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Endorsements: All races

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Cape Coral residents will join voters across the county Monday as early voting for the Nov. 4 general election opens.

This is a big election year with lots of excitement. The ballot is dominated by a presidential race and capped locally with races for a congressional seat, property appraiser, sheriff and county commission.

The ballot also includes races for the Lee Memorial Health System Board of Directors, judicial merit retentions, Lee County Mosquito Control and six proposed amendments to the state constitution.

To help you be informed on the races, the candidates, and the issues, Breeze Newspapers has prepared a special election guide, which can be found inside today’s paper. The Breeze provided the questions, and the candidates provided their views to share with our readers. We invite you to check out the guide, which also provides the locations for early voting.

In addition, after considering candidate biographical information, comparing candidate positions on a variety of the issues facing Lee County’s communities, studying campaign literature, asking follow-up questions and attending forums since before the August primary, members of The Breeze editorial board have reached some conclusions concerning the candidates who will appear on the Nov. 4 ballot.

Our opinions concerning the candidates we believe are best qualified to serve in each office may be found below:

Endorsements

Race: President

Vote John McCain

Character, as judged by a candidate’s record, counts when voters are called upon to fill the most important office in the land, that of president of the United States. We believe Sen. John McCain’s character is just what our nation needs — and we endorse him for president.

McCain’s record says much more about his character than do his comments on the campaign trail, though they provide a clear blueprint for leadership. Here, in brief, are the salient points about McCain:

— His record as a Navy aviator during the Vietnam War is more than a stirring story of patriotism and selflessness. McCain’s behavior as a prisoner of war in North Vietnam demonstrated that, at his core, he puts duty, honor and country above all else.

— Strangely, his opponents have begun to mock McCain’s record as a maverick, even as they call upon the federal government to be less preoccupied with partisanship. But McCain’s 25 years in Congress show a pattern of eagerness to work with politicians of both major political parties to get things done. On controversial issues, McCain has been a motivator — not just a proponent — of change since long before the term became a slogan.

-National security, a key concern of most Americans, has been McCain’s strength. Most Americans are fully aware of his tenacity in fighting for what is right in defense policy, as well as for members of the armed services. That sometimes has forced him into conflict, even with leaders of his own party. McCain, of course, was an early critic of the failed strategy in Iraq — and a proponent of the new, successful plan.

— McCain recognizes that the size of government needs to be reduced — not expanded, as his opponent, Sen. Barack Obama, wants. Smaller government leads to lower taxes, allowing Americans to keep more of our money and grow our economy.

— Had Congress reacted properly to an initiative McCain helped lead in 2005, the current financial crisis probably would not be occurring. McCain was a co-sponsor on Federal Housing Enterprise Regulatory Reform Act of 2005, which would have reined in many of the abuses involving “subprime” mortgages. Liberals in Congress defeated the measure.

— Troubling questions remain about the character of Obama. He was elected to the Senate only because of efforts by the Chicago political machine. His personal associations involved one — closer than Obama will admit — with a leader of the 1960s Weather Underground terrorist organization. That man, William Ayers, has commented that, “I don’t regret setting bombs.” And Obama’s association of many years with his pastor, the anti-American Rev. Jeremiah Wright, ended only when the relationship was brought to light by the news media.

McCain’s character, on the other hand, has been one of working closely with those who would build America up — not tear her down.

It is not too much to say that the contest for president this year pits a dedicated liberal politician, Obama, against a veteran servant of the public — McCain. Obama is easily the most liberal of the 100 senators. His running mate, Sen. Joseph Biden, is a close second.

Simply because McCain’s character has been one of service to the people — not to a political party or the gigantic federal bureaucracy — we urge residents of our area to cast their ballots for John McCain, the leader Americans need.

Race: 14th Congressional District

Vote Burt Saunders

America is at a crossroads and whether you are looking to the right or to the left for the best course of direction, the economic horizon looks bleak.

At the national level, Southwest Florida can settle for nothing less than proven leadership and, of equal importance, an established affinity for hard work and the kind of heavy lifting that is required in times of crisis.

What this means is a willingness to think across party lines and imbedded political ideologies. What this means is the ability to define goals and objectives — and not be afraid to state and defend them.

In these turbulent economic times, it also means something more.

