The Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce hosted its annual Eggs n’ Issues Breakfast Wednesday, Aug. 24, at the John R. Trinkle Center at the Hillsborough Community College campus.
Attendees enjoyed breakfast while hearing about accomplishments made in the most recent legislative session by Sen. Tom Lee and Reps. Jake Raburn and Dan Raulerson.
Early voting in Hillsborough County runs through Sunday, Aug. 28. Election Day is Tuesday, Aug. 30.
Rep. Dan Raulerson, District 58
Party: Republican
Committee assignments: Joint Legislative Auditing Committee (chair), Veteran and Military Affairs Subcommittee (vice chair), Education Committee, K-12 Subcommittee, Government Operations Appropriations Subcommittee
First Elected: 2012
2016 Work in the House
This session, Rep. Dan Raulerson successfully passed what he has dubbed the “Pig Jam Bill.” The goal of the bill was to exclude certain, temporary events from the inspections that are regularly conducted at restaurants and other food service establishments, such as food contests and cook-offs.
In the past, the Department of Business and Professional Regulations, which is responsible for licensing businesses in the state of Florida, conducted regular inspections — including those at Pig Jam, an annual event in Plant City sponsored by the Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce and Suncoast Credit Union.
Raulerson worked in the House to show the inspections of the two-day event were unnecessary.
“They’re simply raising money,” Raulerson said. “We did not want vendors to drop out for having to pay fees. (Inspections) could have knocked the Pig Jam out. Now it’s in zone. There’s no more inspections.”
By passing the bill, similar events in Florida, such as the Pig Fest in nearby Lakeland, also will benefit by eliminating the need for inspections by the Department of Business and Professional Regulations.
What’s Next:
If re-elected, Raulerson said he will focus on supporting bills to allowing concealed carry in classrooms so children will be protected.
“The fact is, we are at war,” Raulerson said. “The Second Amendment is not a right, it is a responsibility. As long as we have gun-free zones, we’re sitting ducks.”
Rep. Jake Raburn, District 57
Party: Republican
Committee Assignments: Agriculture and Natural Resources Subcommittee (vice chair), Higher Education and Workforce Subcommittee (vice chair), Agriculture and Natural Resources Appropriations Subcommittee, State Affairs Committee, Regulatory Affairs Committee
First Elected: 2012
2016 Work in the House
Besides working alongside his fellow Florida House representatives to cut taxes by $1 billion over the last two years, Rep. Jake Raburn has focused on career and technical education, as well as working to benefit the leaders in agritourism business.
In the most recent legislative session, Raburn worked on an apprenticeship bill that would address the employee shortage in technical fields.
“It focused on grants and incentives,” Raburn said. “I credit a lot of my success to career and technical education and to my agriculture classes here in Plant City, at Plant City High School. We realize that college isn’t for
everybody. When they graduate from high school, we want them to be ready for a job.”
The bill did not pass, but Raburn said he will continue to work on it in the next legislative session.
As the vice chair of the Agriculture and Natural Resources Subcommittee, agriculture and agritourism are two of Raburn’s top priorities. He spent time working to help those in the agritourism committee, such as farmers who rent out their barns for weddings, operate without challenges by the government.
“We were just seeing lots and lots of issues,” Raburn said. “Some were arguing that farm weddings were not agri-tourism and had to be zoned commercial. That’s no longer necessary. There are people that come from all across the country to Florida for farm weddings. It’s a positive impact in Hillsborough County and across Florida.”
What’s Next
In the future, Raburn hopes to make Florida the number one veteran-friendly state in the United States by helping veterans earn more college credit and tracking if veterans are hired or not when they apply for jobs.
In the Senate
Sen. Tom Lee, of District 24, also spoke at the breakfast.
Snapshot
Party: Republican
Committee assignments: Appropriations (chair), Appropriations Subcommittee on General Government, Banking and Insurance, Reapportionment, Rules, Joint Legislative Budget Commission (alternating chair)
First elected: 2012
2016 Top Concerns
At the Eggs n’ Issues Breakfast, Sen. Tom Lee expressed his concern with the government’s inability to interfere with provided government services.
“One of the great challenges you face … is that the government has attempted to create somewhat of a safety net for people who have faced challenges,” Lee said. “Civil liberties preclude government from being able to (intervene). We often run into a ‘pay me now or pay me later’ scenario.”
As the chairman of the Senate’s Appropriations Committee, Lee recognizes the negative effects of ignoring the needs of low-income citizens.
“If we ignore those needs … the kids and families will end up being our responsibility to support,” Lee said. “It is a frustrating position to be in because there are people who do have challenges. But we have little opportunity (to intervene), except to encourage people to follow the rules.”
Contact Emily Topper at etopper@plantcityobserver.com.