Florida’s District 5 Republican congressional candidate Glo Smith says more and more people are taking home less money but paying more in taxes. She wants to be their voice in Washington.
Tuesday on “First Coast Connect,” Smith said as a former business owner, she understands the value small businesses provide to the country.
“First and foremost is looking at the regulations that have been imposed on small businesses. They are truly stifling, not only new entrepreneurship buy just innovation in and of itself,” she said. “I think when we have too many regulations it stunts the growth of small businesses and we all know that’s the backbone of our society.”
When host Melissa Ross asked Smith about Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and his comments about assaulting women, Smith said she wouldn’t take sides in the presidential election.
“I stay away from whatever decision people want to make between Clinton and Trump,” she said. “They both have their issues. I wish personally we had two better candidates, but we don’t. It is what it is. I stay focused on the Fifth District.”
When asked what she would do to fight the effects of climate change in Florida, Smith said, “I think there is evidence on both sides of the aisle. More importantly that there are scientists...who agree to disagree,” she said.
When host Melissa Ross countered that the overwhelming majority of scientists agree climate change is causing sea level rise, and some South Florida communities are already spending money to mitigate the situation, Smith responded, “I’m not saying it’’s not occurring, but I also say there are scientists who understand there is some climate change but not to the degree that we’ve talked about it.”
Smith said she would do more research on the subject.
Democratic District 5 candidate Al Lawson has been invited to also appear on “First Coast Connect.”
Producer Kevin Meerschaert can be reached at kmeerschaert@wjct.org, 904-358-6334 or on Twitter at @KMeerschaertJax
