Voters in House District ll7 have a clear and distinct choice in September. Unfortunately Representative Carlos Lacasa has fallen victim to political games and has two primary opponents, as well as a write-in candidate whose name will not even appear on the ballot but has the important effect of closing the primary election to Republicans and causing Lacasa to appear again on the November ballot! That's unfortunate because Rep. Lacasa would attract a broad crossover vote. He's truly matured into one of the finest legislators in the diverse Miami Dade legislative delegation and has been a legislator for all the people!

Lacasa is an attorney associated with the fine firm of Ruden McCloskey. He was elected in l994 which means this will be his last term in the House of Representatives. He's a graduate of Nova University School of Law and the University of Miami.

Here's the good news for the people of District ll7 and the people of Florida. When re-elected, because of term limits and the need for leadership to consolidate power, speaker-designate Rep. Tom

Feeney has already designated Lacasa to serve as the appropriations chair for the next two years. That's the budget folks! He'll wield incredible power and influence, and will have an opportunity to do things for his legislative District and our community as a whole.

Lacasa has shown a willingness to take on the "powers that be," as witness his legislation to take dollars from the powerful Public Health Trust and Jackson Memorial Hospital to divide it more equitably among other hospitals providing uncompensated indigent care. His new initiative is a revamp of county government, including amendments to obsolete sunshine legislation, as well as paying commissioners a real salary instead of the ridiculous $6000 a year we now pay them for what is essentially a more than full time job if done correctly.

On September 5 there is one clear choice for the voters of House District ll7. VOTE TO RE-ELECT REPRESENTATIVE CARLOS LACASA and soundly defeat those whose political agenda goes far beyond public policy and the good of the community. Send a loud message that WE WANT CARLOS LACASA SERVING US IN TALLAHASSEE.