It means being so solidly enmeshed in the community you serve that you feel the pulse back home beating as your own when you vote on the hard issues, the ones that ultimately mean either more paychecks or continued job loss, more stability or more foreclosures, less predatory lending or more of the same.

State Sen. Burt Saunders has amply demonstrated the attributes needed to serve in Washington in the challenging months ahead, and we endorse him in the race for the U.S. House of Representatives, 14th Congressional District.

Sen. Saunders, a long-tenured Republican running without party affiliation so as to appear on the ballot open to all voters, has an admirable track record of accomplishment that includes health care, business and environmental initiatives.

His target projects have included HMO practices and reform; six years participation with Enterprise Florida, a statewide economic development group; and numerous environmental initiatives. Those initiatives include the promotion of legislation this past session that reaffirms Florida’s commitment to restoring the Everglades with $2 billion in funding over the next decade to be matched with federal money, and the renewal of Florida Forever, a statewide initiative similar to Lee County’s 20/20 land preservation program. Three billion dollars has been marked for Florida Forever, also over 10 years.

It’s not just his past that has earned Sen. Saunders our endorsement, though, but his plans for the future.

For the short term, Sen. Saunders says he supports measures to extend unemployment benefits. He supports re-regulating the banking industry and the credit card industry to stop usurious fees and other abuses.

He opposes “gimmicks,” such as a short-term freeze on foreclosures but does favor legislation that would allow the courts to alter mortgage terms to help people stay in their homes.

For the long-term, Sen. Saunders was in support of the hotly contested $700 billion bailout/recovery bill and contacted the media ahead of the vote requesting space for his views because he said he wanted people to know his position.

Given public divisiveness on the issue, it certainly would have been politically prudent to stay quiet as he had no vote to cast.

Coming forward anyway is core Burt Saunders: You know where he stands — and why.

We also are confident Sen. Saunders has the experience behind him to get the job done.

A former Collier County commissioner, Sen. Saunders served in the State House from 1994-98 and was elected to the State Senate in 1998, where he has served until he termed out this year. Committee memberships at the state level most recently have included chairmanships of the Social Responsibility Policy and Calendar Committee and the committee for Environmental Preservation and Conservation. Other committees among the 10 listed on the Florida Senate Web site include Commerce, Education Facilities Appropriations, Health and Human Services Appropriations, Health Policy, Judiciary and the Joint Legislative Committee on Everglades Oversight.

In range and in scope, his efforts have run the gamut with numerous kudos attached to his work: Florida Association of Counties, County Championship Award, 2008; Florida Chapter of Republicans for Environmental Protection, 2008 Green Elephant; Fraternal Order of Police, Legislator of the Year, 2008; Audubon Florida, Champion of the Everglades Award, 2007; Florida Public Health Association, Legislator of the Year, 2007; Florida Planning and Zoning Association, Outstanding Legislator Award, 2007; Florida Council on Aging, Award of Appreciation, 2006. The list, posted to the Senate Web site, trails on for two pages, when printed.

Anyone who believes Sen. Saunders is not a viable candidate for national office is, quite frankly, out of touch with Southwest Florida and the caliber of people who call it home.

We do recognize the accomplishments of the incumbent, Congressman Connie Mack. He’s a good Republican, he’s a better politician. And certainly his work to obtain a VA clinic for Cape Coral and his efforts to obtain funding for the widening of I-75 are commendable.

We thank him.

But in these tough times, we’ll go with the workhorse who may lack some of the flash on the track but can competently carry the load the distance.

It does matter who we send to Washington this year.

Vote Burt Saunders to the U.S. House of Representatives, 14th Congressional District.

— Also running:

Connie Mack, incumbent, Republican; Robert M. Neeld, Democrat; Jeff George, no party affiliation

Race: Property Appraiser

Vote Ken Wilkinson

Lee County Property Appraiser Ken Wilkinson, who handily staved off a challenge in the Republican primary, is asking general election voters for another term in office.

Mr. Wilkinson has our vote. He has earned it.

A maverick long before the moniker became a label proudly worn by blaze-new- ground politicians, Mr. Wilkinson stands for tax relief, and he has dedicated his career to that credo.

Known as the father of “Save Our Homes,” Mr. Wilkinson was the driving force behind the state constitutional amendment that capped the taxable valuation of owner-occupied properties at 3 percent per year. Homeowners have benefited since 1992.

