FLORIDA WANTS CHOICES FOR GOVERNOR ...NOW THERE IS ONE MORE!

I'm not a Politician, and don't really like being called one

What I am is a concerned homeowner, hardworking parent, Florida resident, unhappy overcrowded, over-trafficked commuter, a successful problem-solver and investor, and experienced 'sleazy politician detector,' who unlike most, refuses to go along - just to get along.

In other words, I am not influenced by the "political crowd" in the least. As a matter of fact, with few exceptions, I have the same deep distaste as everyone else for most of that group, who are usually simply pretenders and posers, set on trying to show the world, at every possible moment, how absolutely wonderful they are.

I'm not going to Tallahassee because I need friends, or to impress or be impressed, or to make a living.

I'm running for office because voters want and need someone they can trust - I mean really trust. Someone who will tell them the truth. Someone who will work for them and be "their" insider, not a political weasel telling voters what they want to hear and then, doing the exact opposite.

My entire volunteer and political history is built on trust, honesty, and a reputation for telling it like it is, good, bad or ugly.

I am not perfect, no one is. But, as one standing for elected office, I will put my four decades of public service up against anyone vying to demonstrate fidelity to voters who long for a leader that they can trust.

VOTERS ELECT CANDIDATES WHOSE INTERESTS MATCH THEIRS.

Keep Florida affordable

Slash and eventually eliminate property taxes for vested Florida homeowners and renters. For each year beyond a year-ten residency vesting period requirement, Florida homeowners would be entitled to a cumulative 10%-point increase of their existing homestead exemption, until their adjusted exemption reaches 100%. Renters in Florida, who meet a ten-year residency vesting period requirement and who go on to purchase a Florida home, would also enjoy the same cumulative 10%-point increase of their new home's homestead exemption, until their adjusted exemption reaches 100%. Additionally, the adjusted homestead exemption shall be transferable to the homeowner's wife or children.

Completely rewrite the law and bring radical competition into the property and auto insurance market

Make Florida's current residents, and not new arrivals, a priority in all decisions. Stop the current radical new construction boom which is turning our roads into parking lots. Choose renovation over new construction to first fix what we have, contain overgrowth and preserve the quality of life that is slowly slipping away from each Floridian due to the "Manhattanization" of our beautiful villages, towns, cities, and eventually given enough time, our entire State.

Reverse damage that monied interests and influential lobbyists have inflicted on local communities.

Listen and act upon the best ideas from all voices ...and Parties. Encourage camaraderie and collegiality from all elected officials in an effort to foster agreement wherever possible. Reject virulent tribalism, damaging Party politics, and views that are antithetical to our Country's founding values. Sensibly balance the power structure between Tallahassee and local governments.

Hold government accountable, delivering high quality services while controlling costs to residents.

Promote tourism, business and economic development, and sensible, responsible growth, but never at the expense or to the detriment of our Florida residents.

Tell the truth as to why condo owners are under financial attack after the Surfside collapse.

Copy Texas and create the Florida Bullion Depository. This will allow all Florida residents, including Florida public employees, who wish to invest their savings in gold, silver or platinum a government sanctioned, safe and easily accessible way of storing and protecting their retirement savings.

A Florida education must focus only on kids, be a model of high standards, and keep costs in line.

Give our first responders every tool they need to be the best in the business. Pay them, and all our public workers a fair, competitive wage. Honor (unsustainable) defined benefit pension promises to existing employees. Offer all new employees a menu of generous defined contribution plans which provide each employee with the ability to be vested immediately, to receive a generous match from government for each dollar they contribute, to take the plan with them if they leave their current job, and to have access to all of their funds decades before they otherwise would with existing plans.

Transform Florida's slums, ghettos, and war-zone neighborhoods by enacting my proposed "Oasis Act."

