Civic Positions/Experience
Legislative Aide to Sen. Victor Torres, member of Florida House of Representatives District 45 from 2016-2022
Campaign Phone
407-908-9198
If Orange County were to lose the revenue currently generated by property taxes, we would need to carefully evaluate alternative funding sources while maintaining the essential services residents depend on, including public safety, infrastructure, transportation, parks, and community services. The priority must be responsible budgeting and ensuring taxpayer dollars are being used efficiently. We should continue reviewing county programs, reducing unnecessary duplication, and making sure every dollar is delivering value to residents.
We need a balanced approach to revenue. Any major change would require a thoughtful discussion with residents about the services they expect and how those services should be funded.
My vision for mass transit vs. road expansion includes only supporting transportation funding if it directly addresses Orange County's most pressing mobility challenges, including reducing traffic congestion, improving road safety, expanding reliable public transit, and strengthening connections between neighborhoods, job centers, and commercial corridors.
One of my campaign's top priorities is addressing affordability in Orange County. I'll advocate for workforce housing solutions tied directly to our major employment corridors and for expanding access to attainable housing initiatives. This could be done by incentivizing developers to build attainable housing projects.
I would encourage stronger collaboration between local government, businesses, and community stakeholders to ensure development decisions are thoughtful, equitable and aligned. We need to discuss how we can better use reclaimed water in our communities and reduce the use of the acquifer.
Throughout my 14 plus years of constituent service work, I've sat across the table from residents navigating broken systems, delayed permits, and unmet promises. In the Florida House of Representatives, I passed legislation that secured funding for maternal health infrastructure in 67 counties, expanded postpartum Medicaid access for Florida's families, and worked within a legislative minority to move resources where they are needed the most.
As a former Florida State Representative, I have the experience and knowledge of how the legislators in Tallahassee operate, but as a lifelong Central Floridian and as someone who has deep roots in my community, I want to protect the ability of our locally elected officials to be able to govern as they see fit and in the manner that the residents of Orange County voted for. Most of the representatives from the Central Florida delegation support protecting home rule. We need to engage our community work with their elected officials who are in the majority of the House and Senate, and let them know how they are impacting their community. I have always supported home rule.
My job is to ensure that growth benefits everyone who lives here while also protecting the integrity of our rural areas, wetlands, and wildlife corridors, which are so important to our county's future.
My vision for our future development is to create economic opportunity while improving residents' quality of life. A good quality of life prioritizes protecting natural resources through responsible land use and strategic investments in roads, mobility, and long-term infrastructure planning that keep pace with development and balance growth with the preservation of parks, waterways, and green space.
Tourist Development Tax revenues should be used in a way that not only strengthens Orange County’s tourism industry, but also creates lasting economic value for residents and local businesses. Because tourism is a major economic engine for our region, these funds should support investments that improve the visitor experience while also enhancing infrastructure, public safety, mobility, and community assets that benefit the broader local economy.
I would support prioritizing investments in transportation improvements near tourism and business corridors, support for arts, culture, and community events, workforce development programs connected to hospitality and emerging industries, and initiatives that help local and small businesses.
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Civic Positions/Experience
I have served in the following capacities for our community: Orange County Board of Zoning Adjustment, Community Action Board, 2021 Redistricting Committee, served as Chief of Staff for 2 County Commissioners and worked for a third Commissioner, Chair of the Orange County Democratic Party, many more
Campaign Phone
3216895871
Twitter
twitter.com/weshodgeoc
First, voters need to understand the full impact of the proposal. Renters receive no benefit, critical services like stormwater management, mosquito control, animal services, code enforcement, parks, inspections, and public safety could face cuts. Before considering replacement revenues, I would require every county department and funded contract to identify efficiencies and reduce overhead. After those savings, I would review costs for impact and permitting fees, maximize tourism and gas tax revenues, lease underutilized county land, pursue public-private partnerships, potential ways to generate solar power for sale, and ensure growth pays for itself through mobility and impact fees. Sales tax increases should be considered a last resort.
No community has paved its way out of congestion. Strategic road improvements remain necessary for safety and connectivity, road expansion is not a sustainable solution. As our population grows and more than 220,000 tourists use our roads daily, we must provide residents with real transportation choices. I support investing in high-capacity transit, including SunRail, Bus Rapid Transit, and the Sunrise Orlando's STAR plan. We should focus growth around transit corridors, create walkable mixed-use communities, and ensure growth pays for the infrastructure it requires. By leveraging TDT dollars and other funding sources, we can reduce congestion, support economic growth, and build a multi-modal transportation network that benefits everyone.