Save Our Homes protection proved to be a lifesaver during the recent real estate boom when spiraling, speculator-driven valuation increases threatened to tax unprotected residential property owners out of their homes and commercial property owners out of business.

While local taxing entities poured pretty rhetoric into the public arena to try to get Save Our Homes overturned, Mr. Wilkinson fought against the tide and proposed that this very real protection against governmental tax-and-spend excess be made “portable” so the owners of small residential properties could take their tax savings with them when they moved.

Voters overwhelmingly agreed and “portability” also is now an imbedded constitutional right in the state of Florida, thanks largely to the efforts of Mr. Wilkinson and like-minded advocates who put the interests of the taxpaying public first.

We remain strong supporters of Mr. Wilkinson, whom we endorsed in the primary. We endorse him again in the Nov. 4 general election race for Lee County property appraiser.

— Also running: John Glaser, a Democrat, and Larry St. Amand, no party affiliation.

Race: Lee County Sheriff

Vote Mike Scott

To say Sheriff Mike Scott was victorious in the Republican primary is a little like saying Sitting Bull, Crazy Horse and Chief Gall won the Battle of Little Big Horn. It was a pummeling of embarrassing proportion at the ballot box with Sheriff Scott culling more than 90 percent of the vote.

For those who were taking wagers that November would be a rout of similar proportions, things changed quicker than one can say Michael Joseph Scott after the sheriff spoke at a political rally and found himself embroiled in a brouhaha on a national scale.

Nonetheless, Sheriff Mike Scott remains the best qualified candidate in the race for Lee County sheriff and it is without hesitation that he receives our endorsement in the general election.

Sheriff Scott is an articulate leader for Lee County law enforcement, and, as we have learned, a very human face behind the uniform he proudly — and unapologetically — wears.

Among his accomplishments are increased community policing, made possible with a re-alignment in district staffing, additional offices as well as the addition of various units throughout Lee County including an anti-crime unit in Lehigh Acres and a Marine Office in Cape Coral.

As a 20-plus year law enforcement veteran, Sheriff Scott also is the best qualified candidate to deal with the issues ahead — the likelihood of continuing budget challenges; increased crime as the result of a declining economy; and the management issues associated with the operation of a new $53 million jail addition that boosts bed count substantially.

He has earned our vote for re-election to the second term he seeks.

We endorse Sheriff Mike Scott in the Nov. 4 general election race for Lee County Sheriff.

— Also running: Christian Meister, no party affiliation

Race: County Commission

District 1

Vote Bob Janes

Sometimes a race has more than one viable candidate. The District 1 race for Lee County Commission falls into that category.

Former Cape Coral Councilman A.J. Boyd and Sanibel Council member Carla Johnston, each running without party affiliation, have strengths — Mr. Boyd, his passion for public service and his dedication to the Cape; Ms. Johnston, her zest for new accomplishments and evident intelligence.

Incumbent Bob Janes, though, easily remains the best choice in the District 1 race. His accomplishments while in office are eminently measurable and his steadfast leadership during his two terms on the Lee County board bolsters confidence in his ability to help guide the county through the very real challenges ahead.

Equally important, Mr. Janes has demonstrated the ability to take into account countywide impact while understanding the issues within the district he serves. It’s a delicate balance, one that is not always politically expedient, but one that has served his countywide constituency — and, overall, his Cape Coral/Sanibel/Pine Island constituency — well over the last eight years.

These attributes are what led Mr. Janes to victory in a three-way race in the Republican primary, and these attributes are why Mr. Janes has our endorsement in the general election.

In terms of experience, Mr. Janes’ tenure in public service ranges from the federal level to the local. After a career that included appointments to agencies in the nation’s capital, Mr. Janes continued his service, first as mayor of Sanibel, then on the county commission where he is completing his second term.

An avowed Smart Growth advocate, Mr. Janes was a leading proponent of the state purchase of the 79,000 acre Babcock Ranch for preservation and public use purposes. Also as a Smart Growth proponent, he is an advocate of local community plans, which give unincorporated communities such as Pine Island, Captiva and Lehigh Acres a say in how their areas will develop.

As we stated in our primary endorsement of Mr. Janes, he supports public transportation. He worked to fund the LeeTran bus transfer station in downtown Cape Coral and is a leading advocate of a “park-and-ride” system for Lee County, a program that would make it more comfortable for drivers to combine the use of their auto with the use of public transportation to various areas of Lee County.