Below is the shortened version of my solutions for Florida

Keeping Florida affordable:

Eliminate property taxes on homesteaded primary residences.
Completely rewrite broken property and auto insurance laws.
Dismiss non-criminal traffic tickets for drivers with clean 10-year records.
Eliminate unfair paid highway express lanes.
Eliminate unfair tolls on public roads.
Eliminate Florida’s unfair gas tax.
Eliminate permit fees to repair your home.
Force local government to provide water and sewer at cost.
Slash bloated government we don’t need – or want.

Stop dangerous over-developmentthat is destroying our way of life:

Repeal the Live Local Act sham, and all others like it, put in place mostly to line the pockets of developers – who then gladly line the pockets of politicians.
Stop the “Manhattanization” and continued “over-densification” of Florida’s charming and historic communities.
Crush traffic and population gridlock by favoring smart renovation over unchecked new construction, and by favoring current residents over those who wish to move to Florida.

Restore trust and ‘FedEx/UPS-style’ efficiency in government:

Eliminate excessive pay and pension schemes that reward career politicians and others which will eventually bankrupt our state.
Any government position paying more than $250,000 must not exceed a two-year term and be reviewed and advertised for replacement, with interviews of all new applicants, every two years.
Prohibit politicians and bureaucrats from wasteful travel. Require all “meetings,” “retreats,” non-physical “training,” and “education,” be conducted by Zoom only.

Promote common-sense growth and restoration:

Real education for our kids, not factory-style, educational warehousing. Retain only great teachers — good enough is not good enough for our kids.
Demand clean water and air.
Transform Florida's slums, ghettos, and war zone neighborhoods by enacting my proposed "Oasis Act”.
Employ economic development and tourism programs that benefit Floridians most — not developers, special interests, new Florida arrivals, or tourists.

FOR MORE DETAILS, SEE BELOW.

MAKE FLORIDA EVEN BETTER

INSURANCE:

The likely best two solutions are: allow radical competition between ALL legitimate and financially strong insurance carriers. Encourage a wide menu of deductibles, so that if customers wish, they can participate in risk in return for lower premiums.

Lawmakers must tell homeowners the truth; that not all homes and home locations can be made safe against hurricanes, and that there is not a good free market solution available for same.

Poorly constructed homes, homes in flood zones, homes near large bodies of water, are all poor risks (bets) and are likely going to be badly damaged in a hurricane, something all insurance companies will want to avoid, or charge unacceptably high premiums for.

In the end, owners with hurricane resistant homes and safer locations will enjoy (relatively) competitive rates.

The other homeowners and their lenders must face the reality that short of a subsidy from government, whether in the form of premium assistance or financial assistance after a hurricane, there are few good options.

To understand the dilemma in a nutshell, a homeowner could simply ask him/herself this question: if I had the $1,000,000 my neighbor’s home is insured for as cash in my bank account, what premium would I be willing to charge in return for handing over that entire $1,000,000 bank account to my neighbor in the case my neighbor’s home was hit by a hurricane?

The truth is, most would not want to take on the risk for any premium.

So, since there is no good free market solution for a large number of homes, what can be done?

1) For homes that can be satisfactorily fortified against hurricanes, the total cost of approved upgrades could be offset against the property’s real estate taxes. Of course, in the short run this would impact local municipalities, but have the long-term benefit of strengthening homes, improving taxable values and retaining residents and entire neighborhoods that could be displaced following a hurricane.

2) For homes that are not candidates for fortification initiatives, and cannot buy affordable insurance, homeowners could be incentivized, one time, to buy a new, hurricane-proof home by providing them with an additional homestead exemption amount on their new home equal to the sale price of their existing home.

3) All home lenders must make a determination prior to the issuance of any home loan that the property’s structure is hurricane resistant and following issuance of the loan, shall not be permitted to withdraw the loan or penalize a homeowner in any way, during the term of the loan, related to the hurricane resistance of the structure.

AFFORDABLE HOUSING:

Affordable and workforce housing (AWH) are critical components of any successful community.

Not everyone can afford market housing options, hence the need for AWH options.

To begin, AWH should be located near to the communities they serve. However, some believe that AWH should be built inside the communities they serve.

