Fiscal Rangers

Updated FiscalRangers.com Conservative Voting Recommendations for Lake County, FL voters

Here are my recommendations for candidates and issues on the Nov. 8, 2016 ballot for Lake County, FL voters. Read more →

Lake County Republicans Recommend NO on Nov. 8 Ballot Initiative to "Renew" 40 year old 1 mill North Lake County Hospital District tax

The election ballot for Nov. 8, 2016 for Lake County, FL will contain a referndum item that asks voters to vote Yes or No to continue the 1 Mill North Lake County Hospital District property tax for another 10 years. The Lake County Republican Party held a forum of proponents and opponents of the ballot issue, and members voted over 2/3 to recommend a NO vote on the ballot. This article describes the issue and forum in more detail with links to the formal resolution to vote NO, the REC press release, video links, etc. Read more →

Lake County, FL - Three major conservative events this week - don't miss them

Tavares, FL Sept 26, 2016 Lake Countians: There are three important conservative events this week in Lake County, FL / Orlando. 1. Monday evening is the Presidential Debate. Don't miss it starting at 9pm. Avoid all the ads and talking heads by watching it on CSPAN on cable or over the internet. 2. Tuesday evening the Republican Party of Lake County is hosting a forum at 6pm to discuss the upcoming Nov. 8 ballot issue to approve or reject the TEN YEAR renewal of the 1 mill North Lake County Hospital District tax which collects about $10-million a year to subsidize indigent care at both Leesburg and Waternan Hospitals and five clinics. This is the first time in FORTY years that all North Lake taxpayers were allowed to vote on this thanks to a local law change by FL Rep. Larry Metz. The forum will allow the CEO's of the two hospitals to discuss the ballot issue vs Rep. Larry Metz and REC Board member Mark Fisher. I will video it for later upload to my FiscalRangersFlorida YouTube channel. Be there early to get a seat because I expect the hospitals to get many employees and patients there. 3. Wed.,... Read more →

Weekly FiscalRangers Update: Election Hijinks, Drug Smuggling, Supt. of Schools Search & More

Here is the FiscalRangers.com weekly update of local government and political issues in Lake County, FL. Read more →

North Lake County, FL Candidate Hob Nob Results - Leesburg, FL

Here are the results of over 700 straw poll votes for Lake County local, State and Federal elections taken at the Leesburg, FL Hob Nob. Read more →

Board Meeting of North Lake County Hospital District (FL NLCHD) Jan. 21, 2016

The Board of the North Lake County Hospital District met on Jan. 21, 2016 in Tavares, FL to hold a routine meeting. Several routine reports were presented but not discussed. I will attach or link them here when received. They also discussed the wording for the Nov. ballot measure to renew this tax. This Board supervises the implementation of a 1 mill property tax collected of home and business owners in North Lake County, FL. It generates about $8-million in taxes split between two hospitals and several clinics to offset the cost of un-reimbursed indigent care (where the patients cannot pay for medical services.) Read more →

North Lake County FL Hospital District Board approves 1-mill property tax and budget of $9.3-million

The North Lake County Hospital District Board met for the second required public hearing on Sept. 24, 2015 to determine the new fiscal year millage rate and related budget which were set at 1 mill and an expenditure budget of $9-million for fiscal year 2015-2016. Read more →

VOTE - Tomorrow - Here are our FiscalRangers.com Election Recommendations

Tavares, FL (Lake County, FL) Monday, August 25, 2014 Update Aug. 26, 9am: We have corrected 3 bloopers as noted below. If you haven't voted yet, below is our reminder and fiscally conservative recommendations for Lake County, FL (no cities). Forward this to anyone who you think could use the information. But first read this NOTE: DID you get your property tax TRIM notice this week and see how high the proposed tax is? The Lake County Board is having a workshop tomorrow (Tuesday) on the pending budget and proposed 18% tax hike. If you want to give them your opinion, call, write or go to the meeting and give public input. You will have to do that at the BEGINNING of the 10am meeting (not 9am) when public input is allowed. The workshop could be 1-3 hours later. This is a workshop, and not the TWO required public hearings which are the final votes on Sept. 9 and Sept 23rd at 5pm in the County Admin building. Plan to be at BOTH meetings. Here is where you can find a copy of the proposed budget Update: 4pm: We got this superb 5 page analysis of all the alternatives to... Read more →

2013 TV Report that Obamacare may reduce need for North Lake County Hospital District tax

Tavares, FL Posted August 6, 2014 This is a 2013 Channel 9 TV report on the possibility that the North Lake County Hospital District millage tax may not be needed as Obamacare picks up care for many uninsured patients. I am posting this here for the record. As far as I know, the NLCHD Board has not launched any investigation in 2014 into the further need for the District's 1 mill tax due to Obamacare coverages. http://www.wftv.com/news/news/local/affordable-care-act-could-ax-lake-county-hospital-/nbLJR/ However, the issue may be moot because a referendum for voters to approve or dis-approve to continue the 1 mill tax will be on a 2015 or 2016 referendum ballot. Vance Jochim Read more →

FiscalRangers Alert: Congratulations on qualifying for the Board of the North Lake County Hospital District

This is an older email now being posted on the blog. To: Duane Booth Vic Donahey Joyce Huey Friday was the deadline for opponents to file as candidates for the three open Board seats on the North Lake County Hospital District. None of you had opponents, so you will be on the board. Congratulations. You should be commended for joining a Board that pays nothing and is facing the task of getting voter support in 2015 or 2016 to renew the District and it's millage rate. I write a blog in Lake County on local politics, including the NLCHD. I am a taxpayer advocate and fiscal watchdog and come to all Board meetings and make videos of the meetings. I was involved in the reform movement to ensure there was a vote on the District and the reforms in HB-1299. I will be contacting you soon to get some information from you about your background and plans for the NLCHD. You probably know that their website is: http://www.northlakecountyhospitaldistrict.org/home/ I assume you have been given a copy of the HB-1299 that reformed the District administration. But, I see it disappeared from the website, so here is the link: http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Bills/billsdetail.aspx?BillId=48551 You should... Read more →