Mayor Bob Hackworth:

Ever since I began my campaign, I have been clear that I wanted to be a true citizen-legislator, not a career politician, and that I would not serve more than four terms. This pledge is not a new position, but something I have been saying from the beginning. Our campaign has always been about change and new leadership, but that will not happen if the same people are representing us, decade after decade.

My opponent has been in Washington for thirty-eight years and I believe that is thirty years too long. As mayor of Dunedin, I have been able to cut taxes, expand the number of parks, and bring new economic development to our community and it did not take me decades to do it.

We need change – both here and in Washington – and part of that is saying “no” to becoming a career politician. Too many politicians have lost touch with the communities they represent and, at the same time, they are collecting hundreds of thousands of dollars in contributions from insurance companies, big oil and other special interests.

If the voters send me to Washington, they know that I am not going there to collect a government salary for the next four decades. I have heard all the arguments for keeping our representatives in Washington for thirty or forty years, but I do not believe that our community or our nation benefits from politicians treating elected office as a lifetime appointment.

Bob Hackworth is the Mayor of Dunedin. He was elected in 2006 after previously serving as a City Commissioner.

In a recent debate, Democratic candidate for Congress Max Linn disagreed with Mayor Bob Hackworth’s statement that a bill recently passed by the House and Senate and signed by the President—the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008—was a “great bill.” Hackworth said the bill wisely addressed the urgent need to do something about the growing number of housing foreclosures, declining economic markets, and concerns over the stability of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

“Max Linn is wrong in criticizing this historic piece of legislation. It shows his lack of understanding of both the housing foreclosure crisis and the fact that it is worth celebrating that our leaders in Congress finally acted in a way that worked through the complexities of the multiple and legitimate needs of different constituencies to craft a comprehensive legislative response that works for all Americans,” said Hackworth. “Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson and Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) personified the type of nonpartisan and constructive leadership essential for our system to function in order to solve our nation’s problems.”

In an earlier press release, Hackworth criticized Congressman Bill Young who voted against the bill.

According to Hackworth, in addition to the modernization of FHA and the shoring up of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the bill establishes a strong regulator of Fannie and Freddie, will keep over 400,000 families from losing their homes through foreclosure, provides almost $4 billion for local government neighborhood stabilization plans, and creates a permanent affordable housing trust fund.

Mayor Hackworth commented, “When we see our national leaders taking positive collective action, it is important to recognize it and express our appreciation.”

After threats of a veto to the nation’s most substantial housing bill in decades, President Bush signed the Foreclosure Prevention Act today. This bill provides relief to more than 400,000 homeowners in danger of foreclosure and helps reassure financial markets of the health of Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae who control 42% of the nations mortgages. One provision of this Act calls for $300 billion in mortgage relief for troubled homeowners; this will allow these homeowners to transform their high-interest mortgages into government-backed, thirty-year fixed-rate mortgages. The Act also sets a cap of $625,000 on loans made by Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, which the FHA can insure and allow both institutions to buy back mortgages up to 15% above the median home price. Another provision of the bill gives $3.9 billon to help communities fix-up foreclosed properties.

“With 1.4 million foreclosures, and rising, nationally, and with one home out of 200 in Florida in foreclosure, it is outrageous that Rep Bill C. W. Young, would not support this bill. I find it deplorable that Rep. Young voted against this bill, especially with Florida having such a high mortgage default rate. As our Congressman, he should be trying to help, not hurt during this crisis,” said Mayor Hackworth.

Dunedin, FL–One thing is on the minds of all coastal elected officials this time of year, hurricanes. No region of the Gulf Coast is immune from them and the economic stresses wrought by these hurricanes often have a national impact. The Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund, which has been in place since 1992, requires insurance companies to purchase reinsurance from the fund for protection against major disasters.

Last November, the US House of Representatives passed H.R. 3355, The Homeowners Defense Act of 2007, sponsored by Rep. Ron Klein and Rep. Tim Mahoney, both of Florida. This bill creates a national catastrophe fund, which, according to the Congressional Budget Office, would cost $25 million per year. “A national catastrophe fund would benefit the residents of these areas that have been or could be hit with disaster,” said Hackworth. “The Florida legislature has shown that they are unable to come up with a solution to the property insurance crisis faced by Florida residents. We need a national solution which HR 3355 provides. Americans need to know that the government is going to step in and help them when a disaster strikes,” said Hackworth.

Sen. Bill Nelson (D,FL) and Sen. Mary Landrieu (D, LA) have sponsored a companion bill in the Senate.

On Thursday the House failed to pass H.R. 6515, the Drill Responsibly in Leased Lands Act of 2008 by 34 votes. This bill would have reinstated the ban on the export of Alaskan oil, required maintenance on the Alaskan Pipeline and required the Secretary of the Interior to conduct competitive bids for oil and gas leases. Representative C. W. Bill Young (R-FL) voted against this sensible bill even though in recent weeks he has expressed a willingness to lift the ban on offshore drilling.

