Page 4 - Florida Sentinel 9-28-18

Race For Governor
Commissioner Les Miller: ‘I Am Voting Yes
For Transportation’
I am voting “Yes” for Transportation in Novem- ber and I implore you to do the same. I proudly signed the petition to place the charter amendment on the November ballot along with over 77,000 of our neighbors that know every community will benefit from this investment in our transportation system.
Every part of my dis- trict including USF, East Tampa, West Tampa, Seminole Heights, Progress Village and other parts of unincorporated Hillsborough County has far too long waited for crit- ical transportation im- provements. The time to act is now.
Revenue from this charter amendment will be used to reduce traffic con- gestion by improving in- tersections and roads in every neighborhood and provide more reliable bus service and new transit op- tions so that everyone --- including 100,000 more seniors and disabled resi- dents --- will have better access to work, school, and anywhere else they need to go.
The status quo is cost- ing our community time, money, and lives. Hillsbor- ough County’s population is expected to grow by 700,000 people in the next 30 years. Passing this amendment will allow Hillsborough County to start planning and paying for the transportation im- provements we so desper- ately need. We already feel the consequences of not in- vesting in our transporta- tion system. Can we afford to let our transportation system get any worse?
Commutes are getting longer every year. Average commutes in Hillsborough County are rising faster than at any time in recent decades. This means that all of us spend more time in traffic every year than the one before. More time in traffic means less time with our loved ones, some- thing that you cannot put a price on.
Whether you are a sen- ior citizen in Progress Vil-
lage trying to get to a doc- tor’s appointment or a nurse leaving work after the third shift, you have no public transportation op- tion to get where you need to go.
This lack of public tran- sit options means that car ownership --- an unafford- able luxury for many --- is an obligation and not a choice. This means that you cannot capitalize on opportunity in our com- munity unless you are for- tunate enough to own a car. Not everyone is that fortunate. We can do bet- ter.
Voting YES on trans- portation means a $126 million investment to make sure every bus stop has a shelter and a side- walk. It means that service will be restored on the HART routes that were re- cently cut, and that new, frequent routes will give people the options they need to get where they need to go.
Better access to jobs, better access to health care - this means a better qual- ity of life for everyone in Hillsborough County.
New public transporta- tion options are critical, but our dangerous and congested roads need a lot of work, too.
The sidewalks, cross- walks, and intersection im- provements funded by the “Yes” for transportation plan will save more than 800 lives.
New technology to time traffic lights will reduce congestion at our worst in- tersections. Fixing pot- holes and resurfacing our crumbling streets means safer driving and less wear and tear on our vehicles.
Voting “Yes” for trans- portation in November is an affordable investment in fixing Hillsborough County’s transportation system --- much more af- fordable than the costs we are paying today.
Stand with me in No- vember and vote “Yes” for transportation.
LES MILLER, JR. Hillsborough County Commissioner, District 3
Latest Polls Gives Gillum Lead In Governor’s Race
A new poll released ear- lier this week by Quinnipiac University, known as the Q poll, gives Andrew Gillum the lead in the Governor’s race. According to the poll, Gillum is leading Ron De- Santis by nine points.
The survey, that con- tacted 888 likely voters, showed that Gillum is lead- ing 54% to DeSantis’ 45%. Only 6% of the people inter- viewed were undecided.
Gillum, according to the poll, is holding a lead of 9% outside of the plus/minus 4%. He is doing well among women and independents, and has a double digit lead with both groups. He also has a plus 24 net approval rating, the survey said.
DeSantis’ rating is minus five rating.
The poll was conducted
ANDREW GILLUM
by contacting voters using landlines and cell phones.
Donations To Gillum’s Campaign Lat week, Mike Fer-
nandez, a longtime Repub- lican who has left the party, gave $200, 000 to Demo-
cratic gubernatorial candi- date Andrew Gillum.
Fernandez, a health- care billionaire, has moved on from his former party be- cause of the stance of Pres- ident Donald Trump and the Republicans stance on immigration, and he advo- cates for gun control meas- ures and the Republican Party does not.
Tom Steyer has do- nated another $5.2 million of his own money to help elect Gillum as Florida’s next Governor.
Thus far, Steyer, also a billionaire, has donated $6.6 million to Gillum’s cam- paign. Gillum is Florida Democratic Party’s first African American nominee and its most liberal nominee ever.
PAGE 4-A FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2018