Citizen Coalition PC

Citizen Coalition PC We are a diverse group of citizens - a cross-section of all political parties, affiliations and interests - united to improve local government.

Vote “NO” on Wild Spaces & Public Places
$130 MILLION SALES TAX INCREASE on the Nov. 8, 2016 ballot. We are a diverse group of citizens representing a cross-section of all political parties, affiliations and interests. We have come together in a united effort to promote improved local government. Our immediate concern is defeating the Wild Spaces & Public Places
sales tax initiative on the Nov. 8,

2016 ballot. The Wild Spaces & Public Places sales tax increase is an 8-year, $130 million, top-down, regressive tax. It takes the most money from those who can least afford it, and then misspends it on things they’ve never asked for. The Wild Spaces Tax provides:
$0 to fight economic disparity
• Gainesville has the 4th highest income disparity of any city in the United States.
• The poverty rate in Gainesville is 35.7% – more than 130% of the national average.
• In the 32641 zip code, 1 in 5 families live on less than $10,000 per year.
$0 to fight educational disparity
• 4 of our public elementary schools hold back 30% or more of their 3rd Graders each year.
• 75% of those schools are East of Main Street in Gainesville.
$0 to fix broken roads and fight traffic congestion
• Alachua County past budget priorities have left a $550 million road repair “backlog.”
• Local government reduces traffic lanes instead of building new roads to ease congestion.
$75+ million to buy more land into permanent conservation
• Alachua County has the highest property tax rates of any county in Florida.
• Only 41% of Gainesville city-limits land remains on the tax rolls – the lowest of any city in FL.
• Alachua County has already purchased 30,000 acres with $100 million+ of taxpayer money. Your Vote Matters
Citizens were never allowed to vote AGAINST the unnecessary and fiscally irresponsible 30 yr. $3.1 billion dollar GREC biomass contract that left GRU ratepayers paying the highest utility bills in the state of Florida. Citizens can vote AGAINST the unnecessary $130 million 8 yr. Wild Spaces Sales Tax on Nov. 8th. Our community has already done a great job with land conservation, and we believe it is irresponsible to take more property off the tax rolls. This tax does not even cover the cost of maintaining the land to be purchased – the additional cost will come from further reductions in the regular county budget. Our coalition members are AGAINST the $130 million 8 year Wild Spaces & Public Places Sales tax. This is the last ballot initiative listed on the Nov. 8th ballot – ALACHUA COUNTY QUESTION 2
Please vote AGAINST this unnecessary tax.

Get out the vote!
11/08/2016

Get out the vote!

Thank you, City Commissioner Charles Goston!We stand with you and East Gainesville - District 1 to vote AGAINST the 8 ye...
11/04/2016

Thank you, City Commissioner Charles Goston!

We stand with you and East Gainesville - District 1 to vote AGAINST the 8 year $130 million Wild Spaces sales tax increase.

Flawed tax

The Wild Spaces and Public Places proposed sales tax is not about “quality of life,” it's about enriching a small group of people at the expense of the rest. I encourage the people living in Alachua County to vote against the $130 million, eight year sales tax when we have other pressing needs.

I support parks and recreation, but we do not have to tax ourselves more to have them. Our county has already done a great job with land conservation and we cannot afford to maintain the land we already have. Our sidewalks and roads are crumbling, and we have other public safety concerns and our people are in dire need of better-paying jobs.

Wild Spaces & Public Places is not a continuation of anything, it is a new tax and it is not for two years. Far worse, it is for eight years. Vote against this flawed and dishonestly peddled new sales tax.

Charles Goston
District 1 City Commissioner

The cost of growthGainesville and Alachua County are committed to continued growth beyond what will allow our area to remain recognizable as Florida.

Thank you, Larry McDaniel! This is what a leader sounds like!"I'm here to humbly request the citizens of Alachua County ...
11/04/2016

Thank you, Larry McDaniel! This is what a leader sounds like!

"I'm here to humbly request the citizens of Alachua County to vote AGAINST the proposed Wild Spaces, 8 year, $130 million sales tax..."

"The tax is a bad idea."

"To me the real question is the significant needs we have outside of conservation land - the dire need for better job opportunities, the need for road construction, the need to build our infrastructure where it is attractive to businesses."

"Not one dollar goes to economic depravity or the creation of jobs in eastern Alachua County. Not one dollar." -Larry McDaniel

11/04/2016

Thank you, Larry McDaniel! This is what a leader sounds like!

"I'm here to humbly request the citizens of Alachua County to vote AGAINST the proposed Wild Spaces, 8 year, $130 million sales tax..."

"The tax is a bad idea."

"To me the real question is the significant needs we have outside of conservation land - the dire needs for better job opportunities, the need for road construction, the need to build our infrastructure where it is attractive to businesses."

"Not one dollar goes to economic depravity or the creation of jobs in eastern Alachua County. Not one dollar."

