Janet C. Long
Encyclopedia
Janet C. Long is a Democratic
politician and educator who serves as a member of the Florida House of Representatives
for House District 51. She was a member of the Seminole, Florida
City Council from 2002 to 2006. She was first elected to the Florida Legislature in 2006, and was re-elected in 2008.
. She graduated from Fryeburg Academy
. She attended Nasson College
, Eckerd College
and St. Petersburg College
. She is the director of advancement at Clearwater Central Catholic High School
.
Long gained political experience as a legislative aide and as a deputy commissioner for the Florida Department of Insurance.
She is married to Richard L. Long with three children, Anissa, Paul, and Richard, and two grandchildren. Her son Paul was nominated to receive the Distinguished Flying Cross
for his heroism in Afghanistan
May 18, 2008.
The Greater Seminole Area Chamber of Commerce held a forum for the City Council candidates in February 2002. Each candidate had a brief time to make an opening statement, answer two questions, and make a closing statement. Long cited her three decades of experience, including her advocacy work with the Insurance Commission, her work on government committees, and her receptiveness to community input. She advocated care in annexation. She received the support of the Seminole Professional Fire Fighters Association. She was elected to the Seminole City Council in March 2002, her first publicly-elected office. Of the three people elected to the council in that race, she had the most votes.
In 2003, she supported levying fines for false fire alarms. The fines would increase after with the fourth false alarm in a twelve month period. The legislation addressed concerns that false alarm response was reducing the availability of fire fighters. About ten percent of the fire department's calls had been to false alarms, with most of those due to faulty alarm systems.
She also favored the changing the name of the city's signature festival, the "Seminole Pow Wow." The name was considered offensive, and politically incorrect, as well as inappropriate as being totally unrelated to Native American
culture.
She ran unopposed for re-election to the City Council in 2004. In 2005, a resolution by the U.S. Conference of Mayors Climate Protection Agreement urged cities to "take actions to reduce global warming pollution." The Seminole City Council declined to support the resolution by a vote of four opposed to three in support. Long voted to support the resolution, along with Mayor Dottie Reeder and Patricia Hartstein.
She replaced Leslie Waters, who had been term limited out, and who declined to run for the District 51 seat in 2008.
Long had run unopposed in the Democratic primary.
Long had resigned her position on the Council in March 2006, saying that it would be a conflict of interest to continue on the council while running for State office. She chided Mayor Reeder for remaining as mayor while campaigning.
At a Seminole Chamber of Commerce luncheon meeting in February 2006, Long identified education, insurance, and affordable housing as top priorities.
During the campaign, Long suggested solutions for the Florida insurance crisis, while acknowledging the complexity of the issues. She recommended making Citizen's Property Insurance Co, the state-run "insurer of last resort," more like a business, assessing risk and operating within a balanced budget. She recommended forming a consortium of coastal states to share costs in dealing with windstorms and catastrophic loss. She also recommended looking into "insurance savings accounts" to deal with catastrophic loses. These accounts would be funded with money from premiums paid by citizens and the private insurers. She received the endorsement of the St. Petersburg Times,
as well as the Tampa Bay Builders Association and The Pinellas Realtor Organization.
and Darryl Rouson
.
Long used her office to champion unincorporated residents within her district, who felt they were not receiving adequate benefits from the Pinellas Park
Water Management District. The district builds and maintains drainage projects in mid-Pinellas County. Residents in the Bayou Club and Lealman areas did not feel they received direct benefits from the water management district, and that they should be able to opt out of paying taxes to it. The District responded that Bayou Club would not exist without the drainage system it provided. Representative Long sought to have the matter decided by referendum.
Long sponsored a bill that would prohibit local governments from spending public money on "political advertisement or electioneering communication."
She opposed a 2008 bill, HB 257, that required pregnant women to have a sonogram
before undergoing a first-trimester abortion
. She and state Senator Dennis L. Jones
supported legislative action to require airports, universities and state agencies to recycle. Opponents of the bill said it would cost too much.
In August 2008, Long told the Pinellas Park Kiwanis Club that she supports taxing Internet sales as a possible solution to state budget problems. She said that Florida had grown markedly since the tax codes were first written, and that they needed updating.
and the St. Petersburg Times. The Republican Party was impressed enough with her that it invited her to change parties. The Times lauded what it called her "clear-headedness" for her stances on reviewing special taxing districts (such as the Pinellas Park Water Management District), looking into consolidating state law enforcement agencies, and modifying the requirements for Bright Futures scholarships.
, with 58 percent of the vote. He was a substitute candidate, recruited to run after Republican Terry Sanchez withdrew her candidacy in September. After the election, Long said she looked forward to working on tax reform and health care legislation.
