Florida
[Opinion] All Politics are Local…but Small Town Politics are Brutal
ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. (FNN NEWS) – Walt Disney once wrote, “You can create and dream the most wonderful place in the world, but it takes people to make the dream a reality.” Factor in an election in some of our most wonderful Central Florida cities and the “people” can get downright nasty. This article is simply an observation of local politics. Things might vary in other parts of the country, but in municipalities in and around Orlando, small town politics…they’re interesting.
Some of the more memorable local races were Mayor Scott Vandergrift of Ocoee; the battle for Orange County Property Appraiser between incumbent Bill Donegan, who ultimately lost to Rick Singh; and the battle to fill the void after the passing of long term Orange County Tax Collector Earl K. Wood, leaving the local Democratic Party to decide the future tax collector. The contentious and rigorous selection process ultimately saw Scott Randolph, a former State House Representative and former chair of the Orange County Democratic party, fill the role. But it’s the observance of politics, in general, in the spotlighted cities of Belle Isle, Winter Park and Apopka that have grabbed recent attention.
THE CITY OF BELLE ISLE
Belle Isle is a small city of approximately 7,500 people just south of downtown Orlando which encompasses the Conway Chain of Lakes and beautiful tree-lined streets. But don’t let all that beauty fool you–it seems there is always some drama in the town hall. First, know that the City elected officials, the Mayor and City Council, all work for free–yep, for free–so you’d think it must clearly be the love of the City that’s their motivation. Well, I’m sure that’s part of it, but when you factor in the ever increasing value of real estate in the area and the proximity to downtown and the airport, Belle Isle is a very desirable place to live and call home. And desirable sometimes brings drama.
Much like the Town of Windermere in the early ‘90s, Belle Isle is a city evolving, a meeting of established residents and newer residents ready to identify a tear down home to build their dream home. Additionally, like Windermere, Belle Isle is primarily a residential area. Simply put, there are residents that long for the way Belle Isle was, and many wanting to advance it to the future.
The Mayor of Belle Isle, Lydia Pisano, a long-term member of the City Council, was voted into office by proxy, if you will, when her opponent in 2016 left the race for reasons many still aren’t aware of. This immediately placed Mayor Pisano in an unlikely position: she won with no voting necessary.
For some residents, this was and remains a sore spot. One resident, who preferred to remain anonymous, said, “Our Mayor is far too active on Facebook. I think it undermines her role as an elected official.” For others, they recognized the commitment and length of service Mayor Pisano has brought to the community. Another resident sees her differently: “I feel our Mayor is a tireless servant to our community and we’re lucky to have her.” Uniquely, the Mayor has no vote on the Council, leaving all control to the remaining City Councilmen and Councilwomen. And Pisano, who ran for County Commission twice, is rumored to be considering a third bid for County Commission to replace term-limited and popular Orange County Commissioner Pete Clarke, who is also rumored to be considering a bid for Orange County Mayor.
Pisano’s immediate challenge, once elected, was identifying a replacement for City Manager, Keith Severans. This process made the news as interim replacement, Richard Anderson, was caught up in a scandal of allegedly leaving the scene of an accident. The situation, of course, gained a great deal of media attention for the city. Add to that a former Belle Isle finance manager being accused last year of stealing $15,000 from the City and you have a reality show in the making. While the Sunshine Law is a wonderful way of ensuring transparency, in Belle Isle it’s often put to the test with an investigation still ongoing from the State Attorney’s office. This too made the news last year, forcing nearly all of the City Council and the Mayor to present countless emails, social media posts and messaging as well as text messages.
Of the three highlighted cities, Belle Isle seems to get the most media attention. And some attention is actually great. Probably the brightest spot of Belle Isle Government is its police department. I’ve had the pleasure of working on a few projects where they were engaged and you simply can’t ask for a more professional and dedicated community driven team.
Additionally, some Belle Isle police officers were actual first responders to the tragic Pulse mass murder event of June 12, 2016, where 49 innocent people were killed. The Belle Isle Police Department continues to receive ongoing recognition for its efforts.