“Once again, for Rep. Young, the interests of big oil have overshadowed the needs of the American people. Rep. Young appears more open to damaging Florida’s coast than utilizing the already vast acreage available,” said Bob Hackworth, Mayor of Dunedin and democratic candidate for the 10th Congressional District currently represented by Rep. Young.

There are currently over 68 million acres of federal land leased by oil companies sitting idle in Alaska and the Western Gulf. H.R. 6515 would have enacted a “use it or lose it” provision which would require companies to either produce on the leased land or return it back to the government. “How can Rep. Young and other elected officials even think of drilling off of Florida’s coast with all that land sitting idle? Congress should first use what we have before exposing the Florida coastline to possible environmental disaster,” said Hackworth.

Dunedin, FL– Today, President Bush called on the US Congress to pass legislation that would bail out the troubled Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac at the same time that he threatens to veto a bill proposed by Representative Barney Frank (D-MA) designed to provide relief to homeowners. “President Bush threatens to veto Rep Frank’s bill to help homeowners faced with foreclosure while promoting a giant give-away to the wealthiest of investors. Once again, he supports a bail out for Wall Street but not a bail out for Main Street,” said Hackworth.

Fannie Mae was created as a public agency in 1938 so that there would be a secondary mortgage market to help middle class homeowners finance their homes. In 1968 Fannie Mae was open to private investors even though they continued to receive public funding to back the loans. Mayor Hackworth said, “By introducing private investors and profit taking, and through the loosening of government restrictions, Fannie Mae borrowed and loaned more than could ever be repaid. Because half of all mortgages are secured by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, they are too big to be allowed to fail.”

Bob Hackworth believes that now would have been the perfect opportunity to reintroduce fair government regulation to ensure the original intent of the backing of mortgages through public guarantees which was to help Americans become homeowners, stabilize the middle class and secure assets that helped sustain the economy. “While this will not solve the problem for everyone, it could help as many as 500,000 homeowners so it is a big step in the right direction.” said Hackworth. “We have to bail out Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, we don’t have a choice in that matter, but we should not do it without conditions and we should not leave homeowners with no relief,” said Hackworth

DUNEDIN, FL—With the Senate poised to vote tomorrow on the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA); Mayor Hackworth has taken a stand against this unwarranted infringement on our civil liberties. Americans who contact people outside this country will have their calls and emails collected without the use of warrants. Another provision of this act allows telecom companies that have illegally wiretapped Americans in the past will not be held accountable for their illegal actions.

“Once again this administration has shown its disregard for the Constitution,” said Mayor Hackworth. “By providing the telecom companies with immunity, the senate will be condoning the extra-constitutional actions of this government and be sending a message to the country and the world that big business comes before the freedoms and liberties of the American people. As usual, Rep. Bill Young sided with the administration in voting to restrict the freedoms that this country was founded on,” said Hackworth.

When H.R. 6304 passed in the House, Democrats were split down the middle as 128 voted against and 105 voted in favor of it. When elected to Congress, Mayor Hackworth will work to restore the constitutional liberties the founders intended.

The Mayor of Dunedin is upset with elected officials who are opening up discussion about offshore drilling. As a result, he is standing up for local beaches.

“The elected officials who represent the people here in Pinellas County have utterly failed on this issue,” says a dismayed Mayor Bob Hackworth who is also a Democratic candidate hoping to represent Florida’s 10th Congressional District. “We need leaders who will be honest about the energy crisis and invest in searching for alternative energy sources, instead of pandering because of $4 a gallon gasoline.”

Mayor Hackworth refers to elected officials including Florida Governor Charlie Crist, State Senator Mike Fasano (R-New Port Richey), and Congressman Bill “CW” Young. Congressman Bill Young has long opposed offshore drilling, but last week, as a result of the misguided proposal of Presidential candidate, John McCain, Young announced that he is open to discussion even though he hasn’t firmly decided to change his position.

“I have always opposed offshore drilling and don’t see any reason to change that position now,” Mayor Hackworth declares.

Pinellas County is economically dependent on tourism, which is a function of the beautiful white beaches. Just this year, the man known as Dr. Beach picked Dunedin’s Caladesi Island as No. 1 Beach in America.

“As the Mayor of Dunedin which this year was awarded the title of Number 1 Beach in America, I don’t support opening up drilling,” said Hackworth. “It could have devastating consequences, both economically and environmentally, for the Gulf Beaches.”

Supporters of our environment agree that offshore drilling has the potential for a disastrous outcome. The economists agree that offshore drilling will have no immediate impact on gas prices.

“As Mayor of Dunedin and an elected official with the obligation to protect Caladesi Island, I will be introducing a resolution to the City Commission opposing offshore drilling in Florida,” Hackworth concludes. “If our elected officials won’t protect our beaches, then I will ask the City of Dunedin will step in to try to do so.”