Harvey Shifrin

​Q. What do you consider to be the most important state policy issues impacting our region and how do you plan to legislatively address them?
A. Education, Home Rule, Infrastructure.

Education: Reform the voucher system, reverse the generation of knee-capping educators, increase teacher security and pay scale.

Home Rule: Over the past 15 years, home rule has been eroded by many cuts, I will act to restore the ability of local communities to shape their own future.

Q. Infrastructure continues to be a challenge both in terms of existing, aging systems and additional capacity needed to address Florida’s growth. What are your top infrastructure solutions for our region?
A. The legislature has allowed rampant development, especially in Manatee County. Increasing impact fees and requiring that infrastructure leads development, not the reverse. We need to assure clean water and energy sufficient to withstand the effects of hurricanes.

Q. The Manatee Chamber serves as the voice of business. What challenges or opportunities would you like to see greater business involvement in to move our County forward?
A. Infrastructure, supported by home rule, is crucial. Education, however, is a primary inducement. When a family is looking to settle, the first criteria is the quality of the school district. Florida ranks 50th in average teacher pay. We need to retore Florida education and fight the continual erosion of our public school system at the hands of Tallahassee.