By Terry Witt – Spotlight Senior Reporter
Florida Senate District 9 candidate Rodney Long said his style of leadership is to build consensus rather than working along party lines.
Long, the only Democrat participating in the Republican candidates’ forum in Cedar Key on July 22, gave that response when questioner Stoney Smith asked if he would reach across the aisle to Republicans if elected.
Smith reminded him that all of the leadership in Levy County is Republican.
“How would you represent Levy County? All of our officer holders are Republican. Would you reach across the aisle and help us? What are some of the things you could do as a senator to help our county?” Smith said.
“My style is one of a consensus-builder,” Long responded. “I don’t represent people because they are Republican or Democrats. When I was president of the Florida Association of Counties, I represented people from small rural, medium, and large counties. I did it because all our issues are the same. We were fighting for issues that addressed Florida cities and counties.”
“In Levy County, as a matter of fact, all these people you see here look like family. They are everywhere I’ve been. I’ve seen all of you for the past two and a half months. I’m already working in Levy County. I did it at the Chiefland Watermelon Festival. I’ve been at festivals. I’ve been to more festivals in Levy County than I’ve been in my life,” Long said drawing laughter.
Long said Levy County is unique. He said the county faces challenges when it comes to health care.
“In Levy County, if you have a medical emergency, you had better hope that EMS is close by and traffic in Gainesville is not packed,” he said. “We need health care here according to the people I’ve talked to.”
Long has considerable experience in local government in Gainesville and Alachua County. He served on the Gainesville City Commissioner for six years and was elected to three terms on the Alachua County Commission. He served as chairman of the Florida Association of Counties for two terms. He was also chosen by his colleagues in the National Association of Counties to represent the organization in discussions at the White House in Washington, D.C.
He said Levy County believes that the government that is the closest to the people are the people who are elected to serve in local government.
“My opponent (Sen Keith Perry) believes that local government is a theory obviously and there’s no such thing as local authority,” Long said. “Well, I was in local elected office for quite a while. I’m willing to bet Lilly Rooks believes in home rule authority. School board members and county commission members throughout the state, and city council members throughout the state believe in home rule authority. So as your next state senator, I will push back against every pre-emption placed on local government and placed on this county by the state. That’s how I will help the county,” Long said.
Long said what Levy County needs is housing that is affordable. He said one of the reasons why housing is needed here and elsewhere in the state is because there is a shortage of 300,000 units of affordable housing.
“Why is that? Some people in Tallahassee decided to raid the Sadowski Trust Fund that we voted for affordable housing,” Long said.
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Enterprise Reporting by Terry Witt July 22, 2022; Posted July 28, 2022