This is not ideal given the cost to build AWH in an already affluent community is extremely high and severely impacts the number and quality of the units that can be built.

On the contrary, AWH built nearby, in blighted or lower income areas, has many benefits. Those benefits include the ability to buy land at lower costs, build more and better-quality units, transform the blighted and lower income areas with investments in the community, including roads, sidewalks, funds for better municipal services, new and better infrastructure, community activities and programs and many other benefits that go along with large investments in new projects.

In short, AWH investment is desired and necessary. It should be used as a double-edged sword to both provide needed housing and improve needy areas.

This way, taxpayers and recipients get the biggest bang for their buck!

CLEAN WATER AND AIR:

This one is easy: take all steps necessary to make certain our water and air are clean and that Florida holds polluters accountable.

TRANSPORTATION:

Florida is a victim of its own success.

Overcrowding in our State is taking hold in our large cities and traffic is approaching gridlock levels.

The problem is that our leaders believe it is possible to put 10 pounds of population into a 5-pound population bag!

It is not possible and is having the predictable effect.

Florida needs to continue to invest in improving and enlarging where possible, its roadways.

Florida also needs to look at common sense mass transportation alternatives like more rail, bus and other transportation modes which will help move our people from point to point.

The real elephant in the room, however, is the massive population growth our State has experienced. As I said earlier, there is a limit to the number of people one can cram into a fixed area, and in much of our State, we have hit that limit.

The solution?

Stop building new housing until we can absorb the number of residents we currently have and start taking care of the Floridians who are already here and who deserve the quality of life they were promised and expect.

In addition, rather than continue to build more new units, let’s fix the broken- and run-down units we already have, making housing better for all.

If we stop making the problem worse by mindlessly adding more housing units, and fix and/or improve the housing units we already have, we might be able to preserve the amazing quality of life our current Florida residents envision, get our traffic nightmare under control and further increase the value of all our residents’ investment.

All of that would be a home run for everyone.

PENSIONS:

Our country is woefully overindebted and its retirement promises are unkeepable, as our Social Security and Medicare unfunded amounts alone are equal to 10 years' worth of every penny the United States collects in revenue!

In other words, the system will fail, the only question is when?

We do not want this to happen to our retirees in Florida.

While promises are nice, financial realities are something very different.

The State of Florida has one pension system, the Florida Retirement System, (FRS).

The mechanism for paying the aforementioned pension obligations is an investment account managed by the State.

The required size of the investment account is determined by the revenue the account yields in relation to the number of retirees needing to be paid.

Currently the account itself has become unable, on its own, to pay the amounts the State is required to pay.

Given same, in order to “fix” the pension system, the State would currently have to inject $43B into the fund, an amount equal to almost 50% of the State’s entire budget.

Finally with respect to the above structure to pay retirees, in the case where the investment account begins to fail, is cut significantly or goes to zero, the State will likely bear the ENTIRE responsibility to come up with all of the funds, over $200B, a second time, to restore the investment account.

Given the size of the investment account, this alone could bankrupt the State and devastate our taxpayers.

The chances of this happening are not zero.

Is there any alternative?

Contrast the above with a 401k type account for employees, with the State making very generous contributions; an account which each employee would own.

Unlike the defined benefit plan first described above, the 401K type account is a defined contribution benefit plan.

The 401k type plan has several benefits.

1) It allows the employee to own their account, benefit from it and take it with them with no strings attached.

2) Since the plan belongs to the employee they can invest and do with the funds in their account upon departure from the State as they wish.

3) It allows the State to pay as you go, budget responsibly, not go into debt and retain employees by raising the State’s contribution to a level which would entice and financially motivate its employees.

Lastly a 401K type plan for all new employees, which is intelligently designed, would be good for those new employees, while honoring the promises made to existing employees, and at the same time protect Florida’s residents from making financial promises that they probably can’t afford to keep.

PROPERTY TAXES:

First, they are way too high!

The truth is, in the Free State of Florida, the high property tax rate is choking residents and enabling unconscious elected leaders in our cities and school boards to spend like the flow of money is never-ending.

