NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- There is a great disconnect between government and its citizens at all levels, but the gap appears to be widening here in Volusia County where elected politicians and their well-paid administrators and attorneys try to sell the public their version of being fiscally conservative, while cozying up to the power elite in the business community.
The simple reality is they're all getting richer while the rest of us struggle to make the mortgage payment or even pay the light bill. Today is the day we begin to ask the tough questions with the first media-style debate of the 2012 elections.
With the Aug. 14 primaries looming, we want answers, not speeches. And for those candidates thinking they can woo us with empty slogans and impress us with who they received endorsements from, all we really want is for them to tell us how they are going to get their colleagues in office to stop wasteful spending and to help create jobs.
Look at Daytona Beach: A 24 percent tax-rate increase was on the table? It didn't fly. Instead, the elected commissioners and mayor dropped it to a 17.5 percent increase.
Mayor Glenn Ritchey is not running again while City Manager Jim Chisholm can't seem to run fast enough for job elsewhere while being paid $172,000. Morale in the police department is at an all-time low with job losses a real possibility while its police chief, Mike Chitwood, seeks publicity for his prostitution and drug stings that result in a night in jail.
With all of the talk about the albatross that is the Ocean Center and the need to pump millions more into new high rises on the beach, the traditional neighborhoods west of the railroad tracks continue to deteriorate.
Ask yourself this: How is it that politicians running for office can afford to loan themselves $50,000 to run for office with the reward of a salary far less? And look who some of these candidates can turn to for help: The select few business giants.
We know not many of you will make it out here to the Brannon Center (the constant refrain: where is that?), the city's hangout for seniors and occasional festivals between the causeway bridges on Riverside Drive. The good thing is we're having eight debates today, beginning 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. This will be the public's only chance to see how candidates in six of those races fare in answering questions from media and the public alike.
Two years ago, the disaster that was the American Music Festival, changed forever how politicians behave, or did it? Today, we will try to get some answers, to have them get beyond the rhetoric.
The debates will be videotaped and posted on HeadlineSurfer.com (NSBNews.net and VolusiaNews.net) for a much larger audience to see for themselves who can best begin the task of pushing for meaningful spending cuts, transparency and the vital task of working to create jobs that pay decent wages.
Here is the line-up: 1st debate: 9 to 9:40 a.m. Office: New Smyrna Beach City Commission, zone 4 Candidates: Ed Bidault Jr., Steve Casserly and Kirk Jones The only media debate for this race.
2nd debate: 9:50 to 11:20 a.m. Office: Volusia County Council, dist. 3 Candidates: Deb Denys, Jim Hathaway and Justin Kennedy
3rd debate: 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Office: Volusia County Chair Candidates: Jason Davis, Ted Doran and Carl Persis
4th debate: 1:10 to 2 p.m. Office: Supervisor of Elections Candidates: Teresa Apgar, Beaulah Blanks, Christopher Kelly and incumbent Ann McFall * McFall has informed Headline Surfer she will not participate in the debate, stating she has to attend to her official duties The only media debate for this race.
5th debate: 2:10 to 2:25 p.m. Office: group 4 County Judge Candidates: incumbent Bryan A. Feigenbaum and Michael McDermott The only media debate for this race. The only media debate for this race.
6th debate: 2:30 to 2:50 p.m. Office: County Judge, group 8 Candidates: Steven R. Burk, Dustin M. Havens, Alan Holt, Christopher Kelly and Adam Warren The only media debate for this race.
7th debate: 2:55 to 3:50 p.m. Office: Clerk of the Circuit Court Candidates: Steve deLaroche and incumbent Diane Matousek The only media debate for this race.
8th debate: 4 to 5 p.m. Office: State Attorney Candidates: incumbent R.J. Larizza and Stasia Warren The only media debate for this race.