It’s a privilege to be serving District 5 again!
Since returning to office after a six-year absence, I have had tremendous support and well wishes from existing and new residents throughout the district.
Since taking office in January, my main priorities have been to make government more efficient during these difficult economic times and generally maintain the excellent quality of life we have in District 5.
Although recent census numbers have Orange County experiencing modest growth, our economy has taken a significant downturn and the management of limited and shrinking resources has become our No. 1 priority. It becomes incumbent upon the Board of County Commissioners to maintain stewardship of dwindling taxpayer dollars and preserve necessary services without increasing taxes. The BCC has appointed a streamlining commission to reduce the bureaucracy of county government, and we have already phased out redundant and duplicative regulations that unnecessarily increase costs for small businesses.
The BCC has also reduced impact fees by 25 percent to reflect a reduction in infrastructure costs for roads, schools and other services. This will help foster new jobs and stabilize the construction and related industries, which have been severely impacted by the recession. Orange County has been working hard to create an environment for the private sector to create jobs!
The opening of Woodbury Road within the Central Florida Research Park and completion of Taylor Creek Bridge are also two new infrastructure projects that will help alleviate traffic on the east side of Orange County.
The University of Central Florida and the Research Park continue to grow and expand, with the university now being the second largest in the U.S. The simulation industry at Research Park continues to attract high-paying jobs in the tech industry to our community.
Concerning our quality of life, I am working with our board and municipalities to strengthen regulations prohibiting simulated gambling in our community. We have also been working on cleanup days in our district and sidewalk projects to protect our children. Our next cleanup day will be held in Christmas on Sept. 24.
Long Branch Park in Bithlo will have a ribbon-cutting ceremony in August to welcome the public to enjoy its natural resources and trails. Please come and enjoy this environmental treasure!
It is an honor to serve the citizens of Orange County. I welcome any input and suggestions from you, so please contact me or my staff if we can be of assistance to you.
Very truly yours,