Tracy Talk

Friends,
Thank you so much for your prayers and support over the last year as I campaigned for a seat on the Pasco County School Board.  Thank you to those who walked neighborhoods, donated funds, distributed signs, sent emails, made phone calls, stood in the rain to wave signs, and a host of other things to make it possible for me to be on the ballot today.  Thank you specifically to Jeremy Bailie (campaign assistant) and Ryan McClure (campaign treasurer) for their diligent work on my behalf.  Thank you to those who were willing to put their good names on the line and endorse my candidacy.  Thank you to my wife and boys.  You have been very patient and gracious over the last year as I have been engulfed in campaign events and activities.  It has certainly been a trying year for us.  And finally, thank you especially to the 9,779 of you who cast a vote for John Tracy.

It was truly an honor to represent you on the ballot today.  I am overwhelmed by your strong showing of support.

The final vote tallies today were:
Alison G. Crumbley – 13, 717 votes (29.32%)
Karen King – 11,965 votes (25.57%)
John Tracy – 9,779 votes (20.90%)
Steven N. Kanakis – 8,568 votes (18.31%)
Billie Ann Stamatis Kaleel – 2,756

I, of course, would have liked for the outcome to be different, but I am nonetheless excited about having the support of 20% of the voters in Pasco County.  Victory was not ultimately ours today, but there have been many victories over the last year in the form of opportunities to have a strong influence in Pasco.  This campaign was about serving families, and I will continue to do that, as I always have.

As for my political future, in the short term I will continue to serve as the president of the Faith and Family Values Republican Club of Pasco County (www.PascoFFV.org) and I will maintain my position as Outreach Leader for my friend Marco Rubio, in his U.S. Senate Campaign.

The long term plan?  Well,….. stay tuned.

For America,

John Tracy
Running for Pasco County School Board
District 4 – 2010 Election
www.JohnTracyForSchoolBoard.com

For God, Family, and Country
www.JohnTracy.me
http://Blog.JohnTracy.me
________________________

You can connect with John on Twitter, Facebook, Myspace, LinkedIn, and YouTube.
Political advertisement paid for and approved by John Tracy, Nonpartisan, for School Board, District 4

Hi, I’m John Tracy.  I am a Christian conservative, a small business owner, and a community servant.  I have spent my life pouring myself into families while on staff at two local churches and three summer camps.  I’ve had the opportunity to mentor and counsel hundreds of young people and parents.  I was a classroom teacher on the elementary, middle, and high school levels and I know the joys and the frustrations of our teachers in Pasco.  In fact, both of my parents were teachers and I consider excellent teachers to be among our nations heroes!  Currently I do a lot of private music teaching at a Fine Arts Academy where I am also the director.  It is my privilege to serve as the president of the Faith and Family Values Republican Club of Pasco County and I am on the campaign team, as the Pasco church outreach leader, for my friend, Marco Rubio, in his US Senate campaign.

I believe in school safety, student equality, fiscal responsibility, and family values.  I’m for smaller government, fewer taxes, and basic freedoms.

I’m only one voice, just like you.  I don’t have all the answers, and I can’t fix all the problems by myself.  But I promise that I will work hard to do my part, I will listen to the students and parents, I will be a team player with my fellow board members, and I will be a voice for conservative families.  Join me, and together we can make a difference.

I invite you to get to know me by visiting http://www.JohnTracyForSchoolBoard.com.  I would also appreciate your help in spreading the word.  The biggest thing that I need right now is simply to make contact with as many residents of Pasco County as possible in order to spread our conservative message to likeminded friends.  If you find that our values are closely aligned, would you please forward this email to all of your Pasco friends and family.  Thank you!

St. Petersburg Times:
-Click the links below to read the full articles.

September 30:

Pastor announces bid for Pasco School Board

John Tracy, president of the Faith and Family Values Republican Club of Pasco County, announced on his blog late Tuesday that he will seek to replace Kathryn Starkey on the…

St. Petersburg Times:

October 1:

Republican Club president and pastor posts desire for Pasco school board seat…

LAND O’LAKES — The seat isn’t officially open for another three years.

But candidates for Pasco County School Board District 4 are popping up now, with incumbent Kathryn Starkey having announced her plan to resign next summer to…

Thanks to Tony Masella of www.OurTownFla.com for the great video footage and pictures of our July 23, 2009 Faith and Family Values Republican Club Meeting with Marco Rubio.  He has posted video footage of the entire meeting on YouTube.com, including speeches by John Tracy and Marco Rubio, questions from the audience, and closing remarks by Carlos Saenz.  The footage is broken into seven parts:

PART ONE:

PART TWO:

PART THREE:

PART FOUR:

PART FIVE:

PART SIX:

PART SEVEN:

You can also view some great photos from the event on OurTownFLA.com by clicking HERE.