They’ve also been spotlighted in the media for bringing awareness to the need for Narcom, a drug that all but reverses heroin overdoses. But it isn’t cheap. The department chief worked with time share mogul David Siegel to ensure they and other departments have this life saving remedy at hand.
Recently, we learned the Belle Isle Police Station was found to be filled with deadly black mold. Belle Isle resident Chris Comins, a philanthropist, stepped in offering to manage the construction and totally rebuild the station at his own expense. Not too many people would lend their own resources to such an endeavor, but for Comins it was a simple decision.
While items like these keep the City in the headlines, you’d be surprised that it’s the more obscure things that fall under the radar. For example, last year we learned that there’s no law in place to keep hunters from shooting ducks on the Conway Chain of Lakes. Most of us would consider hunting in a residential area prohibited. I mean, imagine you’re sitting on your boat dock with your favorite beverage and all of a sudden people are boating by shooting at ducks.
Further investigation illustrates why the City unfortunately has no control over this issue. The waterways are in fact controlled by the State. Surprisingly, the neither Belle Isle Mayor nor City Council have any control over the hunting laws and guidelines. As a result, the City of Belle Isle can only lobby state officials to reverse this law. And when you factor in all the issues facing the State, duck hunting on a residential lake, while surprising, isn’t a top priority. Don’t look for any changes on this issue anytime soon with the legislature soon leaving session this coming Monday and no perceived action in place.
THE CITY OF WINTER PARK
When I completed my Public Relations Internship at Walt Disney World in 1987, I recall driving what seemed like forever to get a haircut on Park Avenue. I had heard Winter Park was an upscale area and my initial visit certainly supported that opinion, which still holds even today. In recent years, especially during the Mayoral Election of 2014, there was what amounted to an old-versus-new approach to Winter Park politics between former Judge and longtime Winter Park resident Cynthia McKinnon and newer, forward moving and thinking candidate Steve Leary.
Additionally, there were traffic nightmares with the the newly erected shopping area that included the much anticipated Trader Joe’s. It was one of the more recent highlights of commercial development in the area, yet no one needed a degree in urban planning to quickly realize the parking and traffic issues it created. How no one anticipated the excitement of Trader Joe’s and the predicted success of all the shops in the plaza is still a mystery. In fact, the red flag of how this area impacted the “thinking” of Winter Park development was now clear for all to see.
It would create huge discussions regarding the development plans for the historical Best Western hotel property located on 17-92. McKinnon operated on a platform of preserving old Winter Park and Leary suggested we could have managed growth and maintain the presence of such a beautiful area also known for its chain of lakes, tree lined streets, majestic homes and fine shopping and dining. Leary, now Mayor Leary, won that race by less than 500 votes and a new and energized leadership approach stepped in. To his credit, there are far less rumblings than that of yesteryear, so he, the City Council, and City management must be doing something right.
But wait…
In the recent City Council elections and possibly even back then, there was a far-from-silent yet powerful group of people, known as “One Winter Park,” that organized grassroots efforts to impact the election in a surprising way–but don’t waste your time searching for a Facebook page or Google results. No, this group operates stealthily yet effectively. Some have even suggested the group uses intimidation, slander and alternative facts to create narratives that make the candidate not of their choice, well, dead in the water. And in a City with a clash of ideas on maintaining the City’s historical integrity coupled with growth, there’s certainly the opportunity for a showdown in the 2018 mayoral race. Uniquely, we’re seeing a wave of calling out such groups that go for the jugular in politics despite truth or integrity. The 2018 Mayor’s race should be a nail-biter with one City Council member already rumored to be willing to take on the incumbent Mayor. Grab your popcorn, folks.
