Gaetz eyes repealing Obamacare, new courthouse

MILTON — Rep. Matt Gaetz focused on education, the county courthouse, repealing the Affordable Care Act and tax reform when he visited the Santa Rosa County Board of County Commissioners’ Thursday meeting.

Gaetz expressed concerns with two particular areas: education funding and the courthouse.

“We consistently in Santa Rosa County have some of the highest performing students, highest performing teachers, and it’s just a phenomenal school district. Yet we are at the absolute bottom of the per-student funding formula. I wish I could have done more on that,” Gaetz said.

“We need a new courthouse in Santa Rosa County and I believe the state has a vested interest in making sure we administer justice at a facility that is safe and secure,” he said. “I have filed for appropriations for courthouse funding for our area and I was unsuccessful in securing those but I’m hopeful even in my departure from the state legislature we will continue to pursue those priorities.”

Gaetz framed the argument for repealing the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, as a burden on small businesses.

“I couldn’t help but notice driving down Highway 90 this really is a community of small businesses. That is the bedrock of our economy,” he said. “The compliance costs for Obamacare, the rising premiums, the high deductibles, this has really thrown a wet blanket over the economy … Our goal is to replace it with a system that is patient-centered, not government-centered.”

“We’re $19 trillion in debt. If we don’t make cuts to our entitlement programs, we’ll have $28 trillion in debt in the next 10 years. I serve on the budget committee and that is deeply troubling to me,” Gaetz said.

At the end of his time at the podium, Gaetz presented Commissioner Don Salter a plaque on an official entry into the congressional record for his work supporting veterans.

“Mr. Don Salter has served as a county commissioner since November of 2000,” Gaetz said. “He’s also a decorated veteran who served the 173rd airborne brigade in Vietnam and was awarded the bronze star.

“For 20 years Mr. Salter has worked diligently to support the military and veterans of Northwest Florida and also spearhead the joint land use study in 2003 to facilitate a buffer at NAS Whiting Field and the outlying landing fields.”

The record also recognizes Salter’s work to develop the Santa Rosa County Veterans Memorial Plaza in downtown Milton.

While Gaetz encountered protestors during his business hours at the county building, none were at the commission meeting.

This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Gaetz eyes repealing Obamacare, new courthouse