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
politician and educator who serves as a member of the Florida House of Representatives
Florida House of Representatives
The Florida House of Representatives is the lower house of the Florida Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Florida. The House is composed of 120 members representing an equal number of districts, with each district having an average population of 156,677.The House convenes at...
for House District 51. She was a member of the Seminole, Florida
Seminole, Florida
Seminole is a city in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. The population was 10,890 at the 2000 census. As of 2007, the population estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau is 19,195. St. Petersburg College has a campus in the city.-Geography:...
City Council from 2002 to 2006. She was first elected to the Florida Legislature in 2006, and was re-elected in 2008.
Biography
Representative Long was born on November 6, 1944 in West Stewartstown, New HampshireWest Stewartstown, New Hampshire
West Stewartstown is a census-designated place in the town of Stewartstown in Coos County, New Hampshire. It had a population of 386 at the 2010 census....
. She graduated from Fryeburg Academy
Fryeburg Academy
Fryeburg Academy, founded 1792, is one of the oldest private schools in the United States. It is located in Fryeburg, Maine. One of the first headmasters was Daniel Webster, who taught at the school for a year....
. She attended Nasson College
Nasson College
Nasson College was a private four-year accredited liberal arts college in Springvale, Maine.It was founded in 1912 as Nasson Institute and changed its name twenty-three years later, in 1935 . It closed in 1983, after which its in-town campus sat vacant well into the 1990s.As the Nasson Institute,...
, Eckerd College
Eckerd College
Eckerd College is a private 4-year coeducational liberal arts college at the southernmost tip of St. Petersburg, Florida, in the Tampa Bay metropolitan area. The college is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.- Campus :...
and St. Petersburg College
St. Petersburg College
St. Petersburg College is a fully accredited post-secondary educational institution located in St. Petersburg, Florida, serving some 65,000 students annually...
. She is the director of advancement at Clearwater Central Catholic High School
Clearwater Central Catholic High School
Clearwater Central Catholic High School is a private college preparatory school for grades 9 through 12 and located in Clearwater, Florida, in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Saint Petersburg. Founded in 1962, the school enrolls approximately 500 students from the Tampa Bay area...
.
Long gained political experience as a legislative aide and as a deputy commissioner for the Florida Department of Insurance.
She is married to Richard L. Long with three children, Anissa, Paul, and Richard, and two grandchildren. Her son Paul was nominated to receive the Distinguished Flying Cross
Distinguished Flying Cross (United States)
The Distinguished Flying Cross is a medal awarded to any officer or enlisted member of the United States armed forces who distinguishes himself or herself in support of operations by "heroism or extraordinary achievement while participating in an aerial flight, subsequent to November 11, 1918." The...
for his heroism in Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
May 18, 2008.
Seminole City Council
Long announced her candidacy for one of three available seats on the Seminole City Council in November 2001. At the time, she owned a consulting firm and served on the tree advisory committee. She was also a member of the Greater Seminole Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, and served on the governor's tax reform task force.The Greater Seminole Area Chamber of Commerce held a forum for the City Council candidates in February 2002. Each candidate had a brief time to make an opening statement, answer two questions, and make a closing statement. Long cited her three decades of experience, including her advocacy work with the Insurance Commission, her work on government committees, and her receptiveness to community input. She advocated care in annexation. She received the support of the Seminole Professional Fire Fighters Association. She was elected to the Seminole City Council in March 2002, her first publicly-elected office. Of the three people elected to the council in that race, she had the most votes.
In 2003, she supported levying fines for false fire alarms. The fines would increase after with the fourth false alarm in a twelve month period. The legislation addressed concerns that false alarm response was reducing the availability of fire fighters. About ten percent of the fire department's calls had been to false alarms, with most of those due to faulty alarm systems.
She also favored the changing the name of the city's signature festival, the "Seminole Pow Wow." The name was considered offensive, and politically incorrect, as well as inappropriate as being totally unrelated to Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
culture.
She ran unopposed for re-election to the City Council in 2004. In 2005, a resolution by the U.S. Conference of Mayors Climate Protection Agreement urged cities to "take actions to reduce global warming pollution." The Seminole City Council declined to support the resolution by a vote of four opposed to three in support. Long voted to support the resolution, along with Mayor Dottie Reeder and Patricia Hartstein.
2006 campaign
In her first state legislative campaign, Long was elected to the Florida House in 2006, narrowly defeating her former colleague, former Seminole Mayor Dottie Reeder.She replaced Leslie Waters, who had been term limited out, and who declined to run for the District 51 seat in 2008.
Long had run unopposed in the Democratic primary.
Long had resigned her position on the Council in March 2006, saying that it would be a conflict of interest to continue on the council while running for State office. She chided Mayor Reeder for remaining as mayor while campaigning.
