As resident question asker of District 5 County Commissioner candidates, I am wondering if anyone has the ability to track down Mr. Osborne and ask him to stop in to Sowal and answer some questions. I will re-post the ones I have posted for Mr. Hudson and Mr. Braunstein for reasons of fairness. I am only changing some of my personal editorial comments. Considering what I have read on other threads, it appears that Mr. Osborne has the support of the previous County Commissioner in this district so hopefully, he will find it in his best interest to participate in this exercise. We will see.
Have you ever held government office before?
What experience do you have in trying to bring very diverse groups to a consensus and how are you in the art of compromise?
What is your position on the Driftwood Estates drainage issue? Should the County stop the ongoing development until drainage is fixed?
Should Code Enforcement be proactive or reactive?
How do you feel about using property taxes to buy up lands for use as public venues? Could we open up some of the school property when it is not in use since our tax dollars already paid for those?
What do you think about the county's sign plan for the bike path on 30A?
Is the beach public or are some areas private and the public shouldn't use them?
Should seawalls be allowed on the beach?
How can the County get more parking at beach accesses?
Are you for or against having concerts at some of the developments like Gulf Place. It looks like the jazz festival is gone, but the Criollas guy has said that their new company is wanting to have more concerts there?
What is your feeling on the current Sheriff versus County situation? Do you have any thoughts on improving communication if the current Sheriff wins?
This issue with "things left on the beach" what do you think? Should the government have the right to play beach removal czars and take the stuff on those privately-owned beaches or not?
There has been some talk about beach renourishment along more beaches in Walton County. Since you are trying to get the seat of Meadows and District 5 where it has been done before, are you for or against it for the rest of sowal?
What do you think about the recent issues with the Sheriff regarding the the 300k spent on communications. Was it "bid" legally? If he comes in to the County Commission meeting "hat in hand" would you approve his request or not.
Finally, I see in newspapers that local groups have concerns regarding buying that beach at Eastern Lake. It looks like the County Commission decided not to vote for it. Would you have voted for it or not?
Replies
66
Beach LoverAuthor
Sorry it's been a while since I came on and got a chance to thank Mr. Osborne for his first group of answers. I see that he hasn't had a chance to answer all of them yet.
I have been sent a couple more questions from other readers and would be glad to add to them if any other readers have questions to be answered. I hope Mr. Osborne has some time this weekend to answer the last of my first group. If not, I will still post the new ones to him, while I also ask them of Mr. Hudson and Braunstein.
I have been sent a couple more questions from other readers and would be glad to add to them if any other readers have questions to be answered. I hope Mr. Osborne has some time this weekend to answer the last of my first group. If not, I will still post the new ones to him, while I also ask them of Mr. Hudson and Braunstein.
Beach Fanatic
I have seen most of the parks in the county, some were run and maintained privately as was Helen McCall. There was a time it was a begging process and improvement and maintenance was performed by the volunteers. The County assisted with some big ticket items, sprinklers, fencing grading. I realize Commissioner Meadows did a lot for parks, Vaness Butler assisted in improving through the County the upgrades while my children were playing and that was before we had High School in SoWal.
Beach Comber
Walton Voter
I just went to Mr. Osborne's Web side and clicked on donations. His first statement is that donations are tax-deductible! Has anyone told him that political donations are not tax-deductible, at least they have not been in the past?
Tax-deductible donations are generally for charities or nonprofit organizations 501 C3, maybe someone needs to notify him this is incorrect.
Is it just me the more I look at Mr. Osborne I question his ability to follow directions?
I just went to Mr. Osborne's Web side and clicked on donations. His first statement is that donations are tax-deductible! Has anyone told him that political donations are not tax-deductible, at least they have not been in the past?
Tax-deductible donations are generally for charities or nonprofit organizations 501 C3, maybe someone needs to notify him this is incorrect.
Is it just me the more I look at Mr. Osborne I question his ability to follow directions?
Beach Fanatic
I just went to Mr. Osborne's Web side and clicked on donations. His first statement is that donations are tax-deductible! Has anyone told him that political donations are not tax-deductible, at least they have not been in the past?You just notified him. What directions are you talking about? If you are talking about the tax deductible thing, it is not an error in judgement just the possiblility that he is unaware of a page in our over 2000 page tax code.
Tax-deductible donations are generally for charities or nonprofit organizations 501 C3, maybe someone needs to notify him this is incorrect.