Given politicians are experts at talking, they will always have a reason why your paying more to them is necessary. Let's ignore that problem for a minute.

Property owners deserve relief and unconscious elected leaders need to do the hard work of caring for taxpayer money, by cutting their overall budgets by at least 5% and preferably 10%.

Floridians are continuously forced to tighten their belts, and the same should be required of government bureaucrats.

For example, Florida school budgets have grown from $2.5 billion in 1980 to $29.7 billion in 2024, a 12-fold increase.

Meanwhile the 1980 median income for the average Floridian was about $18,000, and in 2024 that number grew to $72,000, only a 4-fold increase.

Worse the number of people living in Florida expected to pay for the 12-fold increase in school budgets has only about doubled since 1980.

See the problem?

The real question is, how do Floridians pay any bill that has gone up 12-times, with personal income that has only increased 4-times?

Answer: They can’t.

What’s the solution and how to implement it?

1) Reduce the Florida Constitutional maximum property tax rate by 50%.

This change would mean the potential maximum tax rate on one’s property would be necessarily dramatically reduced thereby reducing revenue to government by up to $18B.

2) Reduce school spending by at least 5%, possibly 10%, directing those savings to property owners, reducing revenue to government by $1.5B to $3B.

3) Reduce municipal spending by at least 5%, possibly 10%, saving property owners and reducing revenue to government by $1.5B to $3B.

4) Reduce fraud and waste Statewide likely saving $3B to $5B.

5) Other miscellaneous State and municipal savings of $1B.

6) Note: Florida had a $21B surplus in its most recent budget. These funds should be added to Florida’s version of a savings account for emergencies only, the Budget Stabilization Fund (BSF).

7) Last but not least, the law must be changed to allow homesteaded property owners the right to pass down properties to wives and children, without an increase in assessed value - which would otherwise make a family home instantly unaffordable and ensure that Florida families will all be involuntarily displaced.

By taking all of the above-mentioned steps, the likely result would be that property values would increase, revenues to government would necessarily increase, property owners would receive desperately needed relief and government would be forced to spend the revenue it collects much more carefully.

A win for everyone.

GAMBLING:

Florida has enough of it already.

IMMIGRATION:

Legal immigration is good. Uncontrolled, unvetted, unregulated, illegal immigration is bad.

MY PROPOSED "OASIS ACT"

Supercharging Florida’s Forgotten – Tough Love Will Work Here, Just Like it Does at Home.

Florida’s poor don’t need another handout. They need a real shot — and the support to seize it.

We have too many voiceless brothers and sisters trapped in slums, ghettos, and war-zone neighborhoods that no one should have to endure.

Enough is enough. We’re done subsidizing failure. We’re done watching good tax dollars vanish into programs that reward dependency and punish success.

The failed “Live Local Act” and its clones are a disgrace: they deliver almost zero low-cost housing for struggling Floridians, bulldoze historic neighborhoods, and stuff millions into the pockets of connected developers and politicians. It’s corporate welfare dressed up as compassion.

Enter my proposed “Oasis Act” — a no-excuses, results-driven revolution.

Instead of scattering money to the wind, the Oasis Act redirects the exact same developer incentives to the worst, most dangerous, and forgotten slum parcels across Florida where the land is dirt-cheap.

That means every state dollar stretches dramatically farther — and actually changes lives.

Here’s how it works, no sugarcoating:

Ironclad security first. A hardened perimeter seals the entire site. One way in, one way out, with 24/7 security at the gate. Outside predators, gangs, drugs, and chaos are kept out. Period.

Safe, dignified housing rises next — clean, affordable units for families who want better. Parks, playgrounds, and real neighborhood features included.

Limited retail and offices go in — just enough to supply daily needs inside the Oasis. Residents will still do most of their shopping and work in the wider world.

Rigorous rules. Every resident signs on to accountability: no crime, no drugs, school attendance for kids, work or training requirements for adults. Break the rules, and your spot is given to another willing to follow the rules. This isn’t a free ride — it’s a launchpad for serious and committed people who are ready to climb.

