Florida House District 27 Rep. Stan McClain is term-limited and is now on his way to becoming a State Senator.
Three Republicans are locking horns in the primary for House District 27, which includes Marion, Lake, and Volusia Counties.
First, there is Becky Sirolli, a retired law enforcement officer with a distinguished record. Then there’s Richard Gentry, a career member of Tallahassee’s lobbyist corps, and finally, Steve Shives, who has enjoyed massive success as a small businessman.
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Sirolli is not well-funded. She’s put in a little of her own money, but this race really comes down to Gentry or Shives. Gentry’s family lays claim to the small town of Astor in the district. In all of Gentry’s advertising, he has been attempting to portray himself as a long-established local. Shives is legitimately a local, former pastor, and the creator of a very successful micro-camping trailer manufacturer.
Florida Daily has been reviewing the advertising.
In all of Gentry’s advertising, he has been attempting to portray himself as a local. Shives is legitimately a local, former pastor, and the creator of a very successful micro-camping trailer manufacturer.
Shives has mainly contributed his own money. Gentry has raised most of his from the Tallahassee lobbyist corps. Thus far, they have spent about even on resources.
Shives contends that Gentry is not a local and cannot be trusted because he’s a creature of the swamp. Gentry has also been arguing that Shives wants to raise taxes.
Florida Daily caught up with Shives, who was clearly frustrated by Gentry’s line of attack. Shives says that Gentry’s allegation that he wants to raise taxes is based on the idea that Shives has taken a strong position in favor of phasing-out real estate taxes. Gentry’s claim is that Shives will thus have to raise other taxes to offset the revenue loss, and thus, is for higher taxes.
Florida Daily has covered this issue and found Gentry’s claim to be false.
Florida Daily confirmed with Shives that he did not want to raise taxes. Shives explained that replacement revenue would have to be neutral, at worst, but would prefer simply phasing property taxes out and paying for them with less government spending. Furthermore, Shives has made the argument that if you must continue to pay property taxes to the government, you are left in the position of never truly owning your own property but always renting it from the government.
Shives has taken action and sent cease and desist letters to Gentry. Based on the laws in Florida, they likely will not do much good, no matter how much liberty one candidate takes with another’s views.
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