April 14, 2011
Florida Senate Majority Office
404 South Monroe Street
Tallahassee, Florida 32399-1100
Dear Republican Senators,
As Republicans, we all share a common belief that American citizens have the right to enjoy certain personal freedoms our country was founded on. We all have the basic rights to be a member of the political party of our choice, to vote for the leaders we believe will do what is right for our state, and to let our voices be heard when we do not agree with the job those elected officials are doing. Unfortunately, when you become a member of a union you are expected to waive those rights.
Today, union members pay their union dues only to have no say in what political party or candidate that money will support. They also have no right to speak up against how their dues are being used. This week, you have the ability to ensure union member’s basic rights are restored by voting yes on S.B. 830.
As you debate this bill, please keep in mind the abuse of union power and the obstruction of the American legislative system we recently saw in Wisconsin. Unions in that state were willing to shut down the government in order to maintain control over money used to support the political objectives of a few. Those who disagreed were kept silent in fear of retaliation. This legislative session, you will have the opportunity to stand up for the union workers and make it that much harder for the unions to hold our Government hostage.
We commend the Florida House of Representatives for taking the first steps in restoring these rights to our state’s union workers, and we sign this letter as a show of support for you as you fight for the basic rights our country was founded on. As leaders of the Republican Party of Florida’s State Executive Committee, we strongly urge you to fight for the freedoms we believe in and to protect our legislative system by voting in favor of S.B. 830.
Thank you for your consideration,
Chairman David Bitner
Vice-Chairman Lenny Curry
Secretary Kathy King
Treasurer Jeff Howell
Assistant Treasurer Blaise Ingoglia
National Committeewoman/RNC Co-Chair Sharon Day
National Committeeman Paul Senft
Chairman of the State Committeemen/women’s Caucus Peter Feaman
Stafford Jones, Chairman, Alachua County
Mildred Russell, State Committeewoman, Alachua County
Don Marshall, Chairman, Baker County
Lane Altom, State Committeewoman, Baker County
John Salak, Chairman, Bay County
Jonathan Hayes, State Committeeman, Bay County
Thelma Rohan, State Committeewoman, Bay County
David Dodge, Chairman, Bradford County
Richard DeNapoli, Chairman, Broward County
Ed Kennedy, State Committeeman, Broward County
John Sheppard, Chairman, Calhoun County
Leslie Dougher, Chairwoman, Clay County
Doug Conkey, State Committeeman, Clay County
Frank Schwerin, Chairman, Collier County
Lavigne Kirkpatrick, State Committeeman, Collier County
Terry Rauch, Chairman, Columbia County
Bill Folchi, Chairman, Charlotte County
Lindsay Harrington, State Committeeman, Charlotte County
Jane Sturges, State Committeewoman, Charlotte County
Robert Hagaman, State Committeeman, Citrus County
Michele Klemm, Chairman, Citrus County
Dr. Louis Kirschner, Chairman, DeSoto County
Robert Staton, State Committeeman, DeSoto County
Janie Watson, State Committeewoman, DeSoto County
Hal Chewning, Chairman, Dixie County
Lorene Thomas, State Committeewoman, Dixie County
Cindy Graves, State Committeewoman, Duval County
Rick Hartley, State Committeeman, Duval County
Susan Moore, Chairman, Escambia County
Kevin Brown, State Committeeman, Escambia County
Ashley Carr, State Committeewoman, Escambia County
Nancy Prizer, Chairwoman, Flagler County
Dr. Violet Drexler, State Committeewoman, Flagler County
Ned Pooser, State Committeeman, Franklin County
Joyce Estes, State Committeewoman, Franklin County
Frank Meeker, State Committeeman, Flagler County
Bill Ammons, Chairman, Gadsden County
Russell Doster, State Committeeman, Gadsden County
Joyce Ammons, State Committeewoman, Gadsden County
Tommy Langford, Chairman, Gilchrist County
David Biddle, State Committeeman, Gilchrist County
Betty Ramey, State Committeewoman, Gilchrist County
Doug Korinke, State Committeeman, Glades County
Jim McKnight, Chairman, Gulf County
Johanna White, State Committeewoman, Gulf County
RB Davis, Chairman, Hamilton County
Tom Moffses, State Committeeman, Hamilton County
Gary Delatorre, Chairman, Hardee County
Steve Spinks, State Committeeman, Hardee County
Mel Karau, Chairman, Hendry County
Steve Nisbet, State Committeeman, Hendry County
Thomas Hogan, State Committeeman, Hernando County
Gail Samples, State Committeewoman, Hernando County
Chuck Oakes, State Committeeman, Highlands County
Joan Hartt, State Committeewoman, Highlands County
Debbie Cox-Roush, Chairman, Hillsborough County