Is it just me the more I look at Mr. Osborne I question his ability to follow directions?
SoWal Expert
[FONT=georgia,times, times new roman, serif] By the way, if you go to the US Government Printing Office ( www.gpo.gov ), you can order a complete set of Title 26 of the US Code of Federal Regulations (that's the part written by the IRS), all twenty volumes of it, at the bargain price of $974, shipping included.
According to the US Government Printing Office, it's 13,458 pages in total. The full text of Title 26 of the United States Code (the part written by Congress--available for an additional $179) is a mere 3,387 printed pages, bringing the adjusted gross page count to 16,845.
[/FONT]
According to the US Government Printing Office, it's 13,458 pages in total. The full text of Title 26 of the United States Code (the part written by Congress--available for an additional $179) is a mere 3,387 printed pages, bringing the adjusted gross page count to 16,845.
[/FONT]
Beach Comber
You just notified him. What directions are you talking about? If you are talking about the tax deductible thing, it is not an error in judgement just the possiblility that he is unaware of a page in our over 2000 page tax code.
By directions I simply mean that as an elected official he should have the ability to lead us and guide us properly and follow the rules. Mr. Osborne states he's going to follow the rules, except it's quite obvious if you drive down the highway that he is violating with the DOT rules on placing signs this is a fact not a statement.
As a candidate he was given a set of rules to follow on donations and publications it is his responsibility to read those directions and follow them to the tee.
If he wants to gain the respect of his constituents he has to show leadership and the ability to follow directions as all the other candidates have too.
SoWal Expert
now you are just picking on Mr Osborne when you are talking about the sign placement. I hate it too, but even the current Sheriff has illegally placed signs, so what is your point? Are any of the Sheriff's candidates supposed to also abide by the laws as written?
I'm sure that Mr Osborne will correct the message on his donation link, since you have pointed it out.
I'm sure that Mr Osborne will correct the message on his donation link, since you have pointed it out.
Beach Lover
Correction to web site.
I will correct this and call the person who built it for me. If you look at my web site it plainly says that all funds at the end of the election will be donated to the Special Operations Warrior Foundation. This is a tax deductible foundation that puts the kids of fallen heros thru college. I will try to have the web site corrected tonight.
Alan
I will correct this and call the person who built it for me. If you look at my web site it plainly says that all funds at the end of the election will be donated to the Special Operations Warrior Foundation. This is a tax deductible foundation that puts the kids of fallen heros thru college. I will try to have the web site corrected tonight.
Alan
Beach Fanatic
By directions I simply mean that as an elected official he should have the ability to lead us and guide us properly and follow the rules. Mr. Osborne states he's going to follow the rules, except it's quite obvious if you drive down the highway that he is violating with the DOT rules on placing signs this is a fact not a statement.
As a candidate he was given a set of rules to follow on donations and publications it is his responsibility to read those directions and follow them to the tee.
If he wants to gain the respect of his constituents he has to show leadership and the ability to follow directions as all the other candidates have too.
Please, give us a break here.
If you are disqualifying all the candidates who have broke the rules regarding signs, please forward your blank ballot to the elections bureau.:funn:And if you are going to fault the man for not understanding the tax law, then you could find fault with a roomful of nuns in a convent.:rofl: All the men/women in politics break the sign laws and nobody understand the tax code.
Move on to the issues that they can understand and possibly help us with.
Signed:
Undecided realist in SoWal.
Beach Comber
Walton Voter
Good, as far as donating to a charitable entity again the donation rules state that any funds left over in the campaign are to either be given to a non-profit organization or turned over to the supervisor of elections for their discretionary disbursement.
The actual tax deduction to the charitable entity goes to the candidate as a tax deduction not the people giving donations to the candidate.
I am a stickler to detail because without detail order, we have chaos, although I don't always agree with the rules I live by the rules.
It is like the old saying ?it is better to tell the truth than tell a lie, you don't have to remember what your lied about?, by following the rules the rules work for you.
I will correct this and call the person who built it for me. If you look at my web site it plainly says that all funds at the end of the election will be donated to the Special Operations Warrior Foundation. This is a tax deductible foundation that puts the kids of fallen heros thru college. I will try to have the web site corrected tonight.
Alan
Good, as far as donating to a charitable entity again the donation rules state that any funds left over in the campaign are to either be given to a non-profit organization or turned over to the supervisor of elections for their discretionary disbursement.