Once the first Oasis proves it works, we replicate it aggressively until every blighted hellhole in Florida gets transformed. One day the walls come down, the gates open, and what was a dangerous slum becomes another safe, thriving Florida neighborhood.

Bottom line: This is the biggest bang for the taxpayer housing buck Florida has ever seen.

It gives our most disadvantaged citizens, who are willing to be accountable, a genuine, life-changing gateway out of poverty — not another trap disguised as “help.”

It gives our disadvantaged Floridians the tools, the safety, and the tough love they actually need to win.

Florida deserves better. Our poorest deserve a real chance — and the rest of us deserve policies that finally work and rid our state of the blight that ruins the lives of too many.

It’s a win for everyone.

OUR CAMPAIGN, MY PAST AND PRESENT

My Personal Story

My Political Story

My Personal Story

The Start

I was born at St. Francis Hospital (which is now Aqua, on 63rd Street, near Collins Avenue) and raised in Miami Beach.

I moved to Surfside in 1996 to take advantage of the unparalleled lifestyle and have lived here, in the same home, ever since.

Julia and I are the proud parents of William Michael Burkett (now 22). I enjoy skiin

The Start

I was born at St. Francis Hospital (which is now Aqua, on 63rd Street, near Collins Avenue) and raised in Miami Beach.

I moved to Surfside in 1996 to take advantage of the unparalleled lifestyle and have lived here, in the same home, ever since.

Julia and I are the proud parents of William Michael Burkett (now 22). I enjoy skiing, diving, flying, boating & great food.

My Education

Pre-school: The Cushman School, Miami
Grammar: St. Patrick's School, Miami Beach
High: Archbishop Curley High School, Miami
College: University of Miami, BS, Finance

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My Business Story

My Political Story

My Personal Story

My Day Job

After I graduated from college, I used my savings from working as a construction site laborer to buy my first property in 1983. It was a home in Miami Beach that I renovated, with help from friends I hired, and then leased.

I then purchased my first building in Miami Beach's budding Art Deco District with the remainder of my sa

My Day Job

I then purchased my first building in Miami Beach's budding Art Deco District with the remainder of my savings. I renovated that building, was able to get a loan on the equity I created in the property, and bought my next property.

I did this over and over throughout the 80s, 90s and early 2000s.

I subsequently went on to expand on a national basis into an additional seven states.

I currently operate a national management and investment company, which I own 100% of, which oversees those investments.

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My Political Story

My Political Life

When I lived in Miami Beach, I was:

A board member and chairman of the Miami Beach Housing Authority for nine years,

A board member of the Nuisance Abatement Board,

Member of the Code Enforcement Board,

Member of the Community Development Block Grant Board,

A Police Academy member,

A board member of the Miami Beach Chambe

My Political Life

When I lived in Miami Beach, I was:

A board member and chairman of the Miami Beach Housing Authority for nine years,

A board member of the Nuisance Abatement Board,

Member of the Code Enforcement Board,

Member of the Community Development Block Grant Board,

A Police Academy member,

A board member of the Miami Beach Chamber,

The President of the North Beach Development Corporation,

A board member of my neighborhood association, the La Gorce-Pinetree Homeowners Association,

I have also participated in many blue ribbon & ad hoc committees in Miami Beach over my 35 years living there.

When I moved to Surfside in 1996, my civic involvement was as follows:

In 2004, I ran for Mayor of Surfside and lost my first election by a hair.

In 2006, I was first elected Mayor of Surfside.

In 2008, I was re-elected Mayor of Surfside.

In 2020, I was re-elected Mayor of Surfside and guided our residents through the Covid disaster and the collapse of an entire condominum building that resulted in the loss of 98 lives.

In 2024, I was re-elected Mayor of Surfside.

I'm proud of my record of service in Surfside to protect our town and its residents from exploitive predators interested only in financial gain at the cost of our precious small-town way of life.