I have already worked to address our affordability crisis. On Commissioner Emily Bonilla's staff, I helped draft the 2022 Rent Stabilization ballot measure, which was approved by nearly 60% of Orange County voters. I support Orange County taking a more active role in developing and preserving affordable housing, expanding tenant protections, and creating mixed-income communities.
Orange County needs to end its longstanding policy of not owning housing. We should invest in mixed-use, mixed-income housing along transit corridors to create better economic opportunities for residents while supporting a more efficient transportation system. We need housing at every price point, including low income, workforce, and market-rate housing.
Protecting Orange County’s water resources requires responsible growth, conservation, and strong partnerships with regional and state agencies. I support Orange County’s Green PLACE program and the continued acquisition of environmentally sensitive lands that protect wetlands, wildlife habitat, and critical recharge areas that sustain our aquifer and springs.
I would defend the voter-approved rural boundary and preserve rural settlements to reduce urban sprawl and protect our natural systems. I also support expanding Orange County’s septic-to-sewer conversion efforts, already underway in District 2, to reduce nutrient pollution and protect water quality.
One example of effective collaboration with Orange County government was my work with the Immigrants Are Welcome Here Coalition to advocate for Orange County’s withdrawal from the Intergovernmental Service Agreement (IGSA) with ICE. The agreement allowed the county jail to house immigrant detainees, creating costs for local taxpayers while terrorizing our immigrant communities and undermining trust in local government.
Through community organizing, public advocacy, and engagement with county leaders, we helped bring attention to the financial burden and the impact of using local resources to fund federal immigration enforcement. This effort demonstrated the power of residents working together to hold government accountable.
We need to elect leaders who will stand firm in protecting Home Rule and not compromise when they get to Tallahassee. Local communities know their needs best, and decisions about our development, neighborhoods, environment, and quality of life should not be dictated by the state. I will continue traveling to the state capitol to advocate for the preservation of Home Rule, including advocating for the repeal of SB 180, which undermines the ability of local governments to manage their communities’ growth. I will also encourage counties to pursue legal challenges when state legislation attempts to erode local authority. Protecting Home Rule ensures residents have a voice in the decisions that impact their communities.
Orange County’s future must include smart, sustainable growth that balances infrastructure needs with protecting our natural resources and established communities. We must move away from urban sprawl its traffic congestion and rising infrastructure costs.
Growth should focus on existing urban areas through infill development, mixed-use communities established in Vision 2050, and improving transit corridors. I will defend the voter approved rural boundary, protect rural settlements, and preserve the wetlands and wildlife corridors which provide flood protection and support our quality of life. I will fight any future efforts by CFX when they try to condemn our preservation lands for more toll roads.
100%
Our current approach to using TDT dollars is an antiquated model that doesn't meets the needs of Orange County. Over the last seven years, Visit Orlando’s revenue has increased nearly 40% while tourism numbers have grown by less than 3%. That is a horrible return on investment.
We need to think differently about how we use TDT dollars. The Convention Center should become a regional transit hub, which is permissible under current TDT guidelines. This would benefit both tourists and residents. With approximately 220,000 daily visitors using our roads, tourism should contribute more toward the investments needed to support that impact. Strategic investments in transit will strengthen our economy and improve our tourists' experience.
If the Florida Legislature reduces residential property tax revenue, I have a clear, multi-faceted plan to offset those losses through disciplined fiscal management and strategic reinvestment rather than simply seeking new taxes. As a retired federal auditor with the Strategic DNA to manage our $8.3 billion budget, I would prioritize the following strategies to ensure essential county services remain fully funded:
Trimming the Fat and Operational Audits: My first priority is to eliminate waste and unnecessary spending. I will advocate for rigorous operational audits and performance reviews of county departments to expose any inequitable distribution of resources, ensuring every existing tax dollar is used with maximum efficiency.
Challenging Idle Reserves: I will challenge the county’s $2.01 billion in reserves. I believe that carryforward dollars from our taxpayers should be reinvested into our lagging infrastructure and services rather than sitting idle while our roads and services suffer.
