Dear Neighbor,
It was another busy week in Florida’s Third, and I spent it with the people who make North Central Florida such a special place to call home.
This week, I secured more than $3 million to keep homeless veterans in Ocala and Gainesville housed, fought for greater accountability in the People’s House, and called attention to the challenges facing Florida’s farmers as we work to break through gridlock in the Senate.
From celebrating leaders for their dedicated service to our community to bringing healthcare leaders together and enjoying some Friday night football, this week was all about showing up, listening, and fighting for the people I’m proud to represent. I was also honored to send veterans from North Central Florida to D.C. for the First Coast Honor Flight, a chance to recognize the heroes who sacrificed so much in service to our nation.
Whether I’m in Washington or on the road across North Central Florida, my job is the same: get results for the people I represent and make sure your voices are heard.
As always, thank you for the trust you place in me to serve as your voice in Washington.
Dear Neighbor,
This week was all about bringing more opportunities home to North Central Florida and hearing from the hardworking folks who make Florida’s Third District the best in the nation!
We helped deliver $3 million for Florida Gateway College’s new construction trades center and kept up the push for water infrastructure funding for our counties. I also sat down with community leaders and business owners to hear what’s holding them back. I’m taking that straight to Washington.
In the news, I talked about H.Res. 500, my resolution to require background checks for House staff, and my work as Chair of the Republican Women’s Caucus to combat sexual misconduct on Capitol Hill. The People’s House should set the standard for accountability.
Whether I’m helping create opportunities here at home or fighting to clean up Congress, my mission is clear: deliver results for North Central Florida and make sure Washington works for you.
As always, thank you for the trust you place in me to serve as your voice in Washington.
There were 50 vendors and around 100 attendees. We had a good mix of vendors and several new businesses. Carrabba’s provided lunch for everyone. Thank you to our host, Water Oak Country Club Estates. Thank you to our sponsors, Campus USA Credit Union and Leaf Filer. Thank you to James Floyd from WQBQ 1410 for running the event.
Ocala city leaders and the Ocala Metro and Economic Partnership (CEP) highlighting the new O-Line Trolley service in Downtown Ocala
- Route time: A full loop takes approximately 30 minutes.
- Cost: Completely free for riders.
- Schedule: Operates Wednesday through Saturday, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.
- Stops: Connects public parking areas (including Garage One), local shops, restaurants, and key city landmarks.
- How to ride: Board at designated stops or wave down the driver along the route.
More parking and a new way to explore downtown give people even more reasons to visit our shops and restaurants. Can’t wait to take a ride!
Look 
at the Marion County Youth achievements so far. Six students at Vanguard High School are competing in the seventy second Annual National Merit Scholarship Program. They are semifinalist!
Good Luck Marion County Youth. TomL
Inflation is often described as “too few dollars chasing too few goods” While that may be an oversimplification of a complex issue, it captures an important truth: prices rise when the supply of money and purchasing power grows faster than the supply of products and services available for purchase. Let’s see how the FAIRtax addresses the “too few goods” side of that equation by encouraging more production.
The current income/ payroll tax system taxes wages, profits, interest, dividends, capital gains and business income. The FAIRtax removes federal taxes from the production process and places the tax at the point of final retail sale. By doing so, the FAIRtax would stop penalizing work, savings, investment and business expansion.
Under our present system, businesses face corporate income taxes, payroll taxes, tax compliance costs, depreciation rules and other federal burdens that raise the cost of producing goods. Those costs are built into the prices we pay. They also discourage investment that would otherwise increase factories, equipment, inventory, transportation capacity and employment. As the saying goes, “the more something is taxed, the less you get of it”. Continue reading
Sabel Trail Transmission Line which is the gas line but they want to hide the name Gas Line is trying to intrude again. They say they want our approval to use our land again. They came onto our land the first time and started doing studies on turtle and lizards with no regard to the land owner. They even sent a turtle handler??? I met him when I went and ask each one of them what their title was while they were all in my woods leaning up against a truck.