I enjoyed the opportunity to be interviewed this morning by AM TampaBay radio talk show hosts Jack Harris and Sharon Taylor on 970 WFLA. I appreciate George Skinner, a fellow Pasco REC member, going to the effort to record the interview. You can listen to it below:

The Faith and Family Values Republican Club of Pasco County is honored to host 2010 US Senate Candidate, Marco Rubio, at the July 23, 2009 monthly club meeting. The event will take place at 7:00pm at Word of Life Conference Center in Hudson, Florida. We would love to see a large crowd assembled to hear Mr. Rubio speak on issues related to our Faith and Family Values. He is a passionate speaker, a family man, and one who is committed to conservative values.

Will you join us on Thursday, July 23? Will you also help us get the word out by inviting your friends, coworkers, and family?

For more information, including directions to the event, please visit our club website at www.PascoFFV.org.

You do not need to already be a member of the Faith and Family Values Club to attend. The general public is welcome. We hope to see you there!

Thank you!

For America,
John Tracy

As it becomes more and more necessary to keep in close contact with our elected officials and communicate to them the desires of “We the people,” I am asked often for a list of contact information for those individuals.  Please bookmark this post and refer to it often.  I have actually put my Senator/House Rep contact numbers in my cell phone address book so that I can contact them quickly when I need to.

You can call the President at the following numbers: 202-456-1111 and 202-456-1414.  You can view the contact information for your Senators HERE.  You can view the contact information for your Congressmen HERE.

For those of you who live in my home state of Florida, you can contact your FL State Senate and House Legislators by using the zip code look-up HERE.

Friends,
Our family values, as people of faith in God, are constantly being attacked.  That is why the Faith and Family Values Republican Club of Pasco County is necessary.  As the residents of Pasco and TampaBay, we need a place where we can find unity and rally together to influence our country!  My hope is that these sentiments resonate in your heart and that we will see you at the next FFV Club meeting.

Our inaugural meeting on May 28 was a huge success!  Randy Maggard of the Pasco Republican Executive Committee did an outstanding job at casting the vision for the start of our FFV club.  Thank you so much to each of you who attended that first meeting, and thanks especially to those who have already joined the club!  Together we can make a difference!

Our second meeting will take place this Thursday, June 25, at 7:00pm.  The host location is Word of Life Conference Center in Hudson.  Directions can be found on our website at:  http://www.PascoFFV.org.

We have a great speaker scheduled.  Terry Kemple, of the Community Issues Council, has years of experience leading on issues of faith and family.  He will not only challenge us, but give us several opportunities to get involved through specific initiatives.  You will not want to miss this informative session!  For more information, please check out our website.

We need your help at getting the word out.  Please try to think of five friends in your address book that you can forward this email to and invite them to attend our meeting.

We look forward to seeing you Thursday!

For America,

John Tracy

Thanks so much to Anthony Masella and OurTownFLA.com for featuring the inaugural meeting of the Faith and Family Values Republican Club of Pasco County. We really appreciate the support and exposure!

To view the post please CLICK HERE.

Dear Friend,
I am very excited to announce the inaugural meeting of the Faith and Family Values Republican Club of Pasco County! This Thursday, May 28, 2009, will mark the day that “we the people” of Pasco join forces and pledge to stand up for our Faith and Family Values. The club will be a place for camaraderie, education, communication, and inspiration! Together we can stand against the attacks on our moral values and get actively involved in what is happening in our County.

Will you make this Thursday night’s meeting a priority? We want you there! Bring your voice and your opinions, but most of all bring your commitment to Faith and Family!

We are privileged to have, as our first keynote speaker, Mr. Randy Maggard, the current Chairman of the Republican Executive Committee (http://www.PascoGOP.org). Mr. Maggard is an outstanding leader in the county, a dedicated Christian, a family man, and has a long history of support for family values.

The club meeting will also feature an open forum discussion and specific ways that you can make a difference!

If Faith and Family are two words that you are passionate about, we want you at the inaugural meeting and we need you to join the club!

The meeting location is: Temple Baptist Church, 37253 Clinton Ave., Dade City, FL 33525.

For more information, please visit http://www.PascoFFV.org. I look forward to seeing you Thursday. Thank you.

