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| Political minions are systematically destroying our campaign's signs, defacing our signs, and stealing them. This is typical, and for every one they break, I fix them promptly and install two additional signs. They never win this game with me. And they know it. |
One of the greatest US Presidents of all time, Ronald Reagan, believed in an "11th Commandment"--A Republican shalt not attack a fellow Republican. He said, "If we are aligned 85%-90% of the time--we're allies--not ENEMIES!" He was right then, and this is still true today. Regrettably, the political climate has devolved and sadly it has now become a free for all. Among some candidates, but not all.
You see---desperate campaigns and desperate candidates that are losing do desperate things. They lie, cheat, and steal. It is a disgusting reality at the national, state, and local level.
It is why most folks will never enter the political arena.
It is hard on candidates, and it is hard on families, too. But the work is important, and it has to get done, so thank God so many good people do step up and run for offices from the School Board to Congress to City Council, to State Senate, to US President.
I have run in a number of local races and I thank the Good Lord for being successful. As a candidate, and as an officeholder.
But one unescapable reality of local politics is the negativity.
Desperate opponents will do anything, say anything, lie, cheat, and steal to win.
Negative politics can be effective at the state and national level. In my experience, it does not work in local elections. In fact, it is off-putting and actually works against a candidate who attempts it in local races. I've actually been the beneficiary of opponents' dirty tricks, attacks, and lies in the past as these histrionics turned off the voters and pushed more supporters my way.
And I am proud of the fact that I have never once--- in any race I have ever competed in---not once have I ever gone negative or attacked an opponent in my political advertisements. Not once, not ever.
Nevertheless, I have been on the receiving end of unfair, dishonest, and deplorable attacks in every race I have run (and won) in Escambia County from School Board to County Commissioner.
Sadly, this race will be no exception.
Fast forward to this race for D1 County Commissioner and I now have an opponent, via his wife, sending out texts and mail pieces full of lies about my record. In addition to this, this same opponent through his supporters and political minions are systematically destroying our campaign's signs, defacing our signs, and stealing them. This is typical, and for every one they break, I fix them promptly and install two additional signs. They never win this game with me. And they know it.
But now comes the lies via texts and mailers. I'm not going to engage in negativity toward my opponent. Voters have a way of sorting this out for themselves locally. They will look at the platforms of each candidate, they will look at the resumes side by side, and THEY, the VOTERS, will make the choice of who to believe, and who is best for the job. So let me take this opportunity to go through the lies and correct the record. And by all means, fact-check everything I say, below.
Lie #1: Jeff Bergosh used the government to punish his political opponents. This is a lie on multiple levels. Individual commissioners are unable to compel board or county action--it takes a public vote of the board to do anything. In this instance--sensitve, confidential, privileged information was stolen from the county and is unlawfully in the possession of multiple entities and individuals. The full board voted 4-1 to seek the return of this stolen county information (2:13 of this video), the Ethics Commission in Tallahassee is moving ahead with a disciplinary hearing for one former county employee who has this data, and the state attorney is reviewing this stolen data issue and contemplating criminal charges. I never "used the government" to "punish" anyone and I never "admitted" doing this in a text message, because it never happened. The individual who admits possessing this information is facing a $20,000 sanction at the Ethics Commission for what he did and he is a former political opponent ----who I dispatched in the 2020 election by 17 percentage points.
Lie #2: Jeff Bergosh raised your taxes. It is an outright, bald-faced lie. I have never once in my time in office voted to raise year-over-year millage rates. NEVER. We grow the economy, grow the tax roll, apply a STATIC millage rate, and grow revenue yearly that way--- which we subsequently re-invest in infrastructure, services, and higher pay for first responders and employees. In addition to this, any homesteaded property in Florida and here in Escambia is protected by the Save Our Homes CAP on assessed value--keeping year over year assessments at no greater than 3% yearly--meaning a 55% increase over 7 years is IMPOSSIBLE! It is a lie. (Check the official county budget site and see for yourself. Our year over year millage tax rate has not changed ONCE since I joined the board.)
Lie #3: Jeff Bergosh is in the pocket of big developers that want to change our way of life without political input. This is another lie and simply an ad-hominem, baseless attack implying I am corrupt. I am the candidate who will re-instate concurrency (which developers hate) I have made it publicly known I will demand a rewrite of our Land Development Code to be more modern and allowing for more public notice, and I am the commissioner who will bring transportation mobility fees to our county. All of these are in the works, and the developers DO NOT Want any of this. I am my own man, I follow the rules, support impact fees publicly, and am in nobody's "pocket."
Lie #4: Jeff Bergosh supported an illegal retirment plan, giving himself the option for up to an additional $57,000 per year in benefits. This is a lie. I never took the 401(a) plan, never was offered it once I became a commissioner, and would not have ever taken it because I am already vested in the traditional FRS Pension plan from my days on the School Board and to switch would not have been an option if I wanted to maintain the pension. This 401(a) plan was in effect in the county and statewide for decades, and it was paid on locally, and "blessed" by Clerk Pam Childers every month from the date of her election in 2012 until 2021 when, after she got into a spat with several commissioners over hearsay and the board's firing of her "buddy" Janice Gilley, she suddenly, unilaterally declared it illegal. Even though she had paid on it for ten years prior saying it was "legal." Her lawyer questioned the legality, at her behest, our lawyer said it was legal, so litigation settled the question once and for all and the board has subsequently adjusted that plan accordingly and in adhearance to the court's ruling. period, end of story.
Any candidate can lie to the people. They can hide behind their prior record of military service as if it is some sort of sword and shield that allows them to say anything they want
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