THE CITY OF APOPKA
Located in the northwest quadrant of Orange County, The City of Apopka is best known for agriculture. Travel that way and you’ll find everything from fields of ferns to acres of roses being pruned. But Apopka is growing by leaps and bounds residentially as a result of its proximity to the ever-growing City of Orlando. Apopka too is going to have a nail-biter of a mayor’s race next year already heating up by former State House Representative, now Orange County Commissioner, Bryan Nelson announcing he will take on the incumbent Mayor Joe Kilsheimer. Kilsheimer gained attention almost immediately when we won the seat from longtime Mayor John Land by terminating powerhouse Attorney Frank Kruppenbacher and all but giving himself a raise to boot. Nelson, who is also known for his family’s rose business Nelson Roses, is a staple in the Apopka area and considered a down-to-earth neighbor-next-door type. Nelson is leaving his Commissioner seat after one term, giving up a conservative stronghold on the board of county commissioners as the district skews more left. “The mayor’s race should draw a lot of attention, pitting fiscal conservative Bryan Nelson against free-spending incumbent Joe Kilsheimer,” said Barb Zakszewski, an engaged Apopka resident no too pleased with the current Mayor’s performance.“A host of issues are expected to be brought up during the campaign, making things very interesting for the City of Apopka.”
ONE UNIQUE CONNECTION
Apopka and Belle Isle have something in common: Richard Anderson was the City of Apopka Manager when he went to help the City of Belle Isle as interim City Manager for a mere rumored $6ka month. Not a bad gig if you can get it. Recently, Anderson pled to a lesser charge in his case and settled for probation. It certainly is a small world.
All in all, Central Florida is a great place to live, work, play and raise a family. We have a quality of life unlike many places on earth. Whether in a city here, or anywhere, local politics truly are interesting, rivaled only by discussions about religion. (Can I get an amen?) What appears to be a common theme in most local politics, since all politics are local, is the struggle for power and control. If a politician tells you he or she doesn’t have an ego or agenda, don’t believe it. Everyone has an agenda. And you know what? Walt Disney was right: “You can create the most wonderful place in the world. But it’s the people that make the dream a reality.”
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Randy Ross is a contributing political writer for Florida National News. He is President of the Orange County Trump Republican Club and Florida Chairman for America First Federated. info@floridanationalnews.com
Florida
Florida CFO Blaise Ingoglia Targets Orange County Over $300 Million in Alleged Wasteful Spending
ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN) — Blaise Ingoglia announced that more than $300 million in the 2025-2026 Orange County budget has been identified as “excessive and wasteful spending,” as part of an ongoing statewide review of local government finances.
According to the Florida Agency of Fiscal Oversight, Orange County’s General Fund Budget has increased by 66.06% since 2019. Last year, the CFO’s office identified nearly $200 million in what it described as excessive spending in the county’s 2024-2025 budget.
Ingoglia said the continued increase in spending highlights the need for property tax reform across Florida.
“Last September, my office revealed that Orange County’s local government officials were irresponsibly spending taxpayer dollars,” Ingoglia said in a statement. “Not only did they not heed our warning, but they doubled down on excessive spending. The taxpayers are suffering the consequences of their wasteful spending problem. The time for property tax reform is now.”
ORANGE COUNTY BUDGET GROWTH
State officials reported that Orange County’s General Fund Budget increased by $688,768,908 since 2020, while the county’s population grew by 131,538 residents during that same period.
According to the report, for every family of four that moved to Orange County, the budget increased by approximately $20,945.
The Florida Agency of Fiscal Oversight also stated that Orange County has spent an estimated $747.5 million in excessive or wasteful expenditures over the last six years.
PROPERTY TAX RELIEF PROPOSAL
The report claims Orange County could reduce its millage rate by 1.22 mills without disrupting essential county services. If implemented, homeowners could see annual savings based on taxable property values:
- A taxable home value of $300,000 could save approximately $365 annually.
- A taxable home value of $400,000 could save approximately $486 annually.
- A taxable home value of $500,000 could save approximately $608 annually.
The findings come as Florida leaders continue discussing broader statewide property tax reform initiatives focused on reducing the burden on homeowners.
STATEWIDE FISCAL OVERSIGHT EFFORT
Ingoglia said his office has now uncovered more than $2.4 billion in excessive and wasteful government spending statewide. He pledged to continue reviewing local government budgets and advocating for transparency and accountability in taxpayer spending.