For America,
John Tracy

__________________
John Tracy
Faith and Family Values
Republican Club of Pasco County

Web: www.PascoFFV.org
Email: FaithAndFamilyValues@PascoFFV.org
Phone: 813-310-5699
__________________________________

President – John Tracy
Vice President – Carlos Saenz
Secretary – Jessica Larreau
Treasurer – Jonathan Barnes

Copyright 2009. Faith and Family Values Republican Club of Pasco County. Paid for by the Faith and Family Values Republican Club of Pasco County, not authorized by any candidate or candidate committee. Faith and Family Values Republican Club of Pasco County is an Officially Chartered Club by RPOF-The Republican Party of Florida. This e-mail may contain confidential or privileged information. If you think you have received this e-mail in error, please advise the sender by reply e-mail and then delete this e-mail immediately. Thank you.

Thanks for the post on the State Of Sunshine Blog by contributor Steve Van Gorden about the new Republican Clubs forming in Pasco County.  Steve is the principal of Hudson Middle School in Pasco County, and serves as Mayor Pro Term for Dade City.

Take a look at the blog post by clicking HERE.

Do you feel lost in the political haze of our day?  Do you wish there was a place to go where your voice would be heard, where your values would be appreciated, where you could make a difference in your community?  Are you tired of politicians in Washington, Tallahassee, and even in Pasco County who constantly attack the values and morals that are so vitally important to your family?  YOU ARE NOT ALONE.  There are many who feel as you do.  Let’s stand up for our values and principles in Pasco County!  Let’s take back our county, our state and our country and make a difference!  Let’s collectively demand that our voice is heard by those in office!  Will you join us?  It’s time to rally together to accomplish something great in Pasco County!  Our values and principles are worth protecting.  We need you in the Faith and Family Values Club!

For America,
John Tracy

For more information, CLICK HERE.
To view and JOIN our Faith and Family Facebook page, CLICK HERE.

Club Mission Statement:
Our mission is to promote and protect Judeo-Christian family values and principles by educating, assisting, and uniting the Republican Party of Pasco County to engage our community in the issues of the day.

Topics of Interest:
Religious Liberty
Sanctity of Life (Pro-Life)
Traditional Marriage and Family
Protecting the Innocence of Children
Separation of Church and State
Morality and Integrity in Political Leaders
Quality Education in Public Schools (including the faith and beliefs of our founding fathers)

Club Meetings:
Club meetings will feature member discussions on these and other related topics, guest speakers who passionately address them, and strategic planning to use our resources to influence Pasco County.  The club meeting will take place on the fourth Thursday of every month.

FIRST MEETING:  May 28, 2009, 7:00pm
LOCATION:  Temple Baptist Church, 37253 Clinton Ave., Dade City, FL 33525

Activities:
Club members will be encouraged to join together and volunteer time to support the efforts of various organizations that exist to help and promote our stated areas of interest (examples: Red Envelope Campaign, volunteer at Crisis Pregnancy Center, The Run For Innocence, write specific letters to elected officials, etc.).

Membership:
The Club recognizes the following two classes of membership:
Active – Any registered Republican voter, who resides within the boundaries of Pasco County.
Associate (non-voting) – Any other registered Republican voter who does not qualify for Active status.

Dues:
The Club will not start collecting dues until the June, 2009 meeting.  Prior to that anyone can attend for free.

The annual dues are $20 for an individual, Active or Associate Member, and $30 for a married couple, Active or Associate members, payable to the Treasurer upon becoming a member, and then yearly on or before January 31.

For more information contact us at:  FaithAndFamilyValues@gmail.com or 813-310-5699

John Tracy, President
Carlos Saenz, Vice President
Jessica Larreau, Secretary
Jonathon Barnes, Treasurer

A great interview with Marco Rubio on important current issues:

I am very excited to be on the Young Republicans Subcommittee, part of the Executive Committee of the Republican Party in Pasco County, Florida.  It is very important that the youth of our nation rally together in the next election to help win back the United States.  Pasco County is a key political area of the state of Florida and works hand-in-hand with Hillsborough and Pinellas Counties.  We are very committed to reaching the youth in future elections and working diligently to spread the message and values of the Republican Party to high school and college campuses.

I have created a “Group” on Facebook to assist in rallying the youth of the three counties stated above.  I would invite all interested parties to join.  You can join the group HERE.

If you are younger than 30, live in Pasco County Florida, and believe in the core values of the Republican Party, this group is for you. If you are a friend to the group just described, we would also welcome your presence. This is a place for honest discussion, networking of kindred hearts, and promotion of our values and beliefs. As the youth of our party, we must rally together to win back our nation!

As stated on the GOP website, here is what we affirm:

I’m a Republican Because…

I BELIEVE the strength of our nation lies with the individual and that each person’s dignity, freedom, ability and responsibility must be honored.

I BELIEVE in equal rights, equal justice and equal opportunity for all, regardless of race, creed, sex, age or disability.

I BELIEVE free enterprise and encouraging individual initiative have brought this nation opportunity, economic growth and prosperity.

I BELIEVE government must practice fiscal responsibility and allow individuals to keep more of the money they earn.

