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We hope you can find everything you need. Cano460.com is the official campaign website for Christopher Cano's campaign for State Representative in District 60. Chris is dedicated to providing high-quality public service and ensuring the constituents of District 60 see real improvements to the quality of their lives. - He will do everything he can to meet your expectations and beyond.
With the diverse challenges facing Florida, we're sure you'll be happy working together to make things better for us all. If you have any comments or questions, please feel free to contact us.
We hope to see you again! Check back often for new updates on the road to Tallahassee. There's much more to come!
BREAKING NEWS:
Cano Wins USF Debate!
The Al Mccray Show, Tampa Bay News and Talk Show coverage of the District 60 debate hosted by University of South Florida Student Government.
The numbers are in, Chris Cano won the candidates' debate at USF this evening.
Chris Cano is seeking the Democratic party's nomination for District 60 House seat.
Here is the result of the polling after the debate.
Mr. Cano 36 % ( Democrat )
Mr. Harrison 29 % ( Republican )
Mr. Patterson 16 % ( Democrat )
Mr. Stroud 19 % ( Republican )
The Al Mccray Show endorsed Chris Cano in February 2010
Special Session of the Florida House last but 49 minutes
Republicans Vote to End Session with No Business Accomplished
In an unacceptable disregard for our environment and a blatant waste of tax-payer dollars, the Republican dominated State House has ended its special session called by Governor Crist to address the proposed constitutional ban on offshore drilling in Florida. This is sad moment where special interests, in particular big oil, and rifts within the Republican Party between its members and Governor Crist have taken hold over the interests of the people of Florida.
For the past two sessions Republican leadership in Tallahasse has proposed and supported offshore drilling. Now when faced with the decision to pony up and address the issue without any other legislative agenda they have merely walked away crying politics on the part of the Governor. Politics is exactly what this is, but it is not on the part of the Governor. He is doing his job by calling this session, however Republicans voted 69-42 to end it with no business being accomplished. The people of this state may have issue with Democrats in D.C., but it is abundantly clear that the Republicans in Tallahassee do not give a damn about the people of Florida, the environment, or our well-being.
HILLSBOROUGH TEACHERS ENDORSE CHRISTOPHER CANO for STATE REPRESENTATIVE
OUR ENVIRONMENT: TO DRILL OR NOT TO DRILL?
An explosion on the Deepwater Horizon offshore drilling rig, operating in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Louisiana, on April 20, 2010, resulted in a fire that sank the rig and caused a massive oil spill. Eleven rig workers are currently missing and presumed dead; the explosion also injured 17 others. The oil spill covers a surface area of at least 2,500 square miles according to estimates reported on May 3, 2010 by CNBC. The oil spill, originating from a deepwater oil well 5,000 feet below sea level, is currently discharging an estimated 5–25 thousand barrels, that's 210,000–1,100,000 US gallons of crude oil daily.
The spill is expected to eclipse the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill as the worst US oil disaster in history. Experts fear that it will result in an environmental disaster as the oil from the well site reaches the Gulf coast, damaging the Gulf of Mexico fishing industry, tourism industry, and habitat of hundreds of bird species.
Erica Miller, left, and Danene Birtell, with Tri-State Bird Rescue and Research, work to help an oil-covered northern gannet bird at a facility in Fort Jackson, La. The bird is normally white when full grown.
BP was principal developer of the oil field and leased the oil rig from Transocean Ltd. The U.S. Government has named BP as the responsible party in the incident and will hold the company accountable for all cleanup costs resulting from the oil spill. BP has accepted responsibility for the oil spill and the cleanup costs but indicated that the accident was not their fault and the rig was run by Transocean personnel.
In the end, the blame for this accident is not just on BP, Transocean, or Halliburton. It is on our policy of oil drilling. The people of the United States heavily depend on energy resources provided by petroleum and natural gas. The Florida Legislature has debated the issue of offshore drilling for the past two legislative sessions, with those in favor of drilling gaining ground.
Yet, in light of this ecological disaster originating off the coast of Louisiana, Florida's eco-system has been placed at risk. Should those in favor of drilling have there way, oil drilling would be allowed in State waters 3 to 10 miles off our coast. The mere thought of such a disaster that close to home is an unnacceptable risk to our groundwater, beaches, wildlife, and our people. In addition, Florida has no oil refineries. Therefore, our natural resources will be shipped to Texas and have no immediate effect our lowering our gas prices. So the question is for you the Floridian to decide, are you willing to take that risk for resources that will not lower our gas prices?
HEALTH INSURANCE REFORM
NOW
More Security and Stability
If You Have Health Insurance, the Obama Plan:
- Ends discrimination against people with pre-existing conditions.
- Limits premium discrimination based on gender and age.
- Prevents insurance companies from dropping coverage when people are sick and need it most.
- Caps out-of-pocket expenses so people don’t go broke when they get sick.
- Eliminates extra charges for preventive care like mammograms, flu shots and diabetes tests to improve health and save money.
- Protects Medicare for seniors.
- Eliminates the “donut-hole” gap in coverage for prescription drugs.