My Political Views

While I serve as Surfside's mayor, my one and only interest is the success and well-being of our Town.

However, like all red-blooded, patriotic Americans, I love our Country, and want the best for it and our citizens.

When my service to Surfside is complete one day, I plan to run for Governor and hope that I can bring the passion and love I have dedicated to our beautiful hamlet on the beach, to all the citizens of Florida.

You can read more about the views and positions I would put forward in the Governor's campaign at my political positions website:

www.AmericaWantsBetter.Org.

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CHARLES Burkett

FLORIDA WANTS CHOICES FOR GOVERNOR ...NOW THERE IS ONE MORE!

I'm not a Politician, and don't really like being called one

What I am is a concerned homeowner, hardworking parent, Florida resident, unhappy overcrowded, over-trafficked commuter, a successful problem-solver and investor, and experienced 'sleazy politician detector,' who unlike most, refuses to go along - just to get along.

I'm not going to Tallahassee because I need friends, or to impress or be impressed, or to make a living.

My entire volunteer and political history is built on trust, honesty, and a reputation for telling it like it is, good, bad or ugly.

VOTERS ELECT CANDIDATES WHOSE INTERESTS MATCH THEIRS.

Keep Florida affordable

Completely rewrite the law and bring radical competition into the property and auto insurance market

Reverse damage that monied interests and influential lobbyists have inflicted on local communities.

Hold government accountable, delivering high quality services while controlling costs to residents.

Tell the truth as to why condo owners are under financial attack after the Surfside collapse.

A Florida education must focus only on kids, be a model of high standards, and keep costs in line.

Transform Florida's slums, ghettos, and war-zone neighborhoods by enacting my proposed "Oasis Act."

Below is the shortened version of my solutions for Florida

MAKE FLORIDA EVEN BETTER

OUR CAMPAIGN, MY PAST AND PRESENT

My Personal Story

My Political Story

My Personal Story

My Business Story

My Political Story

My Personal Story

My Political Story

My Political Story

My Political Story

For even more information on where I stand on the issues, click the white button.

History in Pictures

History in Pictures

History in Pictures

Want to know my views on various subjects?

Help fuel our success with your contribution!

Sign up to help or contact Charles

Burkett for Florida Governor

PRESS RELEASES

FLORIDA WANTS CHOICES FOR GOVERNOR ...NOW THERE IS ONE MORE!

I'm not a Politician, and don't really like being called one

What I am is a concerned homeowner, hardworking parent, Florida resident, unhappy overcrowded, over-trafficked commuter, a successful problem-solver and investor, and experienced 'sleazy politician detector,' who unlike most, refuses to go along - just to get along.

I'm not going to Tallahassee because I need friends, or to impress or be impressed, or to make a living.

My entire volunteer and political history is built on trust, honesty, and a reputation for telling it like it is, good, bad or ugly.

VOTERS ELECT CANDIDATES WHOSE INTERESTS MATCH THEIRS.

Keep Florida affordable

Completely rewrite the law and bring radical competition into the property and auto insurance market

Reverse damage that monied interests and influential lobbyists have inflicted on local communities.

Hold government accountable, delivering high quality services while controlling costs to residents.

Tell the truth as to why condo owners are under financial attack after the Surfside collapse.

A Florida education must focus only on kids, be a model of high standards, and keep costs in line.

Transform Florida's slums, ghettos, and war-zone neighborhoods by enacting my proposed "Oasis Act."

Below is the shortened version of my solutions for Florida

MAKE FLORIDA EVEN BETTER

OUR CAMPAIGN, MY PAST AND PRESENT

My Personal Story

My Political Story

My Personal Story

My Business Story

My Political Story

My Personal Story

My Political Story

My Political Story

My Political Story

For even more information on where I stand on the issues, click the white button.

History in Pictures

History in Pictures

History in Pictures

Want to know my views on various subjects?

Help fuel our success with your contribution!

Sign up to help or contact Charles

Burkett for Florida Governor

PRESS RELEASES

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