I BELIEVE the proper role of government is to provide for the people only those critical functions that cannot be performed by individuals or private organizations, and that the best government is that which governs least.

I BELIEVE the most effective, responsible and responsive government is government closest to the people.

I BELIEVE Americans must retain the principles that have made us strong while developing new and innovative ideas to meet the challenges of changing times.

I BELIEVE Americans value and should preserve our national strength and pride while working to extend peace, freedom and human rights throughout the world.

FINALLY, I believe the Republican Party is the best vehicle for translating these ideals into positive and successful principles of government.

I look forward to seeing you on Facebook soon!

Citizens Supporting the Current Zoning of the NW Corner of Ehrlich Road and Bellamy Road and the Preservation of Wetlands in Citrus Park

Hillsdale Baptist Church is made up of a local community of citizens, many of who live and work in the Citrus Park area.  Recently an announcement was posted that a neighboring property will be rezoned to accommodate the construction of a new RaceTrac Convenience Store and Gas Pumps.

At Hillsdale, we are fully in support of the growth and development of local businesses.  We do all that we can to invest in the well being of our county.  However, we are concerned that the addition of a Convenience Store and Gas Pumps on the corner of Ehrlich Road and Bellamy Road would have detrimental consequences in our area.

Because of this, we support the existing zoning of the Northwest corner of Ehrlich Road and Bellamy Road and the preservation of the wetlands in Citrus Park.

Here is a summary of the negative impact that rezoning to accommodate a RaceTrac Convenience Store and Gas Pumps would have on our community:

1.    The addition of a RaceTrac Convenience Store and Gas Pumps would further harm the beautiful wetlands and protected environment of Citrus Park.  The quiet ambiance that we currently enjoy would be replaced by pollution and noise.
2.    The driveway cut on Bellamy Road would be too close to the intersection, not allowing adequate stacking of Northbound Bellamy traffic when making a left turn into site.
3.    Since Bellamy Road is the only access into several developments, representing hundreds of homes, any commercial driveway to the site from Bellamy would not be safe or practical.
4.    The driveway cut on Ehrlich Road would be too close to the intersection, representing a traffic hazard to accelerating Westbound traffic from the light for right hand turns into the site.
5.    There are currently no provisions for a security/privacy wall along the Western property line between Hillsdale Baptist Church and the proposed RaceTrac Convenience Store and Gas Pumps.  If plans proceed, we would like to see a six-foot masonry wall run the entire length of the Western property line.
6.    An application for a Beer and Wine License is likely for RaceTrac Convenience Store and Gas Pumps.  This would put alcohol sales adjacent to Hillsdale Baptist Church, Preschool and Academy. Current regulations state that alcohol sales must be 500 feet away from the property line, not the building, of a church or a school.  The proposed site shows a 20-foot set back from the church property line.  A convenience store, like RaceTrac, will likely fail without alcohol sales.  See the Southeast corner of Ehrlich Road and West Village Road as proof of where a previous convenience store with gas station and car wash failed and was sold to Regions Bank.  Their failure is attributed to having no alcohol license due to the proximity of Ben Hill Middle School.
7.    The atmosphere of a RaceTrac Convenience Store and Gas Pumps is not in keeping with the residential character of the neighborhood.
8.    There is no need for additional fuel delivery in the neighborhood.  Stations in our area are closing due to the economy, not opening.
9.    The exit off of Northbound Veterans Expressway is poorly designed.  Because of this, many tickets are cited when traffic, merging Eastbound onto Ehrlich Road, does not come to a full stop. There is often a Highway Patrol or Sheriff waiting on the East side of the retention pond.  Eastbound traffic going into RaceTrac Convenience Store and Gas Pumps will likely have to perform a u-turn. Additional accidents are probable. Eastbound traffic turning onto Bellamy Road already does not have enough room in the turning lane, which clogs the traffic flow.

Again, at Hillsdale Baptist church, we are not against the success and growth of local business in Citrus Park.  A progressive, flourishing community is good for our own growth.  However, we do fervently support the safeguarding of our protected wetlands and the wildlife that accompanies them, as well as the quiet ambiance and residential character of our community.  For these reasons, we support maintaining the current zoning regulations of the previously discussed intersection.

We would greatly appreciate the additional support of all concerned citizens who have an interest in the well being of the Citrus Park community.  A public hearing is scheduled for January 20 at 6:00pm and is open to any interested party.

For further questions or comments, please contact John Tracy, Hillsdale Baptist Church Pastoral Staff Member, at 813-884-8250.

There is also a Facebook Group Created for Citizens to join and show their support of keeping the current zoning.  More information can be read there.  You can visit the Facebook page by clicking HERE.