Americans for Prosperity also voiced support for the effort.
“CFO Ingoglia continues to keep his foot on the gas when it comes to identifying wasteful spending within local governments,” said Greg Ungru of Americans for Prosperity. “Taxpayers deserve transparency, especially as Orange County has continued to throw away money over the last six years.”
Florida
Darren Soto Faces Toughest Re-Election Fight as Puerto Rican Political Influence Shifts in Central Florida
ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN) — A decade ago, Central Florida’s growing Puerto Rican population was widely viewed as a political force poised to reshape Florida politics for generations.
Today, that momentum faces growing uncertainty.
As congressional redistricting redraws political boundaries, voter turnout fluctuates, and internal political divisions deepen, Puerto Rican political representation in Central Florida is confronting one of its most significant challenges in modern Florida history.
At the center of the debate is Darren Soto, Florida’s first Puerto Rican member of Congress, who now faces a dramatically reshaped congressional district that political analysts say could strongly favor Republicans in 2026.
The battle over Soto’s political future has become symbolic of a larger question unfolding across Orange and Osceola counties: Can Puerto Rican political influence maintain its footing in a rapidly changing Central Florida electorate?
A Community That Once Redefined Florida Politics
Puerto Rican migration to Central Florida accelerated in the early 2000s and surged further following the economic downturn in Puerto Rico and the devastation caused by Hurricane Maria in 2017.
The migration transformed communities throughout Orlando, Kissimmee and surrounding areas, creating one of the largest Puerto Rican populations in the continental United States.
The political impact soon followed.
Puerto Rican candidates increasingly won elections at both the state and federal levels, creating what many viewed as a rising pipeline of Hispanic leadership in Florida.
That rise included the elections of leaders such as:
US House of Representatives
- Darren Soto (D) — U.S. Congressman(2016) ; former State Senator (2012) and State Representative (2007)
Florida State Senate
- Victor Torres (D) — former State Senator (2016-2024) and State Representative (2012)
Florida House of Representatives
- Susan Plasencia (R) — State Representative (2022)
- Johanna López (D) — State Representative (2022) and former Orange County School Board Member
- Daisy Morales (D) — former State Representative (2020) and former Supervisor of Orange County Soil & Water Conservation District
- Amy Mercado (D) — former State Representative (2016)
- René Plasencia (R) — former State Representative (2014)
- John Cortes (D) — former State Representative (2014)
- Bob Cortes (R) — former State Representative (2014)
- Ricardo Rangel (D) — former State Representative 2012
- John Quiñones (R) — former State Representative (2002) and former Osceola County Commissioner
- Anthony Suarez (D) — former State Representative (1999)
Puerto Rican representation reached a high point during the mid-2010s.
In 2016, six Puerto Rican elected officials simultaneously held seats in Congress or the Florida Legislature, including Soto, Torres, Bob Cortes, John Cortes, Amy Mercado and Rene Plasencia.
Political strategists at the time predicted that Puerto Rican voters could eventually help Democrats establish long-term dominance in Florida.
That projection, however, has not materialized.
Redistricting Changed the Political Landscape
The congressional map approved by Ron DeSantis and the Republican-controlled Legislature significantly altered Central Florida’s political boundaries following the 2020 Census.
The changes reshaped Soto’s congressional district by expanding it eastward and incorporating more conservative coastal and suburban voters.
Under the revised district:
- The Hispanic voting-age population declined substantially.
- Puerto Rican voter concentration dropped sharply.
- White voters became the district’s largest demographic group.
- Republican performance improved across multiple precincts added to the district.
Political analysts say the new map transformed what had been a Democratic-leaning Hispanic-majority district into a far more competitive seat.
The map also intensified concerns among civil rights advocates and Puerto Rican community leaders who argue the changes diluted Hispanic voting power.
Several legal challenges were filed against the congressional maps, though Florida courts have thus far allowed the districts to remain in place.
Election Results Raise Concerns
Recent election outcomes have further fueled debate over the future of Puerto Rican political representation.
