Voter Guide - Robert McCann


 


ROBERT MCCANN, No Party Affiliation
BIRTHPLACE: Chicago
AGE: 55
FAMILY: Spouse: Rosemarie
EDUCATION: D.O., Emergency Medicine Physician, Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine; J.D., Florida Coastal School of Law, Jacksonville.
PROFESSIONAL CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: FAA-designated medical examiner; former chairman, Florida Board of Osteopathic Medicine; honorably discharged, U.S. Navy Hospital Corpsman; commercial pilot; rescue diver.

 

 


What is your position on Citizens Property Insurance Co.? What role should the state play in insuring private property?
 It is a government agency out of control, giving loans; has a $6 billion profit; and raising rates in Manatee County 10% to 22% again this year.

Private markets wait for Citizens to drop coverage or raise premiums, then follow suit. For being the insurer of last resort, it is setting the trends and driving up property insurance.

The state should play no role in insuring private property. Florida should only have a catastrophe fund, not play in the insurance market.

What is your position on the state of Florida regulating property insurance rate increases and pricing?
See answer above. Less but appropriate regulation to protect consumers is necessary. Coverage, such as wind, water, property should be included, but the state should neither compete in the market nor over-regulate the industry.

Why should the state control property insurance rates when we know that this policy has restricted competition and limited the number of companies willing to sell property insurance here?
See the two answers above. Only appropriate regulation to protect consumers and allow fair-market competition should be the state’s role.

What is your position on: 1) School choice and school vouchers? 2) Teacher tenure — in K-12 and the college level?
Public funds must be used for public education. School choice was readily available when I was a child. If you went to a public school, it was covered by taxes. If you went to a private school, your parents paid out-of-pocket and still paid taxes. The problem with using public funds for private schools is the system weakens the education of both entities and does not fully fund either under its current plan.

I don’t believe in tenure, but I do believe that teacher pay is way too low and below the national average. Teachers need a raise, and they are not the problem with education. Merit pay should be above base salary and used to attract new quality teachers and retain the quality teachers that we have in the system.

What, in your view, is the proper role of state government in public education?
All education should be local, and the state should be a facilitator of education and ensure proper funding is available.

What is your position on the FCATs?
Teach the four Rs — reading, “riting,” “rithmetic” and respect. Stop teaching for standardized test. Ask a teacher, involve a parent. We have too many administrators and waste in the current system.

What is your position on the state providing corporate welfare to companies that either expand or move to Florida? How and why are these subsidies morally acceptable?
Tax incentives should only be used for companies that have already hired Floridians. The state is now wasting money on business already here or that pledge to come here that does not add to the job market.
In fact, some take the state dollars and then release employees to increase their profit margin.
These subsidies are not morally acceptable.

Will you take the Americans for Tax Reform pledge not to increase taxes if you are elected or re-elected?
Yes.

Medicaid costs are increasing at almost double-digit annual rates. How do you think Florida should handle the growth in Medicaid?
Rebuild the public health system. Manatee Rural Health is a model for a public-private enterprise. Medicaid can be seen at these facilities, and so can indigent care based on ability to pay (sliding scale). Get the people off the ambulance and out of the emergency room (the most expensive place for care, symptomatic treatment and no follow-up or continuity).

What will be your top three priorities if elected?
Economy (jobs); education (including veteran’s issues); health care (including Medicaid expansion).

 

 



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