I believe we can achieve financial stability by Building Better Through Efficiency and ensuring our tax dollars stay in our county. By cutting non-essential costs, we can protect must-haves like fire rescue and law enforcement without placing additional burdens on our residents.
My vision for Orange County is a balanced, "smart development" approach that integrates high-capacity mass transit with strategic road expansions to overcome the region's transportation funding gap. I believe the Sunshine Corridor is a vital transit backbone that must connect Orlando International Airport to our economic hubs, providing reliable mobility for both visitors and our local workforce. While I continue to support the LYNX partnership, I will demand that route planning prioritizes expanded frequency and service residents county wide and effectively connect them to employment centers. To further reduce car dependency, my platform prioritizes Transit Oriented Development (TOD), which focuses on building attainable workforce housing near major transit corridors to lower the combined burden of housing and transportation costs.
To increase the supply of affordable housing, I support several specific policies:
Zoning Reform: Allowing diverse housing types, including apartments, townhomes, and Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs), to bridge the missing middle gap.
Fast-Track Permitting: Creating a joint county-municipal fast-track process to eliminate bureaucratic delays.
Strategic Development: Prioritizing Transit Oriented Development and employer-assisted housing programs.
Targeted Investment: Demanding that 15% of the Affordable Housing Trust Fund be directed to District 2.
Long-Term Preservation: Utilizing community land trusts and a right of first refusal for nonprofits.
To protect Central Florida’s water quality and the Floridan aquifer, I prioritize smart development that balances growth with aggressive preservation of natural resources. My approach includes:
Protecting Sensitive Lands: I am committed to defending firm rural boundaries for communities like Tangerine and Zellwood to prevent unchecked urban sprawl from encroaching on critical recharge areas.
Restoring Waterways: I share the mission to end water pollution and strongly support the Lake Apopka Shoreline Restoration Project.
Infrastructure Improvements: I champion municipal projects like Ocoee’s wastewater extensions, which transition neighborhoods from septic systems to central sewers to reduce nutrient loading in our lakes and protect drinking water wells.
Water Conservation: I advocate for expanding reclaimed water access and solar-powered reclamation facilities to reduce reliance on the aquifer.
I will work collaboratively with agencies like the St. Johns River Water Management District (SJRWMD) and the FDEP to uphold health standards and ensure projects align with Basin Management Action Plans (BMAPs). I will call for operational audits of programs like the $100 million Green PLACE initiative to verify that conservation funds are effectively protecting our most sensitive lands.
As a four-term Ocoee City Commissioner, I have a proven record of delivering tangible results through intergovernmental collaboration. A primary example is my work securing a $9 million agreement for the Clarke Road Extension Project, which significantly improved regional transportation infrastructure and safety.
Additionally, I led the effort to confront historical injustice by initiating an official proclamation and apology for the 1920 Ocoee Massacre and successfully fighting for directional signage to the African American Hallowed Ground Cemetery. My work also includes partnering with Orange County to implement Healthy Community programs and a city-wide mosquito control program. Whether securing traffic lights at dangerous intersections like Clarcona Ocoee and Ingram Road or calling for operational audits to ensure fiscal transparency, I possess the experience to effectively navigate state, county, and city government to achieve results for my constituents.
To protect home rule, the commission should:
Build Coalitions: Advocate for formal Board resolutions opposing state legislation that undermines local authority.
Engage the Public: Use town halls and hearings to create a unified local front against mandates that ignore specific district needs.
Data-Driven Defense: Use operational audits to provide evidence of state-level policies causing resource waste.
Legal Action: Challenge institutional overreach through the courts when necessary.
State Collaboration: Advocate for regulatory frameworks that balance statewide consistency with local enforcement power.
My vision for Orange County is rooted in smart development that balances rapid growth with the aggressive preservation of our community’s green spaces. I advocate for an infrastructure-first policy, ensuring that development never outpaces our resources, a commitment I’ve upheld by voting NO on projects lacking clear infrastructure plans.
To safeguard our rural integrity, I will defend firm rural boundaries for communities like Tangerine and Zellwood against urban sprawl. I fully support the Green PLACE program to preserve 23,000 acres of sensitive land and will protect the Split Oak Forest wildlife corridor from encroachment. I also champion environmental infrastructure, such as wastewater extensions to restore Lake Apopka. My Strategic DNA as an auditor ensures rigorous oversight, using operational audits to guarantee that conservation funds are effectively used to protect our wetlands and natural heritage.