At a Seminole Chamber of Commerce luncheon meeting in February 2006, Long identified education, insurance, and affordable housing as top priorities.
During the campaign, Long suggested solutions for the Florida insurance crisis, while acknowledging the complexity of the issues. She recommended making Citizen's Property Insurance Co, the state-run "insurer of last resort," more like a business, assessing risk and operating within a balanced budget. She recommended forming a consortium of coastal states to share costs in dealing with windstorms and catastrophic loss. She also recommended looking into "insurance savings accounts" to deal with catastrophic loses. These accounts would be funded with money from premiums paid by citizens and the private insurers. She received the endorsement of the St. Petersburg Times,
as well as the Tampa Bay Builders Association and The Pinellas Realtor Organization.
2006–2008 term
As a freshman representative, Long was appointed to the Insurance Committee, the Education Innovation & Career Preparation Committee, Military & Veterans' Affairs Committee, and the Schools & Learning Council. She was one of three Pinellas County representatives to support school vouchers (corporate-tax-credit scholarships), along with Bill HellerBill Heller
Dr. Harold William "Bill" Heller is a Florida educator and Democratic politician who serves as the state representative for District 52 in Pinellas County Florida. He was first elected to the Legislature in 2006 and was re-elected in 2008. Before entering politics, he had a long history of...
and Darryl Rouson
Darryl Rouson
Darryl Rouson is a St. Petersburg, Florida, lawyer, political activist, and Democratic politician who serves as the Florida House representative for District 55. He is a former president of the St. Petersburg NAACP and former chair of the National Bar Association's Substance Abuse and Addictions...
.
Long used her office to champion unincorporated residents within her district, who felt they were not receiving adequate benefits from the Pinellas Park
Pinellas Park, Florida
Pinellas Park is a city located in central Pinellas County, Florida. The population was 45,658 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau is 47,166 . The city was founded by Philadelphia publisher, F. A...
Water Management District. The district builds and maintains drainage projects in mid-Pinellas County. Residents in the Bayou Club and Lealman areas did not feel they received direct benefits from the water management district, and that they should be able to opt out of paying taxes to it. The District responded that Bayou Club would not exist without the drainage system it provided. Representative Long sought to have the matter decided by referendum.
Long sponsored a bill that would prohibit local governments from spending public money on "political advertisement or electioneering communication."
She opposed a 2008 bill, HB 257, that required pregnant women to have a sonogram
Sonogram
A sonogram may refer to the following:* A diagnostic medical image created using ultrasound echo equipment, see medical ultrasonography...
before undergoing a first-trimester abortion
Abortion
Abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
. She and state Senator Dennis L. Jones
Dennis L. Jones
Dennis L. Jones is a Republican member of the Florida Senate, representing the 13th District since 2003. Previously he was a member of the Florida House of Representatives from 1979 through 2000.-External links:* official government website* profile...
supported legislative action to require airports, universities and state agencies to recycle. Opponents of the bill said it would cost too much.
In August 2008, Long told the Pinellas Park Kiwanis Club that she supports taxing Internet sales as a possible solution to state budget problems. She said that Florida had grown markedly since the tax codes were first written, and that they needed updating.
2008 campaign
Prior to the 2008 election, Long spoke of the need to create a wind insurance program and improve property insurance. She also expressed concern over the tax burden of low-income seniors, first-time home buyers, and small business owners. She advocated improvements in health care, such as electronic record keeping and affordable drugs for seniors. She received the endorsement of the Sierra ClubSierra Club
The Sierra Club is the oldest, largest, and most influential grassroots environmental organization in the United States. It was founded on May 28, 1892, in San Francisco, California, by the conservationist and preservationist John Muir, who became its first president...
and the St. Petersburg Times. The Republican Party was impressed enough with her that it invited her to change parties. The Times lauded what it called her "clear-headedness" for her stances on reviewing special taxing districts (such as the Pinellas Park Water Management District), looking into consolidating state law enforcement agencies, and modifying the requirements for Bright Futures scholarships.
2008–2012 term
In 2008, Long defeated Republican Christopher Peters, a lifeguard at Fort De Soto ParkFort De Soto Park
Fort De Soto Park is located just outside the city of St. Petersburg, Florida. This park, operated by Pinellas County, is made up from five offshore keys, or islands lying to the city's south-southwest: Madelaine Key, St. Jean Key, St. Christopher Key, Bonne Fortune Key and the main island, Mullet...
, with 58 percent of the vote. He was a substitute candidate, recruited to run after Republican Terry Sanchez withdrew her candidacy in September. After the election, Long said she looked forward to working on tax reform and health care legislation.