Mr. Janes also has been the county board’s leading advocate for numerous human services projects, including a jail diversion program for persons with mental illness, helping to obtain state funds for a triage center, along with multi-agency buy-ins,to better serve those in need.

There are few issues of import and impact that have not caught his attention here in Lee County; there are fewer still that have not benefited. He has achieved his successes through hard work, hands-on dedication, and a proven ability to build consensus.

Mr. Janes’ broad range of experience, coupled with the range of his interests and his tireless efforts to those causes have earned him another term on the Lee County Commission.

We endorse Bob Janes in the Nov. 4 general election for the Lee County Commission, District 1.

— Also running: A.J. Boyd, no party affiliation, and Carla Johnston, no party affiliation.

District 3

Vote Ray Judah

Ray Judah has earned a place on the Lee County Commission as its man of vision.

“Green” long before the cause was popular, an advocate of saving for a rainy day during the heyday of free-spending, and a planning proponent before, well, governments took planning seriously, Ray Judah has spent his 20-year tenure with the Lee County commission thinking ahead while dealing well with the issues of the day.

This unique combination of skills — the ability to see things long-term while working well in the short — is what has prompted the voters of Lee County to keep Mr. Judah in office for two decades. It’s also what has prompted our endorsement of Ray Judah in the general election race for Lee County Commission, District 3.

A land use planner by profession, Mr. Judah was first elected to the board in 1988.

His accomplishments include working to garner voter support of the Conservation 20/20 initiative on the ballot back in 1996 -which has since brought 20,000 acres of natural lands into public ownership — and a comprehensive plan amendment that reclassified more than 96,000 acres of environmentally sensitive land some want to mine, to a category that protects the acreage as a recharge site for drinking water.

Mr. Judah has chaired the 10-county Coalition for Responsible Management of Lake Okeechobee, opposing the release of polluted water into the Caloosahatchee and related estuaries while advocating for the re-establishment of natural sheet flow back into the Everglades.

He co-founded the Corkscrew Regional Ecosystem Watershed land trust, which has purchased 42,000 acres, and, most recently, has supported public-private partnerships for the creation of bio-diesel fuel locally.

On the financial side, Mr. Judah makes no apologies for the county’s undesignated reserve accounts, the loadstone for those who question the county’s fiscal policies. He will tell you the purchase of the building for the new criminal justice center was made possible through reserves which also gave the county the ability to quickly pay for necessary repairs following Hurricane Charley.

Mr. Judah’s vision has found solid grassroots support, so much so that he has successfully run multiple re-election campaigns with a unique, self-imposed campaign rule: He limits contributions to $100, instead of the $500 maximum allowed by state law.

Count us among his grassroots support. Ray Judah has earned our vote, and our endorsement, in the general election race for county commission, District 3

— Also running: Les Cochran, no party affiliation.

District 5

Vote Franklin B. Mann

Despite facing perhaps the muckiest challenge among the Republic primary races in August, District 5 incumbent Frank Mann easily strode to victory on his past accomplishments and his plan for the future.

We agree both are worth noting and their cumulative effect have earned Frank Mann our endorsement in the Lee County Commission race for District 5.

On the accomplishments side, Mr. Mann took a leadership role in Lee County’s quest to preserve heritage sites and environmentally sensitive areas while retaining local control of land-use related decisions.

He took on the big dawgs at the state level and feistily staved off an attempt to usurp the county’s ability to decide whether mining should be allowed in areas local officials believe should be preserved.

Meanwhile, Mr. Mann’s plan for the future — the “Mann Plan” — outlines, not “goals,” not “objectives” not any other fussy, fusty, politically correct term, but demands: the demand for significant tax reduction, the demand for proper growth management planning, the demand for growth paying for growth, the demand for protection of rivers and waterways and yes, the continued demand for protection of Lee County’s water recharge areas where some would so love to mine.

With a public service background that dates back to 1974 and includes stints in both the state House and Senate, as well as previous tenure on the Lee County Commission back in the ’90s, we have no doubt he will fight to bring his “demands” to fruition for, in addition to saying what he means, Mr. Mann has a rare knack for building consensus.

Mr. Mann has earned our vote and we endorse Frank Mann in the Nov. 4 general election race for the Lee County Commission, District 5.

— Also running: Steve “Sonny” Haas, no party affiliation, and Dick Kuhn, no party affiliation.