drive down the cost while improving the overall coverage. Lastly, I think there needs to be a strong effort to assist citizens in … investing in mitigation such as shutters and wind-resistant roofs.” 

Constitutional Amendment 5? 

“According to my research, the loss would be closer to $11 billion.… The sales tax isn’t raising nearly what it did.... A one-cent increase would raise “perhaps as little as one-third” of “what the tax cut took away.” Eliminating some sales tax exemptions might raise only $1 billion.The idea of using sales tax [revenue] to raise money for education lacks intellectual and social integrity. An increase in sales tax is an increase on low- and middle-income citizens in the state of Florida.”

Bess McElroy

McElroy worked for 20 years as an administrator for the city of Miami and served as a community activist for affordable housing, economic development and education. She was vice chair of the Miami-Dade Democratic Party Executive Committee, vice president of the Democratic Black Caucus of Florida and the NAACP. She was president of People United to Lead the Struggle for Equality, the local organization that helped establish the Civilian Investigative Panel, and now serves on that board.

Top concerns for District 109?

Education: “We need more money for Miami-Dade Public Schools. The larger school district legislators in the state must work together to restructure the school funding formula to deal with the reality of large school districts like Miami-Dade’s. We cannot properly finance education, pay teachers, support staff, custodial staff, bus drivers and other personnel at current funding calculations. [Florida statute] requires the commissioner to annually compute District Cost Differentials.…We need to to meet the reality of Miami-Dade’s cost of living.… I will work to ensure that the state stop playing the bait-and-switch game and actually use lottery dollars to enhance educational dollars and not as substitute funds. [Studies show that] fewer than 60 percent of Florida students graduate from school.… Dropouts are more likely to become criminals.”

Health care: “Millions of Floridians are uninsured or underinsured because of rising medical costs. All Floridians should be insured regardless of illness or pre-existing conditions. Benefits should be similar to those offered to state employees. … Health care coverage should have portability.”

The rising costs of windstorm and flood insurance?

“We must encourage our congressional delegation to strengthen the National Flood Insurance Program to protect Floridians who can’t afford or get flood insurance. We must ensure coverage from the Citizens Property Insurance Corporation…We must employ an approach similar to that used in California, whereby insurers who write multiple lines of business in Florida may not withdraw from the windstorm market unless they withdraw from all markets in Florida.”

Constitutional Amendment 5?

“Vote NO to Amendment Five! Schoolteachers, business groups and even Republican legislators know that the Amendment 5 tax-swap is actually a tax increase that would leave public education in Florida $7 billion in the hole.… Moreover, this tax swap will have a devastating impact on critical public services such as health care, care for frail elders, criminal justice and human services.”

Barbara Bibas Montero

Businesswoman Barbara Bibas Montero campaigns on bringing honesty and compassion to government without pandering to special interests. Her platforms include education, elderly issues, and economic development in conjunction with job creation. Hailing from a career as a marketing executive, she serves as chair of the Miami Beach Commission for Women Leadership Committee, and vice president of the Partnership in Housing, among other service roles.

Top concerns for District 109?

“Florida is in the middle of a health care crisis. The fact that 3.8 million people do not have health insurance (approximately 500,000 of whom are children) is not only a problem for patients but also for doctors and hospitals. The Dade County Medical Association and the Florida Medical Association have endorsed me and I intend to work closely with them.” Education: “We must allocate enough financial resources to insure that our children receive the best education possible…We need to pay our teachers at least to the national average and build coalitions with the business community to insure meaningful programs such as career academies and workforce education.”

The rising costs of wind-storm and flood insurance?

“Windstorm insurance [problems] threatens our viability as a state. Many people are paying as much or nearly as much for their insurance as they are for their mortgages. We need to seek a solution with the federal government that is similar to flood insurance, where a vast pool is created to spread the costs of insurance across a large base of subscribers.”

Constitutional Amendment 5?

“Even though reducing our property taxes by 25 to 30 percent is an attractive proposition, I could not support this amendment until we have a replacement for the shortfall in public education — it’s too risky, and education is too valuable. The real solution lies in the fact that we need tax reform and a complete overhaul of the system.”

Christopher Norwood

Having worked under termed-out Rep. Dorothy Bendross-Mindingall as a legislative aide, Christopher Norwood is campaigning on education, children’s and civil rights platforms. The candidate has worked toward passage of legislation to reduce gun violence and has served as a community advocate with the Children’s Trust and is currently the executive director of Lawyers for Children, among other service roles.

