By Matt Mauney | Associate Editor
The Plant City Observer has profiled candidates for the several local and state elections. Here, we spotlight Kevin Beckner and Margaret Iuculano, candidates for Hillsborough County Commission District 6.
KEVIN BECKNER
Democrat Kevin Beckner hopes to be re-elected as District 6 Hillsborough County commissioner. A financial planner and former police officer, Beckner said he has a record for making tough calls during his term in office.
“In my first commission meeting, we implemented changes that saved taxpayers more than $2 million,” he said.
Beckner then cut his own pay and helped cut the county budget by $1 billion — both while protecting services vital to the county’s quality of life. He also fought to reform the Children’s Board by bringing on former Tampa Mayor Pan Iorio, calling for all contracts to be put out for bid and requesting a personnel audit that helped bring a change in leadership.
“I believe our Hillsborough County government needs to live within its means, and I have a proven record of making tough calls and implementing reforms,” he said.
Beckner also formed the Juvenile Task Force to help at-risk youths finish school and either go to college, serve in the military or get a job. He also created Hillsborough County’s First Responders Fallen Heroes Fund and Memorial Tribute.
Beckner describes himself as a family man who believes in the same family values that “make Plant City such a great place to live and raise a family.”
“I was raised to believe in strong schools, well-paying jobs and a government that lives within its means,” he said.
As a former police officer, Beckner believes in making our streets and neighborhoods safe.
When it comes to issues facing the current election, Beckner said his focus is the economy and jobs, with fiscal responsibility being key.
“We have to make sure that we keep taxes low and our small businesses growing,” he said. “That’s why I’m proposing a F.A.I.R. Plan that caps government spending to keep taxes low and holds politicians accountable by demanding fiscally responsible budgets.
“I am the only proven fiscal conservative in this race,” he said.
Beckner has been a professional financial planner since 1996.
One of Beckner’s continuing focuses is lowering insurance rates. In his previous term, he has made efforts to cut down insurance fraud, noting the county had become a leader in staged auto accidents, which caused increased premiums.
He has been involved with several community groups and is on several boards, including Arts Council, Children’s Board, Hillsborough Area Regional Transit and as a chair and former vice chair of the Environmental Protection Commission.
Beckner said he understands Hillsborough is a diverse county and said “it’s important to respect both our rural and urban communities.”
As with the rest of the county, Beckner hopes to see Plant City grow economically, noting the “agricultural community is an integral part of our economy.”
“When we grow, we need to make sure that we grow smart,” he said. “This also means improving our transportation infrastructure, driving economic opportunities in Plant City and throughout the county.”
MARGARET IUCULANO
Republican Margaret Iuculano is the founder of Angels for Foster Kids, a non-profit dedicated to improving the lives of children in foster care in Hillsborough County.
It is something she knows all too well; she spent a considerable amount of time in the foster care system as a child.
“I moved over 15 times due to no fault of my own, but a core flaw in the system at that time prevented anyone from being able to keep me in their home for more than 120 days,” she said.
Iuculano aged out of the system at 16, when she entered a Spanish mission.
“I had my first encounter with God that changed my life and continues to change it today,” she said.
Iuculano later a became successful businesswoman, working for both small businesses and Fortune 500 companies. She served as the CEO of TechSherpas, a local technical software training company, which was sold in 2007. Shortly after, she founded Angels for Foster Kids.
“I strongly believe the family unit and traditional family values are the foundation of our community, our state and our nation,” she said. “Successful communities shape a successful America.”
Iuculano is running for Hillsborough County Commissioner District 6 and said job creation is the biggest issue facing this election.
“I hope that voters will look at my race and see my passion for helping get people back to work,” she said.
Iuculano said her platform is “not campaign rhetoric,” stating that her résumé shows she understands how jobs are created and has a passion to serve the community through her non-profit.
“I am only running because I believe I can make a positive difference in our community,” she said. “We need more business leaders to step up and help turn our economy around locally.
“Regardless if I win or lose, I hope that people will start to look more seriously at the make-up of our county commission and elect people who have strong private-sector experience and, most importantly, people who have a strong passion to serve,” Iuculano said.
In her time with TechSherpas, the company helped train thousands of people and helped them get certified for high-end technical jobs.
“The business community is an ever-changing landscape, and people must be adaptable and lifelong learners to remain competitive in the job market,” she said.
Through her non-profit, she has witnessed how job losses can affect families. She noted that 25% of families in the county rely on food stamps and believes a stronger focus should be put into finding ways to get people back to work. If elected, she plans to do this by working to recruit companies who will bring jobs to the county, creating partnerships with commercial landlords who have existing vacant commercial space, partnering with existing business leaders to find ways to help them hire more people and using workforce training credits to improve the skills of local residents.
“We must have a solid plan and focus on bringing jobs to our county,” she said.