Rep. Charlie Stone,R-Ocala.
Date of Birth:January 12, 1948.
Birthplace:Fitzgerald,Georgia
Residence:Ocala
Occupation:Small-business owner petroleum industry.
Previous Public Office(s):Marion County commissioner, 2004-2012.
Family:Wife, two grown children
Did you know?Is an active runner: completed Disney marathon in 2008, is training to run St. Petersburg half-marathon in February.
Democrat-leaning Levy Countys got a new representative: Charlie Stone of Ocala, a conservative Republican marathon-runner from southern Georgia whos sat on the Marion County Commission since 2004.
And he arrived in office with no primary or general electoral opposition. The newly-created District 22 contains all of Levy County and parts of southwest Marion County, where Stone has spent the last eight years serving as county commissioner. He tells Sunshine State News he was introduced to public office several years ago by best friend Larry Cretul, R-Ocala, back when the former House speaker sat on the commission. Cretul invited Stone, a small-business owner in the petroleum industry, to sit on the countys Mayor and County Planning Committee.
I enjoyed my volunteer tenure on that committee, and decided Well if Im going to be making these decisions, then perhaps I should venture deeper into politics, Stone tells the News. I decided to run for local office, and was fortunate enough to get elected in 2004 and subsequently re-elected in 2008.
Stone believes his experiences have made him well-suited to the committee assignments he has been given by new House Speaker Will Weatherford, in particular the Local and Federal Affairs Committee and the Education Appropriations Subcommittee. He specifically requested assignment to the latter.
All of the county budgets I helped put together included the local school board budget, so Ive had extensive conversations with our local schools superintendents as well as the presidents of our local colleges, he tells the News. I understand that education is an important part of state government and I wanted to be able toinfluence the direction in the way our educational system is handled.
As to the Local and Federal Affairs Committee, Stone says his local government experience has taught him how bills affecting local issues should be handled. In 2011 he told the Ocala-based Star-Banner one of his proudest achievements in county-level service was his fruitful efforts to increase solidarity between commissioners and other elected officials.
He says he intends to introduce legislation pertaining to these issues, but declined to elaborate on what those bills will contain, saying hes still conducting the appropriate research.
Hes also been assigned to the Judiciary Committee, the Choice and Innovation Subcommittee, and the Civil Justice Subcommittee.
Like fellow freshman Rep. Travis Cummings, R-Orange Park, Stones a runner, having completed the Disney marathon on his 60th birthday four years ago. Hes currently training to run the St. Petersburg half-marathon in February.
Asked whether the formation of a Runners Caucus might be in the works, Stone signaled openness to the idea.
Thats an interesting thought there; perhaps, he tells Sunshine State News. There are other representatives who run. Its certainly worth discussing, and if Cummings is interested, Im sure we can put together something!
Reach Eric Giunta at egiunta@sunshinestatenews.com or at (954) 235-9116.
