The Three J's: Jane, James, and Joe

No, they're not a rap trio! We hit it big at our May 24 meeting with three guest speakers. Jane Kuckel, who is running for re-election to the Lee County School Board in District 3 , is the only Democrat currently on the Board. Jane gave some eye opening statistics about the school system in the County, which contains 12 high schools. There are currently eighty thousand students and the budget for running the schools is over $1.7 billion, which makes the system the largest employer in the County. We are ranked 46th nationally in budget, not in achievement, as is widely believed. There is a 40% mobility of student population meaning that out of 10 who begin school here only 6 will remain to graduate. Sadly the other 4 are more than likely to end up in the prison system or on the welfare rolls. She prefers that voting for the School Board be based on a mix of single district votes and at-large votes.

James Middlebrooks (yes, people, it ends with an "s") who has a long history of involvement in education, is seeking to become the second Democrat to be seated on the School Board. Our biggest problem now are the low teacher salaries in the County, he says. $36,800 is the beginning salary for a teacher and even after receiving a masters degree and ten years of experience the salary rises to only $45,000. Is there any wonder that we have a 50% turnover among our teacher population? As an at-large member of the School Board he promises to investigate problems that exist throughout the system, not just in his District 2.

Joe Rinella, Attorney, was our third speaker. He is running as an uncontested Democrat for House District 74 in the Florida House in Tallahassee. He claims that there are thousands of RINOS (Republicans in name only) who have chosen to register and vote as Republicans because there are rarely qualified Democrats running for office. But now even they are so disgusted with the Republican leadership in Tallahassee that they are more than ready to vote Democratic. He said also that our state policies favor only two classes of people: developers and tourism operators. He will be running against a Republican who is a builder and also a state representative. Enough said?

Though she is not a guest speaker, Sallie Soule, is head of our Club's Charter Revision Committee. She reported on their attendance at a recent hearing in Cape Coral at which the Committee advocated single member district voting as the only way to get Democrats elected to the County Commission and the County School Board. It was a nice tie-in to the remarks of our earlier speakers and ended our meeting as we take a two-month hiatus, certainly not from pursuing our Democratic agenda individually but from our monthly meetings together.

Update on Larry Byrnes

In a report to his supporters today Larry announced that the judge who is handling his suit against the Florida Division of Elections has agreed to expedite his case. He will make his decision on June 11 as to whether or not Larry's name will appear on the ballot as a Democrat on the Primary Ballot in August and the National Ballot in November. Stay tuned!

Blocking Larry Byrnes

How come the specter of Kathryn Harris raises its Republican head as every Florida election approaches? Now it's Larry Byrnes, seeking to unseat Connie Mack III in Florida's 14th Congressional District, who has borne the brunt of Tallahassee's trickery. Mr. Byrnes submitted over 5,400 petition signatures to qualify for placement of his name on the August Primary and November General Election ballots as a Democratic candidate for election to the U.S. Congress'a Congressional District. On April 15, 2008 he received a letter from the Florida Division of Elections indicating that the signatures were certified, but it did not provide any additional forms or state any additional qualification requirements in that letter.

On May 1, 2008, the day before the end of the qualifying period, Byrnes noticed on the Division website that he was still not on the ballot, despite the fact that he qualified by petitions. He phoned the Division and was told that he needed to submit a loyalty oath form from the Division's website, sign it, and have it notarized. He did these things and sent it by overnight courier to the Division.

On May 2, 2008 at 4:50 p.m. Byrnes was notified that the loyalty oath form he submitted was the one for write-in candidates, not for partisan candidates. Therefore, stated the Division, despite submitting 5,400 signatures, Byrnes would not appear on the ballot, either in the August 26 Democratic Primary or the November 4 General Election. Although Byrnes informed them that the choice of form was his error and offered to send the correct form immediately, the Division of Elections rejected his attempt and stated that there was no recourse or appeal.

The Byrnes Campaign has filed suit against the Florida Division of Elections to have his name listed on the ballots of both elections charging that it is using a technicality to thwart the will of the people. Further developments on this issue will be reported here as they occur.

What is your opinion? Is Tallahassee worried about the tide of change that is sweeping the country, where Democratic congressional candidates have defied the odds and won recent elections, so worried, in fact, that they will use any means to bar qualified Democratic candidates from appearing on election ballots? It looks like that to me.

DCSP DIRECTORY CHANGES

We told you that changes to our recently published Directory will be made on our blog as often as necessary, but usually once a month. So here is the first installment and I hope you note these changes in your own copy of the Directory, so that we can keep closer tabs on each other.

Other Leaders Add VAN Database Harriet Reece, 489-1637, Junonia,
harriet4700@embarqmail.com

Ways and Means Delete Harriet Reece

Democratic Court Reps Change Eagles Preserve Eliot Sugarman from Elliot Sugarman

Shell Point Democrats Delete Christy, Ian Michael
Change Fritz, Lucille M. to Larsen Pavilion
Delete Graham, Linda
Change Kaufman, Kurt Dunn to Larsen Pavilion
Delete Lewin, Evelyn L. (Deceased)
Delete Lewis, Verna Aline
Change Maass, Sarajane to 10406 Rosemont Ct.
Change Nelson, Lucille to 8420 Arbor Ct.
Change Richardson, Jean M. to 8313 Arbor Ct.
Delete Stinson, Dana
Delete Temm, Angela M.
Change Vassamillet, Edie & Larry larrynedie@gmail.com