District 24
In District 24, former Senate President Tom Lee is challenged by Democrat Elizabeth Belcher, who is running for office for the first time.
The district includes Plant City, most of Brandon and eastern Hillsborough, New Tampa and part of Temple Terrace.
Lee, it’s true, had the support of Tallahassee heavyweights during his easy GOP primary victory over state Rep. Rachel Burgin.
But in his 1996-to-2006 stint in the Legislature, Lee proved to be independent and gutsy, earning the enduring enmity of powerful special interests by adopting tight controls on lobbyists.
He has the experience and backbone to curb Tallahassee overreach.
Taxpayers can count on him to be exacting with their money. He had been pushing for more fiscal discipline and planning long before the economic crash.
Lee, 50, championed the adoption of a constitutional amendment that required lawmakers to develop a three-year financial planning process. He also was a consistent supporter of thoughtful tax cuts, and helped Gov. Jeb Bush eliminate the intangible tax that hit Floridians who invested for their retirement.
Yet Lee, a developer, also understands that state and local governments must invest strategically — building roads, expanding ports and protecting the state’s natural beauty — for future success.
Belcher, 62, is a former IRS criminal investigator. Smart and civic-minded, she emphasizes the need for stronger ethics, including requiring that when lawmakers add items to the budget, their names be part of the request to take the mystery out of last-minute appropriations. She understands the needs of small businesses as well as the importance of protecting the environment.
Personable and a good listener, Belcher is qualified, but Lee is much more likely to have the influence and savvy to help bring the Legislature down to earth.
In the state Senate, District 24, The Tampa Tribune endorses Tom Lee.
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