Fiscal Rangers

How do 17,000 US Conservatives Educate US House & Senate members to vote on Conservative Issues?

Karen Jaroch, Florida Regional Coordinator, speaking about the Heritage Action organization, which is a community action spinoff of think tank Heritage Foundation. Read more →

Video of Lake County, FL Elections Canvassing Board "Audit" of vote machine counts vs manual count

The Lake County, FL Elections Canvassing Board performed an audit on Nov. 21, 2016 to compare a sample of paper ballot counts to machine generated totals. This is an overview of the process and a link to the video of the 3+ hour process. This includes some observations about loopholes in the "audit" process. Read more →

Lake County, FL Candidate Meet & Greet Notice: Feb. 18 in Tavares

The North Lake County Tea Party and the Lake Federated Republican Women’s Club is hosting a local candidate election meet and greet event on Feb. 18 at 6:30 pm in Tavares, FL for ALL new and re-election partisan and non-partisan candidates for any party or office in Lake County. The event is open to all voters. Read more →

Results of Sept. 12-13, 2014 Florida Tea Party Network Conference in Clermont on Common Core & Other Subjects- videos, files

The Florida Tea Party Network (TTPN) held a two day conference in Clermont, FL in Lake County on Sept. 12-13, 2014. Subject covered included Common Core, National Security, and other conservative issues. About 125 people attended. This page will be updated with links to speaker videos, Powerpoints, an overview outline of speaker issues, etc. by Sunday, Sept. 21. Read more →

Florida House Dist. 31 Race Candidates and Our Recommendations

Our overview and recommendations of 2014 election candidates for Florida House District 31 which includes Apopka, Eustis, Mt. Dora and Tavares in Lake County and Orange County, Florida. Candidates include Belita Grassel, Jennifer Sullivan, Joseph Stephens, Randy Glisson and Terri Seefeldt. Article also includes links to videos of candidate forums and other news media articles. Read more →

Attend Today's Tavares July 4th Parade AND be sure see Dinesh D'Souzas Patriotic Movie "America" this weekend

Tavares, FL July 4th, 2014 Be sure to attend the July 4th Parade in downtown Tavares. Be there before 4:30. Parade starts at 5pm Today is the great patriotic holiday, July 4th. “America” is a patriotic movie now in theaters, including the AMC theaters in Leesburg, where the producer, Dinesh D’Souza, describes all the complaints about America by liberals, then takes them apart one by one. You walk out of the theater being proud of America, not hostile towards America like Obama and the liberals. I saw the movie yesterday, and it was great. It helps understand the clear difference between American hating liberals and American loving patriots and conservatives. One big learning point for me is that the way that people increase wealth in most other countries is through CONQUEST, using force to TAKE property or countries. In the US, we have Constitutional freedoms and property rights they don’t have, and thus INDIVIDUAL Americans ALL have the opportunity to build wealth through entrepreneurship and improving property values. Dinesh provides examples. It is a big difference, and “professional” media reporters need to educate themselves on these issues if they really want to be a “balanced” reporter and also provide visibility... Read more →

Leslie Campione Running for Re-Election - Video at North Lake Tea Party

Lake County Commissioner Leslie Campione is running for re-election and gave this 60 minute talk at the May 7, 2014 meeting of the North Lake County Tea Party. The video contains links to her website and to that of the North Lake Tea Party. Read more →

Lake County School Board Votes to TABLE discussion on allowing Gay Clubs at Middle Schools

Tavares, FL - Thursday, Apr. 25, 2013 by Vance Jochim - FiscalRangers.com - UPDATES will be added to this document as received. The Lake County Board meeting this past Monday, April 22nd, included an agenda item for the second and final vote to approve extra-curricular clubs at Lake County middle schools, which would include a proposed Gay Straight Alliance club (GSA) at Carver Middle School which many people objected to because they believed 6th & 7th graders should not be confronted with groups focuses on sexual lifestyles. The only other alternative allowed by the Federal “Equal Access” law was to prohibit all extra-curricular clubs, including those focused on community service, Christian groups, etc. but it would also exclude the GSA club. Note: This blog writer was against formation of Gay Clubs at Middle Schools (see why in attachment below). This picture taken from the right side of the room, which had about 1/3 of the audience in the "Communist Red" shirts, indicating support of the liberal coordinated GSA club. The other 2/3 on the far side of the room were LOCALS who were against it. Plus there were many sitting outside this filled room watching on monitors. Normally, Lake County... Read more →

FiscalRangers Watchdog to Host Sept. 6th Public Meeting to Explain Coming LOCAL Lake County Property Tax Rate Hikes up to 72% & Understanding TRIM Notices

