Safer Communities
Charles McKenzie is committed to government reforms which will improve the safety of our communities.
Funding for an increased police presence in neighborhoods, incentives for safety officials to reside in the communities they serve and funding for the most modern equipment for our safety personnel are some great places to begin.
Charles will also advocate for increased funding for neighborhood crime prevention programs and after school programs; he will also push for an approach to juvenile justice which stresses prevention and rehabilitation of our young people. He will also be a partner in encouraging increased vigilance by communities to curtail criminal activity.
Affordable Housing
Affordable housing issues affect everyone - the renter whose landlord is facing rising costs, the current homeowner with skyrocketing insurance premiums and the future homeowner who is concerned about property taxes.
The current legislature, led by the Republicans, promised a lot but failed to deliver for the citizens of this state. Amendment One was hailed as the cure for an ailing housing market, yet our housing crisis only deepens with each day. The next legislature must act and propose real solutions!
As your state representative, I will be an advocate for changes in our property tax code which will offer incentives to first time home purchasers. I will propose legislation which will help hurting homeowners to acquire property insurance more easily. It is the duty of the next state legislature to propose real solutions on property taxes and deal with the insurance crisis facing our state.
Non-Discrimination
"It may be true that the law cannot make a man love me. But it can keep him from lynching me, and I think that's pretty important." - Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.
It is critical that we keep working towards the dream laid out by Dr. King. In his words, "we must learn to live together as brothers or we will perish as fools."
I believe that we must continue King's legacy by advocating for a society which does not discriminate against people because of who they are. It is imperative that we break down the barriers which divide us. As your state representative, I will take a strong stand against discrimination wherever it is and I will work to root it out. Under no circumstances should we allow the law to discriminate against people and we should work to change the hearts of those who individuals who discriminate against others.
Education
As a public school teacher, former member of the Executive Board of the Manatee Education Association and a delegate to the NEA National Convention in Washington, D.C., Charles McKenzie understands the needs facing our public schools, teachers and students.
As a strong advocate for public education, Charles has committed to use his vote in the state legislature to...
Oppose any efforts to cut teacher salaries. Teacher salaries in Florida must be competitive and should be at or above the national average. We need to retain our best teachers!
Support a well-rounded curriculum which includes art and music.
Promote student health and wellness by fully funding schools so they do not need to rely on vending machines which sell junk food and soda to raise funds. The legislature should factor in basic inflation, student population growth, increased employee health insurance costs and funds for improvements to ensure high quality public education.
Oppose providing public funds to private schools which are not held accountable for those funds or student achievement. Furthermore, I believe that public funds should be used exclusively for public schools and I oppose the backdoor efforts to put school vouchers in our state constitution.
Require that the use of any alternative funding sources be used only to supplement school funding. It should not be used to replace existing funding for our public schools.
Encourage professional development by offering tuition reimbursements for teachers to earn advanced degrees or certifications in critical shortage areas. I would also support additional resources to increase opportunities for more teachers to participate in National Board Certification.
Fully fund implementation of the constitutional provision regarding class size.
Together, WE can build a public education system which serves our students well and also trains and retains the highest quality professionals in our public schools!