Quality, Affordable Choices
If You Don’t Have Insurance, the Obama Plan:
- Creates a new insurance marketplace — the Exchange — that allows people without insurance and small businesses to compare plans and buy insurance at competitive prices.
- Provides new tax credits to help people buy insurance.
- Provides small businesses tax credits and affordable options for covering employees.
- Offers a public health insurance option to provide the uninsured and those who can’t find affordable coverage with a real choice.
- Immediately offers new, low-cost coverage through a national “high risk” pool to protect people with preexisting conditions from financial ruin until the new Exchange is created.
Reins in the Cost of Health Care
For All Americans, the Obama Plan:
- Won’t add a dime to the deficit and is paid for upfront.
- Requires additional cuts if savings are not realized.
- Implements a number of delivery system reforms that begin to rein in health care costs and align incentives for hospitals, physicians, and others to improve quality.
- Creates an independent commission of doctors and medical experts to identify waste, fraud and abuse in the health care system.
- Orders immediate medical malpractice reform projects that could help doctors focus on putting their patients first, not on practicing defensive medicine.
- Requires large employers to cover their employees and individuals who can afford it to buy insurance so everyone shares in the responsibility of reform.
TRANSPORTATION: What you need to know
What Does the Transportation Plan Mean to Our Region?
Without the Master Plan’s improvements, delay on roadways is expected to increase 300% in the TBARTA region by 2030. The average American household spends 18% of income on transportation, but in Tampa Bay, the average is 25%. Why?
Studies say: long commutes and few transit options.
How will improved mass transit benefit us?
The TBARTA transit plan will get 1.3 million people to within a half-mile of their jobs in such employment centers as downtown Tampa, the West Shore business district, and Pinellas County's Gateway area.
The Mid-Term Vision would: Build 116 miles of passenger rail, 159 miles of managed lanes (such as HOT lanes), 226 miles of express bus, and 54 miles of Bus Rapid Transit. Increase local bus service 3.3 times, to connect local communities and destinations to the regional lines. Link all of the major regional employment centers and many tourist destinations in Tampa Bay. Serve 5 million residents and provide access to over 3 million jobs in 2035. Create an average of 250 professional jobs and 1,200 construction jobs every year for the next 25 years. Potentially employ over 2,800 transit drivers by 2035.
The Environment: Protect our local resources
Cone Ranch: Hillsborough County's Natural Resource
What you need to know:
After months of hard work by local activists one of county's most precious resources is finally secured for our future generations. The sale of this natural resource to a private entity is no longer a threat. After much pressure from the City of Tampa and Hillsborough County residents the Board of County Commissioners have voted 6-1 to transfer Cone Ranch from the county’s water utility to ELAPP, the county’s preservation program.
This is one of the main tributaries of the Hillsborough River and our water supply in Tampa Bay. To ensure our best interest are protected, it must stay in the hands of the public. And, although this hard fought victory has been one, we must be forever vigilant that our public officials do not attempt to sell off such resources ever again.
Thank you to all who have fought so hard for this including the Sierra Club and Mr. Kent Bailey as well as the many residents who spoke out on behalf of the people.
Our Children: Protecting their future
Civil Citations: A New Approach to Juvenile Offenders
What you need to know:
Florida ranks as one of the highest states in America for crimes committed by juveniles. With an already inadequate prison system and excessively high recidivism rates, our Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners is looking into implementing a county-wide civil citation program.
Rather than arresting a student who is involved in common school misbehavior, the civil citation program offers early intervention, counseling, education and other appropriate community resources without the harshness, baggage and expense of an arrest. Civil Citation programs seek to identify and address the underlying cause of misconduct and punish students with disciplinary action that is most likely to decrease future occurrences of misbehavior.
More specifically,
Florida Statute 985.12 established the civil citation process “for the purpose of providing an efficient and innovative alternative to the custody by the Department of Juvenile Justice of children who commit non-serious delinquent acts and to ensure swift and appropriate consequences.”
Where we stand:
As it stands now the County's Civil Citation Program although presenting an alternative to incarceration for juvenile offenders, does not adequately expunge the child's record upon completion of the citation's requirements. It will continue to show a civil citation on the child's record which could have an impact on their future to achieve a higher education. This is an issue that must be addressed for this program to be truly successful as an alternative to arrest. Contact your County Commissioner and express your view of how to best serve our children.
Who you need to know:
Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners
- Ken Hagan, Chairman (District 2)
Phone: 813-272-5452
- Mark Sharpe, Vice Chairman (District 7)
Phone: 813-272-5735
- Rose Ferlita (District 1)
Phone: 813-272-5470
Phone: 813-272-5720
- Al Higginbotham (District 4)
Phone: 813-272-5740
- Jim Norman (District 5)
Phone: 813-272-5725
- Kevin Beckner (District 6)
Phone: 813-272-5730
Where you need to be:
Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners Meeting
Regular meetings of the Board of County Commissioners are open to the public and are held on the first and third Wednesdays of each month, beginning at 9 a.m. Speakers generally are limited to three minutes.
All meetings will be held on the 2nd Floor of County Center (unless noted otherwise). You can visit the BOCC website at Hillsboroughcounty.org for any further information or time changes.