Tavares, FL - Sept. 2, 2012 - News and local government issues for Lake County, FL by Vance Jochim Updates Sept 4: Added section 10 to "homework" section that includes links to FL Dept of Revenue guides that most taxpayers never see. Added section 11 for email from Lake County Republican Party to Tax Authorities recommending NO increase in millage rates. This Thursday, Sept. 6, 6-8pm, FiscalRangers.com, a blog on local Lake County Florida Government Fiscal issues, will host a FREE property taxpayer public meeting at the Tavares Civic Center, 100 E. Caroline St., Tavares, FL to explain how and why your property taxes or rates are going up, and tips if you want to appeal your property valuations, lost exemptions, etc. You should have recently received your TRIM notice showing new valuations, changes in exemptions, proposed changes in millage rates, etc. Have you heard that many local Lake County tax "authorities" like cities, Lake County and various special districts are RAISING the millage rate used to calculate your property taxes? Even though your property tax valuation may be dropping, those authorities want to tax you as much or more as last year, so they are increasing your property tax... Read more →

Florida Tea Party Network Members Try, but Fails to get Adam Putnam to Fight $8-billion Energy Bill

Tavares, FL - June 12, 2012 Florida Tea Party Network representatives met with Florida Agricultural Commissioner Adam Putnam to understand why he supported HB-7117, an energy bill that will cost Florida taxpayers over $8-billion to subsidize "alternative" energy sources like wind and solar. it became law on April 14, 2012 without a requested veto from Gov. Scott. Thus your energy costs will go up more in the future to subsidize more costly wind & solar energy that is not reliable. The bill shifts energy surtaxes to selected recipients of residential and commercial property owners who make retrofits desired by GOVERNMENT (not market based). This is a typical Federal objectives "green" bill that uses tax funds to subsidize gvoernment desired "sustainable development" goals. The bill should be killed. Read BOTH of the Tea Party Network reports below and remember that when you are asked to vote for Adam Putnam in the future. Here is a link to Putnam's Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services webpage: http://www.myflorida.com/agency/1/ Here is a link to the Florida Senate Info page on HB-7117 http://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2012/7117 Here is the link to two reports from the Tea Party Network representatives, or read the entire text below. http://theteapartynetwork.org/2012/06/meeting-with-commissioner-putnam-on-energy-bill-hb-7117/ =========================================================================== Report... Read more →

Lessons for Lake County? Georgia City of 100,000 Outsources EVERYthing and is NOT broke.

Tavares, FL - May 21, 2012 by Vance Jochim Here is a great video from the Florida Tea party network about Sandy Springs, GA, population 100,000 (bigger than the Villages), which started outsourcing all their programs in 2005 after incorporating as a new city in Fulton County, GA, and now has NO debt. Watch the EIGHT minute video first, then return for my comments. The video was created by Reason.org which is a Libertarian think tank in California. Then ask your Lake County officials why they are not examining outsourcing services, and why unincorporated Sorrento - Mt. Plymouth is not incorporating as a city and outsourcing services? http://theteapartynetwork.org/2012/05/a-great-vision-of-municipal-government/ This city was initially a large unincorporated area in Fulton County, GA, and was taxed by the County for funds spent elsewherein the County. The County rarely paved or repaired roads. Democrats controlled the legislature and prevented Sandy Springs from incorporating as a city until 2005 when Republicans took control and allowed the City of Sandy Springs to be established. So, this was all done since 2005. "Companies are better than managing projects than government, and one contractor provided services for $25-million vs $50-million if run by the county government." Sandy Springs... Read more →

SamAdamsAlliance Market Research on the Tea Party & What's Next

This foundation, SamAdamsAlliance, funds various oversight groups and does research. This link goes to their 2010 series on the Tea Party, who is joining it, and what is next, but this page is before the 2010 elections & examined who makes up the Next Wave of activists joining this movement: Who is identifying with the Tea Party brand? How are they interacting with Early Adopters? How is the Next Wave making its mark on politics? What does all of this mean in terms of the 2010 elections? http://www.samadamsalliance.org/research/activist-insights/next-wave.aspx They also provided seed funding for the "Texas Watchdog" blog in Texas: http://www.texaswatchdog.org/about/who-is-funding-the-work/ vj Read more →

FiscalRangers.com Weekly Alert on Local Lake County Government Activities

Tavares, FL - Monday, June 13, 2011 - This was sent out yesterday by email, but I have included some important revisions: - Tuesday School District Board 1PM "Retreat" CANCELED: I was notified this morning that the School Board retreat on Tuesday afternoon was CANCELED since the funeral for Tod Howard's son is Tuesday. However, last night it was still on the School Board website, and is still there this Monday morning. - Former Florida Senator Carey Baker will be speaking at the Wednesday evening Tea Party meeting, not Alan Hays. Hays postponed his appearance last week. Baker currently does not have a political office, but rumors are he is running for a local County Constitutional office. - I revised the wording in the discussion of overhead on the Lake County Fire Assessment District discussion in the County section below to clarify it. - The numbering is off due to this blog software not converting properly. Sorry 'bout that. vj Lake County School District Board a. Condolences to School District Board Member Tod Howard and his wife Ginger for the loss of their son in a car accident last week. See article HERE. Last week, the Board approved a new... Read more →

