My name is Leon Nettles, and I want to represent you as your District One County Commissioner.

I respectfully ask for your vote as I have many times before, because I believe that public service should be based on respect. Respect for values like service, fairness, and integrity which have always been the foundation of every campaign that I have ever run.

My attachment to Wakulla County spans a lifetime.  I grew up in Leon County when it was a much smaller place. I met and married a beautiful girl from Woodville, and after 52 years, 3  children, 4 grandchildren, and 5 great grandchildren, I think Joe Ann has decided to keep me around. 

When I was 19 years old, I began my first hitch as a public servant by enlisting in the U.S. Navy.  In my travels around the world, I saw and lived in some places that gave me a profound appreciation for the delicate beauty of what we have here in Wakulla County. After 23 years in the Navy, I retired as a Senior Chief Petty Officer and moved back to the banks of the St. Marks River. 

I took a job as the Wakulla County Veterans Service Officer, a position that allowed me to become closely involved  with many local families and provided me with an even deeper understanding of the issues that were beginning to confront our changing community.  After this, I completed my studies in business-related courses and was awarded an Associate’s degree by Tallahassee Community College.

In 1996, I  ran for and won election to a seat on the county commission by promising to treat each and everyone of our citizens fairly. I said that I would be my  own man and would never owe anything to special interests or sell this county short, even if such actions might help me politically. I promised to be   accessible to answer your calls and address your needs.  I promised to vote “no” on any new taxes that had not been directly approved by you, the  voters of Wakulla County.  I promised to push for better roads and a moderated approach to county development.  I promised to support recreation, senior services, and public safety while holding county spending within the means provided by existing revenues, because I believe it to be only fair to the taxpayers that I am elected to serve.  I believe then, as I do now, that it is not fair for county government to come to you with it’s hand out every time it faces budgetary challenges. I believe my record reflects that I have kept those promises. 

During my two terms as your commissioner, I was the  first of only two members of the board to achieve the designation of Certified County Commissioner from the Florida Association of Counties. 

I have  served on the board of directors of the Florida Association of Counties as well as the Apalachee Regional Planning Council.  I led the charge to protect county residents from electric franchise fees, unlawful taxes, and ridiculously high title loan rates.  We prevailed on each issue, and we taxpayers are  better off.  We have many more challenges ahead. 

My commitment to integrity means that sometimes I voted opposite the majority of the board  members who voted to give themselves the authority to DOUBLE your already steep property taxes by imposing a Municipal Services Taxing Unit or MSTU. Integrity means that I will fight to have roads paved according to an approved system and not political connections. Integrity means that I will continue to take decisive actions to protect our environment and quality of life for generations to come. 

In making some of the tough decisions  required of someone in a position of responsibility, I know that in the past I only pleased some of the people some of the time.  Sometimes it feels like I have pleased no one a lot of the time.  I know that growth is inevitable and in that respect my mindset is now altered from previous elections. I would  like to see growth managed to stay instep with available revenues and a safe environment and continue providing work for tradesman, craftsman and  technicians. 

By remaining faithful to my promises, I know quite intimately that integrity is not without a risk, but risks have been necessary to do what is  right.  The prevailing economic climate now dictates and demands that every hard earned tax dollar be wisely spent. 

I now renew my pledges to you. I will uphold the ideals of service, fairness, and integrity during the next four years if elected.  When I make a promise, I keep it as it’s the right thing to do.  I respectfully ask you for your vote on August 26th to serve as your County Commissioner District One, Wakulla County.
Thank you and God bless you.

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Leon Nettles

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