The actual tax deduction to the charitable entity goes to the candidate as a tax deduction not the people giving donations to the candidate.
I am a stickler to detail because without detail order, we have chaos, although I don't always agree with the rules I live by the rules.
It is like the old saying ?it is better to tell the truth than tell a lie, you don't have to remember what your lied about?, by following the rules the rules work for you.
Beach Fanatic
Please, give us a break here.
Signed:
Undecided realist in SoWal.
I do not see how the candidate gets the tax deduction since the money is not the candidate's but the entity, the campaign. And the campaign does not file taxes. The candidate does get the goodwill for the donation, but I have known candidates that donated thousands at the end of their campaigns and to my knowledge never took a tax deduction for those donations.
Also excess funds could be returned to the contributor as long as done on an equal pro-rata basis. This is the reason most candidates loan their campaigns dollars, since those loans are the first thing that has to be repaid.
Beach Fanatic
Please, give us a break here.
So you believe that if enough people break a law then it is okay to ignore it?
Beach Fanatic
[FONT=georgia,times, times new roman, serif] By the way, if you go to the US Government Printing Office ( www.gpo.gov ), you can order a complete set of Title 26 of the US Code of Federal Regulations (that's the part written by the IRS), all twenty volumes of it, at the bargain price of $974, shipping included.Sorry, SJ. My guesstimate missed the total a blit. What an amazing bit of trivia. It does show, though, how badly our tax code and tax structure needs to be revised. (Back to the original thread).
[FONT=georgia,times, times new roman, serif]According to the US Government Printing Office, it's 13,458 pages in total. The full text of Title 26 of the United States Code (the part written by Congress--available for an additional $179) is a mere 3,387 printed pages, bringing the adjusted gross page count to 16,845. [/FONT]
[/FONT]
Beach Comber
Walton Voter
Wow, you learn something new every day. I often wondered why the candidate would list their own contributions as a loan rather than just a cash contribution now I know they can get their money back if they raise enough excess funds. Thank you for the information.
I do not see how the candidate gets the tax deduction since the money is not the candidate's but the entity, the campaign. And the campaign does not file taxes. The candidate does get the goodwill for the donation, but I have known candidates that donated thousands at the end of their campaigns and to my knowledge never took a tax deduction for those donations.
Also excess funds could be returned to the contributor as long as done on an equal pro-rata basis. This is the reason most candidates loan their campaigns dollars, since those loans are the first thing that has to be repaid.
Wow, you learn something new every day. I often wondered why the candidate would list their own contributions as a loan rather than just a cash contribution now I know they can get their money back if they raise enough excess funds. Thank you for the information.
Banned
I'm sure that since Alan represents 170 concerned homeowners in Driftwood Estates, he has been busy putting effort towards today's special BCC Mtg regarding Driftwood. The guy knows the Code better than WalCo Planning Dept and the County Commissioners. He has been studying the Codes for the last 4 years since this crap at Driftwood began. I believe he once told me that his father is/was a District Judge, and when Alan speaks, he seems to speak with passion, yet brings nothing but evidence to the table. I think he stuns the BCC at every meeting with new information.
As I understand it, today's special BCC mtg did not end the situation there, but maybe the 45 days which the BCC gave the developer at Driftwood to comply before the County would file a lawsuit, will give Alan enough breathing room for him to share some of his thoughts. I guarantee you this, Alan has at least 170 votes from the residents in Driftwood.
AND mine,...and I don't even live in Driftwood; and if you believe the adages, "a new broom sweeps clean" or "a breath of fresh air" or "fact over fantasy", and expect fair representation from your Commissioners, then Alan Osborne deserves to get your vote too.....(Don't waste this guys talents, Driftwood needs him.. but I think Walton County needs him more).
Banned
[FONT=georgia,times, times new roman, serif] By the way, if you go to the US Government Printing Office ( www.gpo.gov ), you can order a complete set of Title 26 of the US Code of Federal Regulations (that's the part written by the IRS), all twenty volumes of it, at the bargain price of $974, shipping included.
[FONT=georgia,times, times new roman, serif]According to the US Government Printing Office, it's 13,458 pages in total. The full text of Title 26 of the United States Code (the part written by Congress--available for an additional $179) is a mere 3,387 printed pages, bringing the adjusted gross page count to 16,845. [/FONT]
[/FONT]
That alone says we are more than ready for the "FairTax" that Neal Boortz and Congressman John Linder (R-GA) have been proposing. [www.fairtax.org]
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