WHY DO I WANT TO BE A COUNTY COMMISSIONER?
I feel that serving as a County Commissioner will continue my service to the public. Recently I served as Chairman on the Lehigh Acres Fire
Commission.  Lehigh serves over 80,000 residents and provides both fire and emergency advanced life support services.  Elected for a term
of 4 years and serving Lehigh to the best of my ability, I was instrumental in the planning and building of Lehigh's 2 new fire stations.  In my last
2 years, the millage was lowered.  I served as Chairman in my last year.  Lehigh has now become one of the best in fire rescue in South
Florida and they continue to move forward with the best in equipment and personnel.
I believe that everyone should have a voice.  I am for single member districts.  I believe you need to live in the district you plan on representing
for at least 1 year prior to the election.  State Representatives need to live in their district 2 years prior to their election.  Cape Coral requires
their members of council to live in their district for one year prior to election.  How can you help your district if you don't know what's broke?  
When on the County Board, you represent and vote on anything that affects Lee County.  However, the Board looks to you for guidance when
voting on individual district issues and you support other commissioners in their district issues.
                                                             Lee County is in turmoil right now.
Manifestos and moratoriums are in place.   Our County used to be in the cattle and tourism business.  Land disappeared and so went the
cattle.  Lee County then turned to the building industry.  Unfortunately, that business has now gone bust as well.  Many companies are either
going out of business or laying off large amounts of people.  Bankers, lenders, financial institutions are affected.  It's now about putting food on
the table for some people who never ever dreamt that they would be without a job.  Unemployment is rising. Our County depends on the
tourism, building, and the service industries to drive our economy.  If a builder goes out of business then the trickling down effect occurs.  Take
for example-First Home Builders-used to have over 1200 employees working for them.  Now they have less than 50.  Where do you think those
people went to?  Plumbers, carpenters, electricians, landscapers, pool contractors are now without a job and having difficulty finding any job.  
Restaurants and facilities that you used to go to have fun are closed.  Bartenders, servers, dishwashers are all laid off because no more
customers are coming into the restaurant.  Tourism is down because people are concerned about  putting food on the table, not traveling to
the next county to go camping.  Even plastic surgeries are down because the extra money that was available is no longer there.
                                                                             Smart Growth
                                              There is a specific plan for Smart Growth and we are not following it.
                                                             Fiscally speaking
                                            DO YOU WANT IT?  OR DO YOU NEED IT?
                                                                               It's time to reevaluate our spending
                                                            Can you afford 4 more years of this economy?
                      It's time for a change in leadership and I'm the right person for the job.
The position I'm running for includes
all of the pink area which runs north
to the Charlotte Co. Line & River,
East to the Hendry Co. Line, South
to around Corkscrew and most of
the area East of I-75 as well as a
few miles east of I-75 around the
Estero & Bonita Springs area but
anyone in Lee County may vote for
me.  The election is Nov 4, 2008
Political advertisement paid for and approved by Steve (Sonny) Haas,
 No Party Affiliation for County Commission, District 5