Tourism is the economic engine of Orange County, and I firmly believe TDT funds should remain dedicated primarily to tourism promotion and authorized reinvestment per Florida Statute 125.0104. Strategic reinvestment strengthens our global competitiveness and benefits residents by creating jobs and keeping property taxes low.
However, I advocate for a strategic review of the $384 million in annual TDT revenue to analyze if these funds can better support infrastructure, specifically transportation that both visitors and our local workforce rely on daily. While I oppose diverting funds to unrelated governmental expenses, strategic investments in infrastructure and public spaces create amenities and economic vitality that residents enjoy alongside visitors.
Civic Positions/Experience
Member, Orange County Research and Development Authority Board Member, Orange County Citizen Corps Council Member, Orange County Drowning Prevention Task Force Member, Florida Bar Government Advocacy Committee Member, The Florida Bar
Campaign Phone
4074615241
Twitter
https://x.com/MarshaForFL
I oppose shifting the cost of essential county services onto working families through higher fees or deep service cuts. Before reducing property-tax revenue, we must be honest about what it funds, including public safety, roads, parks, libraries, and services for children and seniors. I would first pursue greater government efficiency, eliminate wasteful spending, and require new development to pay its fair share through appropriately assessed impact fees. I would also protect existing revenue sources and pursue state and federal funding rather than balancing the budget on the backs of residents.
Orange County cannot build its way out of congestion with wider roads alone. We need a balanced transportation system that improves dangerous and congested roads while making SunRail, LYNX, sidewalks, trails, and other transit options safer, more reliable, and more accessible. Transportation investments should connect people to jobs, schools, healthcare, and affordable housing, with priority given to the communities experiencing the greatest need. Developers should also contribute their fair share when new projects create additional demands on our transportation network.
I would support using county-owned land for affordable and workforce housing, expanding the county’s housing trust fund, and creating incentives for developments that guarantee long-term affordability. We should streamline the approval of responsible infill projects, accessory dwelling units, and a wider range of housing types in appropriate locations near jobs and transportation. I would also require meaningful affordability commitments when developers receive public subsidies or density incentives.
Protecting our water supply must be a central part of every decision. I would strengthen protections for wetlands and recharge areas, reduce pollution from failing septic systems and stormwater runoff, promote water conservation, and oppose development that threatens sensitive environmental lands. I would work closely with municipalities, neighboring counties, the St. Johns River Water Management District, state environmental agencies, and our utilities to establish measurable conservation goals and coordinate long-term water planning. We must recognize that the aquifer is a finite resource and act before shortages and contamination become irreversible.
During my career in child welfare, I worked across agencies and jurisdictions to protect children and support families in crisis. As a child abuse investigator, forensic interviewer, and leader of the Child Protection Team for Orange and Osceola Counties, I coordinated with the Florida Department of Children and Families, county programs, local law enforcement, prosecutors, hospitals, and community organizations. Each organization had a different responsibility, but effective communication and a shared focus on the child allowed us to reach better outcomes. That experience taught me how to bring people together, navigate complex systems, and keep government focused on the residents it is supposed to serve.
The County Commission should speak with a unified voice when state legislation threatens Orange County’s ability to respond to local needs. I would support working with our legislative delegation, other counties and municipalities, and engaging residents earlier when harmful preemption bills are introduced. The county should also clearly document the local financial and community impacts of proposed state mandates and challenge unconstitutional preemptions when appropriate. Decisions about Orange County’s neighborhoods, environment, infrastructure, and public services should not be dictated by special interests in Tallahassee.
My vision is for growth that strengthens existing communities instead of promoting endless sprawl. New development should be directed toward appropriate areas where roads, transit, utilities, schools, and public safety services can support it, and developers should pay their fair share of the resulting infrastructure costs. I support strong rural-boundary protections, the preservation of wetlands and wildlife corridors, and closing annexation or zoning loopholes that undermine responsible planning. We can expand housing and economic opportunity without sacrificing the natural areas and rural communities that make Orange County special.
Tourist Development Tax revenue should continue supporting the tourism economy that generates it, including destination marketing, conventions, sporting events, arts and cultural assets, and facilities that keep Orange County competitive. I am open to investments that clearly benefit both visitors and residents when they are legally permitted, directly connected to tourism, and supported by measurable evidence of economic benefit.
