Photo: CBS 12
There's a special election today in Florida's House District 87, which covers a wide swath of Palm Beach County, from Hypoluxo to Juno Beach.
It includes Palm Beach, where President Trump's Mar-a-Lago sits and he is endorsing the Republican candidate. Jon Maples is a financial planner and former Lake Clarke Shores Town Council member.
No bills were passed during the regular Legislative session to put to the voters a proposal to eliminate homesteaded property taxes, but it could happen during a special session. Maples feels it's something that municipalities can get done.
"We shouldn't be renting our houses from the government forever. But let's make sure that our first responders, our police, our fire, we've got to make sure they're taken care of while giving us a tax break on the back side. And I think part of that is going to be done by making sure government waste and spending, that we work within our budget, that we tighten some screws on a couple of things and I think that will make up the deficit and shortfall by eliminating property taxes."
Maples faces off against Democrat candidate Emily Gregory, who has a history in healthcare policy and management and owns a prenatal and postnatal fitness program providing workouts and community support for mothers.
Her thoughts on the elimination of property taxes...
"I think a total elimination of homesteaded property taxes is dangerous and a distraction because the truth is, all of the municipal services will still have to be paid for. We will still have to have our trash picked up. We will still have to have all of our parks maintained and public safety, all of the things that property taxes pay for."
The House seat was left vacant last August, when Governor DeSantis appointed former State Representative Mike Caruso to be Palm Beach County's Clerk of Court and Comptroller.
The candidates also weigh in on the length of time the seat was empty, with no representation for District 87 during the recent Legislative Session.
The winner of this election is expected to take part in the special session on a budget called for next month.
There are a couple of other state Legislative races today.
Voters in Hillsborough County will be deciding who will fill a Senate seat left vacant when Jay Collins was named Lieutenant Governor and there's a Polk County House seat up for grabs.
Meanwhile, voters in North Palm Beach also have an election today to fill a seat on the Village Council left vacant by the death of Councilmember Kristin Garrison who died in January.
Three candidates are running for that Council seat...David B. Norris, Ron Okolichany and Kendra Zellner.
For both local elections, voters will cast ballots at their assigned polling places which are open from 7 to 7. Be sure to bring your legal I.D.