Candidate Profile - Personal Information

Transcription

1 1. Candidate's Name: 2. Address: Candidate Profile - Personal Information Joe Davidow 851 5th Avenue N Suite City: Naples Zip: Telephone Numbers: 5. Address: Home Cell Office info@joeforflorida.com 6. Highest Degree Earned: (from what Institution?) 7. Current Occupation: 8. Current Employer: 9. Notable Previous Employment: 10. Family Description: Attorney Willis & Davidow, LLC 11. How are you involved in your community? Miami Dade SAO JD St. Thomas Miami Married with two children ages (5) and (2). I believe in service and spending time to help others. I am actively involved in the community through various groups and charitable organizations. As an attorney, I maintain relationships with other professionals through the Inns of Court, and the Florida and Collier County Bar Associations. I devote my time to these organizations in order to serve the community through various hands-on as well as fund-raising activities. 12. What boards have you served on? I serve on the boards of Collier Child Care Resources, The Naples Gulfshore Sunset Rotary Club, the Republican Jewish Coalition, the Collier County Men's Republican Club, and the Harry Chapin Food Bank Collier Action Committee. 13. Who are some people you admire most and why do you admire them? It is a long list, but I generally admire anyone who dedicates their lives to a cause greater than themselves. 14. Who in your community would you go to for trusted advice? Dudley Goodlette, Garrett Richter, Mario Diaz-Balart, Paige Kreegel, Kathleen Rassidomo, Matt Hudson, Carlos Trujillo. All of these people have been successful in professional and personal life and hold values that I share and wish to maintain. 15. Three Qualities Leaders Possess: I listen, understand, and execute. 16. Office being sought: House District: 80 Senate District: 17. Party Affiliation: Republican Length of Time: Life 18. What is your one guiding principle or core value? Family, Safety, and Prosperity 19. Briefly describe your political involvement: Republican Club Member, Ran for Congress in Have you ever been a previous candidate for political office? (IF YES) What Office: Outcome of race: US CD 29 to 25 (changed) Loss in 8 man primary 21. Campaign Organization and Structure: Yes

2 General Consultant: Rockie Pennington and Mark Zubaly Manager: Bruce Barone Treasurer: Christina Davidow Media: Carolyn Tieger Pollster: Campaign Web Address: Facebook Page Name: Advisors: Paige Kreegel Brian Owens joeforflorida.com Joe for Florida Campaign Budget Amount: 100, Why are you running for this office? I have a passion for government and politics. My campaign is based on family, safety, and prosperity. I love this community and this State. With the large influx of new residents over the course of the next five to ten years, it is vital that our next representative understands the nature and the makeup of the district. We must ensure that the new growth and development will be sustainable. It is even more important for our next representative to maintain the standards we have grown to love about our community. 23. Why should the business community support your candidacy: I am a business trial attorney licensed to practice in the United States Supreme Court and most of the lower courts. I inherently understand law and legislation both practically and professionally. More importantly, I have spent the last year meeting with individuals and businesses in the district as well as community leaders, to ensure that when I am in Tallahassee, the wishes of my district will be met. 24. List by priority the top three (3) Legislative Committees you would like to be assigned: Committee 1: Agriculture Committee 2: Transportation Committee 3: Federal Affairs and Judiciary 25. Are there any organizations which you would NOT accept donations from? If so, please list: N/A 26. Opponents and the media research public records, police reports, credit information and do other background checks in an effort to discover tax liens, lawsuits, arrest records and other unfortunate things. Are there any issues your opponent could use against you that you should disclose to this group? I had an underage possession of alcohol charge in college when I was twenty years old, and the charges were dismissed. II. Issue Questions Talent Supply & Education 27. What changes would you recommend to Florida's K-12 system of education? Please address school funding. Local control of curriculum, Statewide standards, less testing, and direction of a practical purpose to education. 28. As an extension of the school day and to help end "Generational Pverty" would you support funding affordable afterschool programs that provide assistance with homework, delinquency prevention, life skills and the development of good character for Florida's working families? Yes

3 29. What is your position regarding the ability of teachers unions and other public-sector unions to collectively bargain issues that are beyond the typical employment issues directly tied to hours worked and wages/benefits paid? Undecided 30. How would you address the shortage of qualified talent to fill jobs in STEM-related fields? There needs to be incentives to both get people qualified and pull qualified people from other areas. 31. What are your thoughts about having a series of benchmarks designed to create a minimum standard for Math and Language Arts throughout the United States? I am okay with a simple national standard to quantify learning achievement as best as scientifically possible. 32. What changes would you support that improve workforce development in the state of Florida? We need more practical use degrees designed to get people working immediately. Furthermore, we need a unified purpose to find and help advanced degree holders in specified areas. 33. What changes should be made to Florida's higher education system? We need to direct areas of change so that subject matter is more appropriate with the surrounding job and employment environment. Innovation & Economic Development 34. What can the state do to continue to strengthen its position as a worldwide hub for trade? Infrastructure, Ports, Education 35. Please discuss any ideas you may have to enhance the growth and development of the following economic sectors. Manufactoring: This depends greatly on the item being manufactured and I could not define it without first defining what is being manufactured. Agriculture: Make SWFL the agricultural silicon valley. Institute measures to increase IFAS effectiveness and educational components. Furthermore, I will seek local support to either start or move already existing agricultural technical businesses to the area. In addition, I will help to coordinate with developers and municipalities to ensure that new programs are appropriately facilitated to limit sprawl and failure. Construction: There needs to be better coordination with agricultural technology and developers so we can assure developments are appropriately facilitated to limit sprawl and failures. Hospitality/Tourism: This must be predicted upon locality and it must be fostered in an environment and economic climate that is ripe. Healthcare: Make it more competitive and affordable. We also need more directives coming from doctors and patients, not the legislature. 36. What would you propose to diversify Florida's economy so that we better handle economic downturns? I would, once again, aim to make SWFL the Agricultural Silicon Valley with advances in education and infrastructure.