Top concerns for District 109?
Education: “We have so many schools that are not preparing our youth for success. I believe that early learning is key: ensuring that our children are prepared to enter school is the wisest investment of taxpayers’ monies.

Housing: “Affordable housing is at a standstill. I believe that the state needs to step in where local government has either failed or just been too slow to address the needs of the people. Jobs: “District 109 is in desperate need of job and training programs. Government must lead the way in providing opportunities for people who have made mistakes in the past [and have criminal records]. The recidivism rate of our prisons is directly related to [released] felons’ ability to be employed.”

The rising costs of windstorm and flood insurance?

“The simplest thing to do is to expand Citizens [Property] Insurance Company. This is a state-created entity that should be allowed to occupy more of the windstorm insurance marketplace. Our conservative Legislature has not allowed this to happen and has kept the quality of Citizens at a low level and unable to compete with other insurers. When private insurers do not want to serve Floridian homeowners, it is up to government as the final protector of our general welfare to step in.”

Constitutional Amendment 5?

“It would be detrimental to our school district and I’m totally against it. Financing schools through sales taxes is a terrible idea. I think that our school district needs more stability in its forecasting. Sales tax revenue can change at any time due to a tourism drop or anything else that limits consumer spending.”

Leslie “Les” Quezaire

A former captain in the United States Army, Les Quezaire also served as a Miami-Dade state prosecutor. He worked for then Miami-Dade County State Attorney Janet Reno, and later Katherine Fernandez-Rundle, and has since worked as a trial lawyer. The candidate is active in community groups, including the Miami City Mission Youth Center, the Black Women Bar Association, and serves as a mentor and assistant wrestling coach to area schools, as well as other community service roles.

Top concerns for District 109?

Education: “Miami-Dade County is the largest school district in Florida. I will attack the dropout rates of our children, work to revamp or scrap the FCAT, and work with the other members of the South Florida delegation to secure better funding.” Public Safety: “Our citizens must be able to walk outside … without apprehension about being a victim of crime. I will work with local, state and federal law enforcement agencies and community groups to fund and support community-based law enforcement.” Affordable Housing and Economic Development: “Both areas will improve when the first two issues improve, and businesses see that District 109 is a place where new and old businesses can thrive.”

The rising cost of windstorm and flood insurance?

“There is a need for the Florida Legislature along with the private sector to develop a system that is stable, competitive and profitable for insurance companies, as well as affordable for citizens. That starts with bringing in smaller but still financially stable companies to provide a more diverse array of choices for Floridians.”

Constitutional Amendment 5?

“I am against Amendment 5. The scheme is a bait-and-switch — Amendment 5 does not spell out exactly how our schools will be funded once property taxes are no longer the funding source. There is no guaranteed funding mechanism in place; thus Amendment 5 leaves the public school system exposed to whims of the political party that is in power.”

Cynthia A. Stafford

Term-limited Rep. Dorothy Bendross-Mindingall has expressed support for Legal Aid Society attorney Cynthia Stafford, who has received several other high-profile endorsements. Among other platforms, Stafford campaigns on fully funding Medicaid and giving home and business owners a property tax exemption equal to the county's median home value.

Top concerns for District 109?

Education: “Florida is at the bottom in education spending and graduation rates.  I believe an investment in education is an investment not only in children but also in the future of this state.” Health care: “Over 3 million people in Florida do not have health insurance (over 500,000 are children, and 120,000 children in Miami-Dade County do not have health insurance).” Economic development: “More than half a million workers in Florida are without jobs, Florida ranks second in the nation in foreclosure, and businesses need increased financial and technical assistance.”

The rising costs of windstorm and flood insurance?

“I believe solutions include increasing the penalties for insurers who violate state rules and regulations that govern the industry, increasing the Cabinet’s regulatory authority and enforcement powers, and extending the fee on Citizens [Property Insurance Corporation] rates with an eye toward incremental increases once the economy begins to stabilize.”

Constitutional Amendment 5?

“I am against Amendment 5. I believe the amendment will swap property taxes for sales taxes. The amendment proposes to eliminate the property tax that pays for schools and provide Florida property owners with a tax cut (25 to 40 percent). Florida needs $8 billion for public education; the proposed swap would generate about $4 billion.… The amendment would have a dire impact on public education in this state.” 

Virginia Lora and Rene Basulto contributed to this report.