Five questions with State Senate candidate Don Gaetz

Early voting is underway in Santa Rosa County and will continue until Nov. 2, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. each day. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 5.

Below are Don Gaetz’s answers to our questionnaire:

SRPG: What do you plan to do to make Florida a more affordable state for residents in northwest Florida?

Require transparency and fairness in how electric rates are set. Reform Florida Housing Finance Corporation to fund workforce housing solutions in NWF. Require property insurers to pay undisputed claims promptly. Stop insurers from downsizing damage amounts from independent adjusters. Prevent insurers from siphoning off profits to out-of-state subsidiaries and falsely claiming losses to justify rate increases.

SRPG: What measures would you like to see taken to improve education and make our schools safer?

Every school should have a sworn armed law enforcement officer. Schools should be further hardened to control exits and doorways. State appropriations to fund teacher pay increases tied to performance. End all social promotions. Maximum school choice to allow parents to choose their children’s schools.

Extraordinary emphasis on career-technical education to prepare graduates for jobs as well as college.

SRPG: What will you do as a state senator to help Santa Rosa County see that project brought to fruition?

Ownership of the Navarre Bridge was transferred to the county at county request several years ago. It is now a county not a state bridge. No honest politician can promise the state will pay all the costs to replace a bridge it doesn’t own, especially considering the many other infrastructure needs requested for funding in our area. If a toll is implemented, Beach residents and workers should be given free passage.

SRPG: What needs to be done to maintain Florida’s resiliency in the coming years?

Florida is the riskiest place in North America to own beachfront property. That risk should be borne disproportionately by those who build on the beach. Beachfront structures should have stronger building codes and highly advanced structural mitigation. State and local funding should be increased for beach renourishment and public seawalls. The Florida Legislature can’t change the climate but should use proven measures to protect it.

SRPG: What got you interested in running for political office this year?

Senator Doug Broxson, amazing champion for Northwest Florida, is term limited. No one can fill his shoes. I had no intention or desire to return to the Senate. I was prevailed on by hundreds of Northwest Floridians to run, including people who were already supporting another excellent candidate. Senator Broxson was among those encouraging me to run to ensure our part of Florida wouldn’t be forgotten in Tallahassee.