4 Infrastructure & Growth Leadership 37. When is it appropriate for the legislature to shift money from a dedicated state trust fund to pay for other services? It would be largely dependent on the legal makeup of the trust and the alleged services, but my answer is rarely, if ever. 38. There is a widening gap between infrastructure needs and infrastructure funding. Would you support private investment in public infrastructure projects in order to meet infrastructure needs? No How would you propose private investors be repaid? We either sell the job and the property or we pay someone else to do it. 39. Philosophically, when considering the following issues, do you think the authority to set or regulate these areas should be at the Federal, State, Local or Regional Government level? Wages Growth Management Wetlands Use Water Supply Environmental Permitting Business Permits & Licenses Local Government Local Government 40. What role should the state play in balancing the ability of electric utilities to provide safe, affordable and reliable electricity with the regulations of carbon emissions? Little, if any. 41. What can the legislature do to address Florida's water quality and quantity needs? The major water issue is not with regard to quantity or quality, but flow. Flow needs to be redirected to a more central route to avoid problems in the rainy season. Business Climate/Competitiveness 42. What are the three most important things the state legislature could do to improve Florida's business climate? 1: Advance Infrastructure 2: Create and enhance ports 3: Optimize and enhance education 43. Florida does not currently have a sales tax on services. Several attempts have been made over the past decade to create a new tax on services in the state Constitution. Would you support creating a sales tax on services?ness testimony standards? No Explain: Service tax is difficult to apply uniformly as well as overly expensive to track and maintain. 44. What is your position on collecting sales and use tax on transactions from out of state and online retailers? Support 45. What is your general philosophy on state and local taxes? Low taxes keep government lean and effective. 46. Are there any taxes that should be increased? Most likely not.

5 47. Do you believe hotels should or should not be required to include resort fees in the daily room rate to allow guests to comparison shop before they book a room? Should be requred Explain: Full disclosure of costs cannot be a negative. 48. What are your thoughts on the number of lawsuits files in Florida? Should the state intervene to make it easier or more difficult to file a lawsuit? Explain: Neither- the civil justice system is dependent on the litigants not the legislature, attorneys, or judges. 49. Would you support legislation that limits recovery for future medical care in personal injury lawsuits to what is "usually and customarily" paid to other medical providers in the community? Why? How- Who would define what is "usual and customary"? 50. Accuracy in Damages: Would you support legislation that limits the amount of money recoverable for medical care in personal injury lawsuits to the amount actually paid for the medical care versus the amount charged by the provider of the medical care? Why? This would be difficult to do because of nonjoinder laws and the rules of evidence. I would be for a similar practical effect. 51. In the context of a personal injury lawsuit, do you believe that it is reasonable to require an injured person seeking money from a liability insurance company to give the insurance company a (1) written notice of the claim and (2) a minimum of 45 days to investigate the claim and offer to pay the policy limits of the policy? Agree Why? If the company does a review, it is largely no different than what is in place now. Governance & Civic Systems 52. What is the proper role of state agencies in regulating prices for insurance companies, banks, medical providers and other regulated industries? Explain: Limited to prevent fraud and criminality. 53. Government regulations continue to be the top concern for Florida's small business. What areas would you recommend reducing regulation and red tape? Any "red tape" removal would have to be specific to the industry. 54. Both the Florida Retirement System Pension plan and Local Government-administered pension plan programs are experiencing a growing unfunded actuarial liability that is currently in excess of $31 billion. How do you propose to fill the funding gap in these guaranteed pension plans? The only way to fill gaps in pension funding is to create two classes of individuals- a growing class and a limiting class. The limiting class shall pay less into the accounts and the growing class shall pay more, the limiting class are those that were there first, whereas the growing class are newer entries. There needs to be a delineating date that ultimately will be arbitrary picked that will determine who is in what class. The limiting class shall take full amounts or greater amounts than the growing class. Any government regulated pension system will always be wrought with problems like this, there is no easy solution, but since the problem has been created we must fix it. In the future, pension plans should be handled by the private market and not the government. 55. Should there be term limits for: Circuit/County Judges? Yes Appellate Judges? Yes

6 Supreme Court Judges? Yes Why? I've practiced before them and it is all too often that the ones in the longest are usually the same ones getting the calls wrong. Quality of Life & Quality Places 56. Should the state of Florida be able to mandate that health insurance providers cover specific health conditions or benefits even if the mandates increase the cost of health insurance for employees and employers? Explain: No, that is less choice whereas I believe that more choice is better. 57. Rising health care cost is a concern for Florida businesses and consumers. What would you propose that could help alleviate that burden? There has to be reform on the federal level in order to provide for more choice and more direct relationship. 58. What is your position on Medicaid expansion? If it is feasible to budget out, create a surplus, and take care of those in need who need it then we should do so and if not then we don't. 59. What is your position on whether the state should prohibit balanced billing in emergency situations? Broader Arena? I do not fully understand the question. 60. What is your suggestion to address the current workforce shortage of physicians and nurses in the state? There needs to be a system of incentives based on need by the local community. We also need to reduce regulations of billing and insurance to keep older doctors practicing longer. 61. What is your position on the expansion of gambling in Florida? Undecided 62. Do you believe gambling should ever be expanded or current permitted gambling changed without an affirmative statewide vote of the people? No, a statewide vote should be made. FINAL THOUGHTS I want to thank you for the opportunity to apply for the Chamber's endorsement. It is an honor and a privilege to be in this position and I will work tirelessly to make the chamber proud that it gave me its support.