Who is backing the 8-year $130 million Wild Spaces tax increase? One voted in the 30 year $2.1 billion  (when it's not r...
11/01/2016

Who is backing the 8-year $130 million Wild Spaces tax increase?

One voted in the 30 year $2.1 billion (when it's not running, more when it is) biomass plant.

The other led the non-profit that helped buy 27,000 acres of land off the tax rolls for $100 million of taxpayer money.

Halloween is over but this is still scary!

Vote AGAINST the Wild Spaces tax increase!

As this exhausting and often infuriating election season enters its last week, many of us are ready to cast our ballots and be done with it all. But our

Thank you, Ben Butler!Vote AGAINST the Wild Spaces tax increase."...the Wild Spaces & Public Places initiative on the No...
11/01/2016

Thank you, Ben Butler!

Vote AGAINST the Wild Spaces tax increase.

"...the Wild Spaces & Public Places initiative on the Nov. 8 county ballot that expects to raise $130.2 million over eight years. That’s enough to build over five schools! So, is putting walking trails through swamp land five times more important than educating our kids?"

"Remember, too, there is at least a $360 million backlog in road repairs. Priorities need adjusting."

Safer roadsThe day after returning from my best friend's funeral — he was killed on his bike by a driver who admitted to police he had vision

Thank you Commissioner Pinkoson!Pinkoson "said conservation projects have done well over the last 15 years and now the c...
10/31/2016

Thank you Commissioner Pinkoson!

Pinkoson "said conservation projects have done well over the last 15 years and now the county needs to figure out how to pay its employees a living wage, fund a children’s services advisory board and help those who may be affected by the downgrading of some fire stations.

“I think we’ve done well on conservation and I think it’s time to focus our energies on something else,” said Pinkoson. “That argument needs to go out there.’’

Vote AGAINST the Wild Spaces sales tax increase.

The County Commission has decided to ask voters by way of the Nov. 8 ballot to renew a half-cent sales tax that will be used to fund conservation lands

Wild Spaces tax promoters are leading others to believe that this tax is already in place and not an increase. These sta...
10/31/2016

Wild Spaces tax promoters are leading others to believe that this tax is already in place and not an increase. These statements are false and designed to mislead voters.

"Back in 2008, the original Wild Spaces & Public Places half-cent sales tax passed with 51.5 percent support and raised $32.3 million during its two-year life." - Gainesville Sun

Don't be fooled. This is a new tax that increases rates.

After the August primary all but settled this year’s Alachua County Commission races, a big election question looming in November for county voters

Join local small businesses... vote AGAINST the Wild Spaces tax!
10/29/2016

Join local small businesses... vote AGAINST the Wild Spaces tax!

The Gainesville Chamber of Commerce recently voted not to support the Wild Spaces Public Places tax referendum on November's ballot.

Thanks, local business owners! "Business leaders say 20 percent of county lands are already in permanent conservation......
10/29/2016

Thanks, local business owners!

"Business leaders say 20 percent of county lands are already in permanent conservation..."

Business leaders say 20 percent of county lands are already in permanent conservation, and that tax dollars would be better spent on school needs.

10/28/2016

Commissioner Todd Chase on Wild Spaces Tax --

"I'm concerned over the appearance of conflicts of interest among some of the elected officials, local organizations, “consultants,” activists and future beneficiaries who ardently support the idea of you handing them $130 million dollars of your money for their pet projects. Find the reports from the Wild Spaces PAC for an interesting read at www.votealachua.com/Candidates-Parties-PACs/Political-Action-Committees."

Spread the word! Vote AGAINST the Wild Spaces Tax!

Below is listing of active political action committees in Alachua County. For a listing of inactive PACs, please click here. Financial Reports can be viewed here.

Thank you, Commissioner Chase!"I'm concerned over the appearance of conflicts of interest among some of the elected offi...
10/28/2016

Thank you, Commissioner Chase!

"I'm concerned over the appearance of conflicts of interest among some of the elected officials, local organizations, “consultants,” activists and future beneficiaries who ardently support the idea of you handing them $130 million dollars of your money for their pet projects. Find the reports from the Wild Spaces PAC for an interesting read at www.votealachua.com/Candidates-Parties-PACs/Political-Action-Committees.

"As a Gainesville City Commissioner, and, more importantly, in memory of my mother and everyone out there working hard, I can’t possibly say this is the top priority for you to tax yourself for. Vote no for this tax and yes to better priorities."

— Todd Chase is a Gainesville city commissioner representing District 2.

Fellow Citizens -- The sales tax vote is listed last on the ballot

ALACHUA COUNTY QUESTION 2, Wild Spaces & Public Places

Join us in voting “AGAINST” this flawed and dishonest $130 Million 8yr. sa;es tax.

After nearly six years as a Gainesville city commissioner, I cannot defend or support the Wild Spaces & Public Places sales tax initiative. The reason

Address

PO Box 7564
Gainesville, FL
32635

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