Fake Tea Party Candidate Dunmire Falsely Claims Endorsement from Patricia Sullivan

The logo at left is for a REAL tea party organization. However, the FAKE political tea party candidate for US Congressional 8th District (Orlando & Lake County area), Peg Dunmire, distributed a flyer to many homes by mail that claimed an endorsement from tea party leaders and included a picture of Patricia Sullivan, who ran in the primaries,but lost to Daniel Webster. (See link below to press release and copy of the mailer) Webster is now the favored candidate by Republicans, this blog, and most REAL Tea Party activists (which is NOT a registered political party on the ballot). Dunmire's FAKE political tea party was created by Democrats to split the vote so Democrat Alan Grayson could be re-elected. Get that? Anyway, Dunmire is trying to confuse uneducated conservatives and tea party followers by claiming she was endorsed by REAL tea party activists, Sullivan and others, when that is not true. So, Sullivan has announced a press conference for 8am tomorrow at the Orlando offices of Daniel Webster to denounce Peg Dunmire's attempt to confuse voters. Dunmire even included a picture of Sullivan in the mailer without permission, and the picture is copyrighted. Below is the press release from Sullivan... Read more →

Why Don't the Chambers of Commerce Host Panels of Elected Officials to Answer Questions from the Public?

Here is an idea for an event that each of the local Lake County chambers could hold. It is an open meeting hosted by the Chambers to have the public ask direct questions of elected officials (as opposed to candidates). Right now, there is nothing like this in Lake County, but the one below is held by the Chamber of Commerce in Fountain Valley, CA where I used to live. They do it just for State and Federal officials, but I think the local one should include elected officials from County Government, the School Board and local cities. So what if it goes 3 hours - I think they would get a big crowd. Since Welton Cadwell hardly ever lets the public provide public input at County Commissioner meetings, maybe this type of meeting may provide an alternate version of transparency. How about it, Chambers? OR, what about the TEA Party or the local Republican Executive Committee (they are planning several for current candidates, but not incumbents who are not up for re-election) vj In the Local section of the OC Register, in the “Our Towns – Central” column, you find the following announcement. This is a fun annual event.... Read more →

Broward County, Florida - Next County that is Victim of String of Fraud & Corruption

Recently we reported on the corruption schemes in Palm Beach County (Florida) which resulted in the County citizens, encouraged by a local Tea Party group, to establish a very strong Inspector General program which is planned to end up having authority over all County government entities as WELL as cities. Palm Beach County corruption cases followed massive cases in Miami-Dade County before that. Now, as reported in the article below, it is Broward County, Florida's turn (Fort Lauderdale area), and more elected officials are being prosecuted and going to jail. It seems they now are uncovering a string of corruption cases as well as a large Ponzi scheme run by a big political contributor. My observation, as a former internal auditor, is that Florida does NOT have an adequate oversight program over local counties. Some other states have elected Auditor Controllers for each County who provide oversight, but here in Florida, there is no such thing. As I have posted earlier, Lake County's "County Auditor" works for the County Clerk, and does not have authority or a charter to initiate audits of other County departments, including the Board's operations or the Sheriff. You can't help but wonder which Florida County... Read more →

Clout of Tea Party grows vs Republicans or Dems, According to Rasmussen Poll

A major political polling firm, Rasmussen, has published a study that indicates the Tea Party groups have much more clout in the minds of voters than you might think. Here is what they said: Survey of 1,000 Likely Voters December 4-5, 2009 Suppose the Tea Party organized itself as a political party. When thinking about the next election for Congress, would you vote for the Republican candidate from your district, the Democratic candidate from your district or the Tea Party candidate from your district? Democratic 36% Tea Party 23% Republican 18% Not sure 22 However, the study above is misleading, because the REAL Tea Party folks do NOT intend to be a separate party, and many Tea Party followers consider themselves Republicans, as we explain below. We know the Tea Party in Lake County has some clout and organization, resulting in a very organized campaign for Patricia Sullivan, a Republican running against Democrat Alan (My Congressman is Nuts) Grayson. (You can tell my bias). But the national Tea Party and the local one do not believe in starting a new party, but instead to run under either of the two major parties, R or D, and won't support third party... Read more →