tomplatt08's blog

A painful example of what happens when judges make decision from the bench that should be made by elected legislators; about corruption in local government; about "unfundated mandates", and a lesson to keep in mind when discussing the finances for the "Big Dig" Tollroad proposed through the county to promote the sale of adjoining private property!Ala. county faces biggest US municipal bankruptcy Jay Reeves - Associated Press Writer - 8/15/2008 3:55:00 PM BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Alabama's largest county appears headed for the biggest municipal bankruptcy in U.S. history, a $3.2 billion mess created by the nation's credit crunch and a colossal, corruption-riddled sewer project.Politicians in Jefferson County - which has 658,000 residents and includes the state's biggest city, Birmingham - are struggling to find a way out of the jam, but they have mostly abandoned talk of raising taxes and fees after running into fierce opposition at raucous public meetings.

Republican:

You recently asked on your blog what were "the differences between me and my opponents.?"  And I am happy to provide the following answers to your query.

A review of two websites will reveal stark differences betwen me and my two opponents, realtor Wendell Davis and Jacksonville fireman David McCall.  The websites are [a] the Clay County Supervisor of Elections and [b] the American Family Forum websites.

The SOE website paints a great difference between me and Wendell Davis.  Mr. Davis has been generously endowed by the lobbyist for Advance Waste Disposal and the other lobbyist for the Florida gambling industry, along with elected representatives who have amassed a financial fortune while service in Tallahassee and peddling their influence - for a fee.  He's also funded by the families who have run the county government for nearly a century through the candidates they support, along with industries which have set up PACs to promote candidates who will ensure their industries' ability to continue to "feed at the public trough."

Anthropologists tell us that all societies have "rites of passage" to mark a "coming of age."

I guess I have "come of age" if being mentioned more than once in Folioweekly in two years is a "rite of passage."

The most recent one (this week) really gave me, my wife and daughter a hearty laugh!  And most of my friends, too!  Some might even go so far as to say that I was "bow-ed" up in laughter!

Paid political advertisement approved by Tom Platt, Republican candidate for District 1 County Commissioner

There are actually FIVE real estate agents who could occupy the Clay county BCC:

1. Wendell Davis, Vice-President, Watson Realty and President of Maintenance Division

2. Paul Ackley, Vice-President, Watson Realty (Middleburg office)

3. Debbie Terry, agent for Watson Realty (Orange Park)

4. Doug Conkey, agent for Watson Realty (and current Dist 2 County Commissioner)

5. J. D. "Dan" Weisenburg, real estate agent running in Harold Rutledge's district.

If elected, they would either occupy 5 of 7 seats on the BCC - or 4 of 5 seats if the two at-large are abolished in the future.

Engineer:

Please send your telephone number to me at thplatt@msn.com.  I'd like to talk to you - you have some great insights into the tollroad.  I'd appreciate a more in-depth conversation - perhaps over a cup of coffee - to learn more of what you have to share.

The info put out by the lobbyists for the tollroad represents the expected point of view, and I'd like to have a bigger picture since there is the risk of the taxpayers being left with the bills if the tollroad fails.

Tom Platt

TUESDAY 5 AUG 08 

The good citizens of Green Cove Springs are graciously holding a political rally for me TODAY at Spring Park in Green Cove Springs at 12:00 noon.

I will discuss county issues and answer questions.

Concerned citizens are welcome.  ("Spies" from my competitors will be there, too! LOL!)

Thank you!

Tom Platt 

 Paid political advertisement by Tom Platt, Republican candidate for Clay County Commissioner, District One

WHO:  The public and  qualified Republican candidates seeking their party's nomination for BCC districts 1, 3 & 5

WHAT:  Clay County Republican Party monthly meeting

WHERE: Orange Park Town Hall

WHEN: tonight (4th Monday) @ 7:30 p.m. - room will be packed - arrive early if you want a seat!

WHY: To hear registered Republican candidates, and ask them questions in written form on notecards provided at the meeting.

Questions will be screened to avoid asking the same question more than once.  They will not be screened for content

The public is invited to hear registered Republican candidates for Clay county BCC districts 1, 3 & 5 on Monday, June 23 at 7:30 p.m.  [Seating is limited so arrive early in order to avoid having to stand.]

This is the monthly meeting of the Clay County Republican party and it will be held at the Orange Park Town Hall at the corner of US 17 and Kingsley Avenue.

Each candidate will be allowed to speak very briefly with introductory remarks, followed by written questions from the audience. 

Please come and ask questions so as to be informed when you cast your vote in the Republican primary on August 26th.

Yesterday, I said goodbye to a genuine American hero.

Lt. Colonel Frank Vavrek, US Army (retired) was in Green Cove Spring's wonderful Kindred Hospital with a debilitating illness.  I had had Frank in my thoughts all morning, and I told my wife I felt like I needed to go see him.

When I got to his hospital room, his loving wife looked up and saw me.  When she came to the door to greet me, I said, "Hi, Carol.  How's he doing today?"  Through her tears, she smiled, and said, "Tom, you can go in and tell him goodbye."

As he struggled to breath, I prayed and quietly cried at his bedside at the impending loss of a wonderful friend and thought to myself, "Here goes another American hero.  We're losing them each day."

The article below by Victor Davis Hanson clearly lays out the problems behind our current crises.  And the problem is clearly our generation of baby-boomers (that includes my generation).

The writer is a modern-day prophet who reminds me of the Old Testament prophet Jeremiah (and others).  Read and see if you agree!

All About Me
Victor Davis Hanson
Thursday, May 29, 2008

Here is how our baby-boom generation solves problems:

— Recently, George Bush went to Saudi Arabia to ask the ruling House of Saud to pump more oil. That request had about as much chance of success as the Democratic-led congressional effort to “sue” the Saudis in American courts for their selfish “price-gouging.”