In Senate District 25, Puerto Rican leadership ended after term limits forced the departure of Victor Torres.
His wife, Carmen Torres, sought to retain the seat in 2024 with support from Democratic leaders and Puerto Rican political organizations. She ultimately lost to a White candidate, Kristen Arrington.
In House Districts 35, 44 and 47 — districts with large Hispanic populations — White candidates also prevailed.
Meanwhile, former State Representative Daisy Morales lost her re-election bid after facing opposition supported by portions of the Democratic establishment. That opposition included, but not limited to Johanna López (Puerto Rican), who previously served as campaign manager for Samuel Vilchez Santiago during his unsuccessful 2020 challenge against Morales and later strongly supported a white candidate in Morales re-election race in 2022.
Some Puerto Rican community leaders argue these election outcomes reflect a growing disconnect between Central Florida’s expanding Hispanic population and the candidates ultimately elected to represent those communities.
Others point to changing coalition politics in Central Florida, where Venezuelan, Colombian, Brazilian and non-Hispanic voters increasingly shape election outcomes alongside Puerto Rican voters.
Internal Political Divisions Complicate the Picture
Political observers also note that internal divisions within Democratic and Puerto Rican political circles have contributed to leadership turnover.
Several recent races featured:
- Competing endorsements among Puerto Rican leaders.
- Financial support directed toward non-Puerto Rican candidates.
- Divisions between progressive and establishment Democratic factions.
- Low turnout in local and legislative elections.
The victories of candidates such as Rita Harris demonstrated how coalition-building among African American, White progressive and non-Puerto Rican Hispanic voters could overcome traditional Puerto Rican political bases.
Voter Turnout Remains a Major Challenge
Despite population growth, Puerto Rican voter turnout has remained inconsistent in nonpresidential elections.
Political strategists say turnout gaps continue to weaken electoral influence, particularly in:
- Midterm elections.
- Local legislative races.
- Municipal and county contests.
Lower participation rates among younger voters and newly relocated residents have also limited the community’s ability to fully translate population growth into political power.
Republicans, meanwhile, have made gains among Hispanic voters across Florida, particularly among working-class and socially conservative voters concerned about inflation, public safety and economic issues.
Soto Still Maintains Key Advantages
Despite the challenges, Darren Soto enters the next election cycle with several advantages.
Soto remains one of the most recognizable political figures in Central Florida and has built strong relationships throughout Osceola and Orange counties during his years in public office.
Supporters credit Soto with helping secure federal investments involving:
- Transportation infrastructure.
- SunRail expansion efforts.
- Airport development.
- Economic development initiatives.
- Hurricane recovery assistance for Puerto Rican families relocating to Florida.
Democrats also believe backlash against aggressive redistricting and growing concerns over immigration enforcement policies could energize Hispanic voter turnout.
Still, many political analysts acknowledge that the new district lines significantly complicate Soto’s path to reelection.
What Happens if Soto Loses?
If Soto is defeated, Florida could temporarily lose Puerto Rican representation in Congress entirely.
For many community leaders, the symbolic impact would be significant.
Puerto Rican advocates argue that representation matters not only legislatively, but culturally and politically, particularly for communities that spent decades building political infrastructure in Central Florida.
The concern extends beyond a single election cycle.
Currently, Johanna López and Susan Plasencia remain among the few Puerto Rican voices serving in the Florida House.
López has announced she will not seek reelection and instead is running for Orange County commissioner. She endorsed Samuel Vilchez Santiago, a Venezuelan American candidate, to succeed her.
If elected, Santiago would further reflect the political evolution of Central Florida’s Hispanic electorate, where multiple Latino communities increasingly share political influence once largely associated with Puerto Rican voters.
A Defining Election Cycle Ahead
As Central Florida continues to diversify politically and demographically, the 2026 election cycle is expected to test whether Puerto Rican political influence can regroup under new district boundaries and changing coalition dynamics.
For Soto and many longtime Puerto Rican leaders, the coming election may determine whether the political movement that transformed Central Florida over the last two decades can maintain its influence — or whether a new political era is already emerging.