I recently had a visitor in my drive way by one of the Sabel Trail Gas Line employees. He told me he was a preacher from two county’s away. He was surveying how people felt about the gas line. He took notes when I said I was going to lawyer up. But I am waiting until I see the pathway, but they have already expressed the fact that they want to go along side of the existing gas line which through my farm on two parcels. They want permission now to survey and come on my land. They said they would not start the project until 2029. Don’t believe it. They have never told the truth before. I think they are saying that because an attorney would not want to wait three year for their money. Continue reading
I have been wondering about the success of Marion County. When our country was in a slump and the economy was down \Marion County was doing OK not great but money was moving. I ask how and why? Well we had many seniors spending retirement checks and no one was talking about the thousands of Veterans receiving and spending their checks. Back then the horse industry was not growing like it is now. Now the Horse industry is turning over a lot of money.Now we have the World Equestrian Center, (for horses and people) which s turning out to be entertainment, hotel stays, restaurants and many things that go with that. But we have the Florida Horse Park which caters to a little bit different crowd of horse competitions that are very popular. I think they have national competition in horses jumping coipition s and all the things that go along with it. The two venues are totally different the only thing that is the same is they compete with Horses. Here are the stats about Marion County that is online.
The numbers can be confusing because some of the numbers overlap. But we have a lot of people spending a lot of money! Our county seems to be poor because the powers to be keep raising our taxes instead of lowering them! The invisible expense is the mortgage insurance. Every time the County raises the value go your home your insurance goes up. It has put people into a poverty level they never expected to be. Some their mortgage payment has gone up just because of the value increase the county has put on their homes to charge them more money so they have it to spend! Publishers note The numbers I have heard for veterans are 28,000??? Continue reading
(OCALA, FL) Sept. 16, 2026 – Ocala Fire Rescue and Marion County Fire Rescue responded to a structure fire at Arnold Truss Manufacturing, located at 2250 NW 42nd St. The emergency call was received at 5:38 p.m., reporting flames engulfing the commercial structure.
Ocala Fire Rescue’s Engine 1, Squad 7, Ladder 3, Battalion Chief 11, and a Safety Officer responded. Upon arrival, firefighters encountered a fully involved medium-sized sawmill shed, with access restricted by a bolted gate. The Safety Officer assisted Engine 1 in cutting the chain to gain entry while additional crews conducted a secondary 360-degree assessment of the structure.
Marion Country Fire Rescue crews from Stations 1, 11, 19, and 21 arrived shortly after, established a water supply, and aided in the fire attack.
Because of severe fire conditions and a partial collapse of the structure, crews transitioned to a defensive strategy to extinguish the fire. Despite these challenges, firefighters had water on the fire within four minutes of arrival.
The fire was under control at 5:56 p.m., preventing the flames from spreading to surrounding structures.
No injuries were reported.
I have added publisher notes all through this that did not appear in the Gettysburg address but should have!
Citizens have rights and freedom in this country because those who came before you and fought for your freedom and some died! Don’t take voting lightly.
The phrase “of the people, by the people, for the people” defines a true democracy where the power of the government comes from its citizens and serves their interests. Abraham Lincoln famously popularized these words in his Gettysburg Address!
What Each Part Means
- Of the people: The government gets its power and authority from the citizens, not from a king, queen, or ruling upper class. The people who run the government are regular citizens from the same community. (Publishers Note added) NOT THE MAYOR! They must have worked in the united States on a regular job for at least five years before running for office and must swear allegiance to the United Staes Constitution! A Free election means by the citizens vote not visitors!
- By the people: The citizens create the government and control it through voting. The people choose their leaders in free and fair elections and take part in the political process.
For the people: The government exists to help and protect the public. Its rules and actions are meant to support the safety, rights, and well-being of all citizens, rather than serving just one powerful person or group.
