Republican Challenger Ann Yarko Tees Off on Michelle Rehwinkel-Vasilinda for Wanting to Raise Taxes

Already under pressure from former Leon County Democratic Chairman Rick Minor who is challenging her in the primary, Rep. Michelle Rehwinkel-Vasilinda, D-Tallahassee, is now drawing fire from Republican opponent Ann Yarko.

Yarko blasted the incumbent for proposing to raise taxes.

The most egregious of these proposals is the representative's push to remove the tax exemption on bottled water, wrote Yarko in a statement. Her proposal would have gone into effect on July 1, 2010, in the midst of hurricane season, a time when Floridians need to be stocking up on items like bottled water."

Yarko ripped into Rehwinkel-Vasilinda, who also proposed raising taxes on gasoline on the House floor during the session.

The fact that this failed policy was the representative's prized bill this session -- a failed proposal that she bragged about in interviews -- is outrageous, continued Yarko. If I am elected as your representative, I pledge not to support tax increases or a repeal of exemptions like the one that our current representative wants to remove from bottled water. I know that it is vital to the preparedness of this state to have an adequate emergency water supply in each and every home. We should not be taxed for an item that is necessary to our survival.

Strangely, Yarko misspelled Rehwinkel as Rewhinkle. Whether its spelt Rewinkel or Rewhinkle, the represenative's name clearly means one thing to Yarko -- raise taxes.

Rehwinkel-Vasilinda is the lowest rated member of the Legislature for 2010 according to the Associated Industries of Florida, and the Florida Medical Association endorsed Minor earlier in the week -- the only endorsement the FMA made against a sitting incumbent.