Campaign- related materials paid for by Sam Simmons Republican for Lake County Commission

Background

• BS Agricultural Management at the University of Florida
  
• Registered Nurse at Lake Sumter State College
• BS in Nursing (BSN) at University of Florida
• Works at Emergency Department as an RN (Emergency ​Department Registered Nurse)
  

Campaign Platform- Quick View

• Fresh perspective from an experienced public servant who ​is not a career politician
• Community oriented approach to meet the needs of the ​public and ensure responsible allocation of constituents’ ​hard-earned tax dollars
  
• Lifelong resident of my district
  
• Conservative Judeo-Christian family values
  
• Advocate for resources and personnel for Emergency ​Services to meet current NFPA Standards
  
• Proponent of roads and transportation infrastructure ​keeping pace with growth
  

Beliefs, Experience, and Mission

I am uniquely qualified to serve as Lake County Commissioner by my family background, life stage, ​education, skills, and work experiences. I am a sixth generation Lake County native, proud to call this ​part of Florida my ancestral home. Roots are important to my family, and we take our Christian-based ​commitment to the land and our community very seriously. Every generation taking an active part in ​the cultivation and preservation of both agricultural and native plants and animals as well as serving ​the people of our community through our occupations in education and healthcare. I am 49 years old, ​with parents in their mid-70s and children at home as young as 11. I am still engaged in furthering my ​professional life but have an eye toward retirement, allowing me to empathize and understand the ​needs of citizens in all stages of life. I graduated from the University of Florida twice- once with a B. S. ​in Agriculture Operations Management and the second time with a B.S. in Nursing. I have nearly ​twenty years of experience as an investigator with the Florida Department of Agriculture and ​Consumer Services, U. S. D. A., U. S. E. P. A., and F. D. A. I am currently a critical care nurse in an ​emergency room in South Lake County, where collaborating with other specialties for positive patient ​outcomes is our daily norm.

In completing my B.S. in Nursing at the University of Florida, I completed an in-depth community ​health assessment project. Through interviews with local residents and analysis of fatality and injury ​statistics, I was able to identify population growth and transportation infrastructure deficiencies as ​the greatest challenges to health and safety in Lake County. The UF faculty encouraged all students to ​get involved in policymaking at some point in our careers, as that is considered the highest level of ​nursing intervention. My commitment to this community and the influence of our family culture of ​service have led me to run for Lake County Commission District 1.

In my previous government career, I worked as boots-on-the-ground in nearly every community in ​Central and North Central Florida. There is no better way to understand the needs of the local ​populace than to personally visit and talk with the people who live and work there. As an investigator ​and as a nurse, I have learned how to actively listen. In my own dealings with our county ​commissioners, I cannot help but think that a simple in-person visit would have helped them ​understand local road issues in a way that could not be adequately communicated in an email. While I ​am not a huge fan of social media, it is a great tool for outreach. I have seen other local conservatives ​continue their campaign Facebook pages as insider news sites, allowing their constituents access to ​the inner workings of local government. I intend to continue that social media trend at the county level ​as well as personally visit all of the communities that the Lake County commission serves.

Service levels versus taxes brings to mind the old adage, “You get what you pay for.” In the case of ​government, that truism is not always, well, true. Anyone who pays attention to current events can ​present evidence of wastefulness in government without breaking a sweat. I believe that everyone ​should pay their fair share and that taxpayers should have the opportunity to provide input into how ​their tax dollars are being spent. I am an advocate for fiscal responsibility, in which spending should be ​focused on projects and programs that offer the greatest positive impact on the health and safety of ​the community. Would I personally be willing to pay a little extra for improved and expanded ​emergency services and good roads? Yes. Do I want to pay extra for another county park that I will ​never use? No. Departments and programs should be frequently audited, with their levels of ​effectiveness directly influencing future budgets and long-term program viability. Programs that do ​not contribute to support themselves or provide a distinct health and safety benefit should not burden ​the taxpayer.

The piers of my county commissioner platform are emergency services, safer roads, and responsible ​growth. Current budgets are not sufficiently funding maintenance and repair of our existing ​overcrowded, deteriorating roads and other transportation infrastructure. Our fire/rescue services are ​operating with approximately half the number of units we should have available 24/7, and staffing is ​currently well below the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) minimums. I plan to use my ​position on the Lake County Commission to ensure that growth keeps pace with infrastructure, with ​new growth helping to pay for its own support infrastructure and the burdens it is placing on existing ​infrastructure. In order to accomplish these goals, we may need to update and modify our ​comprehensive plan as our area continues to evolve. As our available acreage decreases, it becomes ​more valuable based on the basic premise of supply and demand. Future development should expect to ​shoulder a commensurate level of economic responsibility relative to its consumption of local ​resources.

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Phone: 352-217-1297

Email: samsimmonsforlakecountycommiss@gmail.com