AJ Matthews, State Committeeman, Hillsborough County
Tina Pike, State Committeewoman, Hillsborough County
Bob Jones, Chairman, Holmes County
Mike Rich, State Committeeman, Holmes County
Kathryn Rich, State Committeewoman, Holmes County
Tom Lockwood, Chairman, Indian River County
Karl Zimmerman, State Committeeman, Indian River County
Elly Manov, State Committeewoman, Indian River County
Clint Pate, Chairman, Jackson County
Bert Benoit, State Committeeman, Jackson County
Gina Stuart, State Committeewoman, Jackson County
Clyde Simpson, Chairman, Jefferson County
Diane Simpson, State Committeewoman, Jefferson County
Carolyn Land, Chairman, Lafayette County
Kay Durden, State Committeewoman, Lafayette County
Alan Winslow, Chairman, Lake County
Joe Rudderow, State Committeeman, Lake County
Georgia Phillips, State Committeewoman, Lake County
Edie McCrimmon, State Committeewoman, Levy County
Gary Lee, Chairman, Lee County
Charles Dauray, State Committeeman, Lee County
Brenda Skupny, State Committeewoman, Lee County
Bradley Maxwell, Chairman, Leon County
Joe Akerman, State Committeeman, Madison
Princess Akerman, State Committeewoman, Madison
David Agee, State Committeeman, Manatee County
Peggy Simone, State Committeewoman, Manatee County
Lewis Dinkins, State Committeeman, Marion County
Marguerite Cavanaugh, State Committeewoman, Marion County
Mark Klingensmith, Chairman, Martin County
Eric Miller, State Committeeman, Martin County
Mary-Lynn Magar, State Committeewoman, Martin County
Erik Fresen, Chairman, Miami-Dade County
Carlos Lopez-Cantera, State Committeeman, Miami-Dade County
Liliana Ros, State Committeewoman, Miami-Dade County
Debby Goodman, Chairman, Monroe County
Greg Goebel, State Committeeman, Monroe County
Cherie Billings, Chairman, Nassau County
Doug Adkins, State Committeeman, Nassau County
Barbara Wall, Chairman, Okaloosa County
Steve Czonstka, State Committeeman, Okaloosa County
Caroline Fitzgerald, State Committeewoman, Okaloosa County
Mark Cross, State Committeeman, Osceola County
Sid Dinerstein, Chairman, Palm Beach County
Fran Hancock, State Committeeman, Palm Beach County
Randy Maggard, Chairman, Pasco County
Bill Bunting, State Committeeman, Pasco County
Lona O’Reilly, State Committeewoman, Pasco County
Jay Beyrouti, Chairman, Pinellas County
Tony DiMatteo, State Committeeman, Pinellas County
Nancy Riley, State Committeewoman, Pinellas County
Linda Ivell, Chairman, Polk County
Linda Wells, Chairman, Putnam County
Bob Reid, State Committeeman, Putnam County
Carole Reid, State Committeewoman, Putnam County
Debi Large, Chairman, Okeechobee County
Joe Arnold, State Committeeman, Okeechobee County
Melissa Arnold, State Committeewoman, Okeechobee County
Kay Addison, Chairman, Santa Rosa County
Bill Paterson, Chairman, Saint Lucie County
Allen Miller, State Committeeman, Saint Lucie County
Gail Kavanaugh, State Committeewoman, Saint Lucie County
Martin Simmons, State Committeeman, Santa Rosa County
Margaret Sims, State Committeewoman, Santa Rosa County
Joe Gruters, Chairman, Sarasota County
Hal Miller, State Committeeman, Sarasota County
Darlene Harvey-Wood, State Committeewoman, Sarasota County
Ray Valdes, State Committeeman, Seminole County
Harlan Mason, Chairman, St. Johns County
Becky Reichenberg, State Committeewoman, St. Johns County
Ellen Hoffman, State Committeewoman, Sumter County
Mary Lou Sharp, Chairman, Suwannee County
Herman Gunter, State Committeeman, Suwannee County
Renae Allen, Chairwoman, Union County
Joe Stich, Chairman, Volusia County
Robert Fortner, State Committeeman, Volusia County
Dana Swanson, State Committeewoman, Volusia County
Ed Brimner, Chairman, Wakulla County
Anne Ahrendt, State Committeewoman, Wakulla County
Lee Perry, Chairman, Walton County
Lane Rees, State Committeeman, Walton County
Brenda Rees, State Committeewoman, Walton County
Joel Pate, State Committeeman, Washington County
Governor’s Appointee Susie Wiles
Governor’s Appointee Adam Hollingsworth
Governor’s Appointee Scott Hopes
Governor’s Appointee Bo Rivard
Governor’s Appointee Mike Hightower
Governor’s Appointee Tom Grady
Governor’s Appointee Alan Levine
Governor’s Appointee John Colon
cc: President Mike Haridopolos
Senator J.D. Alexander
Senator Thad Altman
Senator Lizbeth Benacquisto
Senator Michael S. “Mike” Bennett
Senator Ellyn Bogdanoff
Senator Charlie S. “Charlie,” Dean Sr.
Senator Nancy Detert
Senator Miguel Diaz de la Portilla
Senator Paula Dockery
Senator Greg Evers
Senator Mike Fasano
Senator Anitere Flores
Senator Don Gaetz
Senator Rene Garcia
Senator Andy Gardiner
Senator Alan D. Hays
Senator Dennis L. Jones
Senator Jack Latvala
Senator Evelyn J. Lynn
Senator Joe Negron
Senator Jim Norman
Senator Steve Oelrich
Senator Garrett Richter
Senator David Simmons
Senator Ronda Storms
Senator John Thrasher
Senator Stephen R. Wise