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Florida Votes 2016: Dixie County Commission District 3

Jody Robson is the current county commissioner of District 3 and has lived in Cross City for the past 48 years. He attended Dixie County High School and now owns a lawn service company. He believes people should vote for him because, “I am the best person for the job – I am a hands-on county commissioner.” Robson’s campaign has raised $2,300 as of October 11, according to campaign finance records.

Mark Hatch is the former county commissioner of District 3 from 2008 to 2012 and has lived in the county his whole life. He attended Dixie County High School. He ended our interview with him before he could explain why people should vote for him. “I have bunch of good people that stand behind me and beside me and in front of me that are helping me,” he said of his supporters. Hatch’s campaign has raised  $10,300, as of October 11, according to Dixie County’s Supervisor of Elections website - with $10,100 coming from Hatch himself.

What they are saying about…

Dixie County’s biggest issue in 2017

Robson: A need for jobs and a fix to its unemployment rate.

Hatch: Insurance, workman’s compensation and the Affordable Care Act.

Creating jobs

Robson: “We actually have an economic development team that I serve on. And we are actually trying to promote our airport. That’s the biggest thing we have got going on now. The governor actually told us there is going to be 400 jobs created through aviation by the end of this year – and we are trying to maybe snag one of them.”

Hatch: “Through infrastructure, we have got to get infrastructure in our county – water, road, paving, flat-out infrastructure.”

Open government

Robson: There are no government records that should be exempt, but the Sunshine Law makes it harder to accomplish things.

Hatch: There are no government records that should be exempt, and anything an elected official does should be public record.

Home rule

Robson: “I think it’s good sometimes, sometimes it’s not.”

Hatch: “Less government, the better off we are – period, across the board.”

Environmental issues

Robson: The biggest environmental issue right now is garbage because there is so much of it to get picked up. “It costs so much to get rid of it.”

Hatch:  Water. “Always want to keep an eye on clean water, and make sure it don’t get piped down south.”

Internet

Robson: The county really needs broadband to come in. “We have really slow Internet here,” he said.

Hatch:  He said he has lost touch with where the project has gone because he has not hear it in the meeting or read it in the minutes, but wants to see where the project is going.

Top legislative priorities

Robson: Paving some of the county roads and getting jobs.

Hatch: Clean water, dredging for costal communities and paving roads.

Charities they have contributed over $200 to

Robson: He said, he has donated over $200 to the Suwanee River Livestock Fair.

Hatch: Not applicable.

This story is part of our guide, Florida Votes 2016 , leading up to the Nov. 8 election.  Check your voter registration status here .

Lauren is a reporter for WUFT News. She can be reached at news@wuft.org or 352-392-6397.