Rep. MaryLynn Magar, R-Tequesta
Date of Birth: July 6, 1963
Birthplace: Philadelphia, Pa.
Residence:Tequesta
Education:Radford University, Bachelor of Science
Occupation: Business owner
Family: Husband, daughter
Previous Public Office: None
Did you know?She's a proud "softball mom":Thats just consumed my life, other than politics. ... Kids sports is even more interesting than politics, sometimes.Martin and Palm Beach Countys new Republican representative says shes bringing a new set of eyes to tackling the states problems, as a small-business owner and, more importantly, as a mother.
MaryLynn Magar, R-Tequesta, has lived in Florida for some 20 years, and in that time has made a name for herself as a community leader, campaign volunteer, and a Martin County GOP committeewoman. What motivated her to finally pursue elected office?
Like a lot of us, I just became frustrated with government at all levels and decided it was time that I take the next step in leadership roles and try to make a small difference where I can, she tells Sunshine State News. One of the reasons people like term limits is because it will generate new ideas and fresh ideas over the years. Im coming at this from a small-business perspective, a moms perspective, someone with a fresh new set of eyes to look at problems and try and bring some common sense to their solution.
Asked what her priorities will be over the next two years, she repeats what others have said in this course of interviewing for this series: jobs and education.
My goal is to help business get back on track and make sure that Florida is a successful state for starting and growing businesses, she says. At the same time, I dont like to talk about business without talking about education, because I believe its one big circle: you cant have good, strong businesses in the state without strong education.
She says the states educational system needs major reform, not just piecemeal tweaks or add-ons.
Weve been educating children for the past hundred years the way we used to conduct our businesses: like an assembly line, she explains. You learn to read in grade 1, you learn to add in grade 2, you just pass it on down the line instead of really finding out what the childs interests are and where their skills lie. Id like to see teachers be more of a coach versus just standing up in the classroom and writing things on the board.
Magars already filed three bills, and says more are coming down the pipeline, though she declined to speak of the latter until they are finalized. Two of the three relate to her small-business commitments.
The first, HB 391 (Exemptions from Tax on Sales, Use, and Other Transactions), exempts businesses from having to pay certain sales taxes. Under current Florida law, the businesses can only apply for a special rebate after they have documented a certain level of post-purchase productivity.
This might not mean a lot to a large business, but I know from experience that when you have a small business, filing to get that rebate is a hassle, Magar tells the News. The company has already taken the risk to purchase the equipment, add employees, and now we're burdening them with more work. Hopefully, this [exemption] will give people more incentives to take the risk and grow their business.
A second proposal, HB 457 (Worthless Checks, Drafts, or Orders of Payment), affords businesses more options in recovering payment and fees from the receipt of bad checks or drafts. Under Florida law, a company may only collect after giving the issuer 30 days notice through snail-mail. Magars bill would allow businesses to forego this process so long as they post a special disclaimer to the recipient at the point of sale.
Lots of times, after 30 days someones long-gone and closed their checking accounts, Magar says. I think having it posted and written [at point of sale] might give these people pause to write a bad check in the first place.
Her third proposal, HB 455 (Grandparent Visitation), would expand grandparents visitation rights with respect to their grandchildren, by allowing judges to grant that right in a situation when the child of the grandparents is deceased and the grandparents have a pre-existing relationship with the grandchild.
Magars committee assignments are very health-care heavy. In addition to the Local and Federal Affairs Committee and Rulemaking Oversight and Repeal Subcommittee, she sits on the subcommittees on Health Care Appropriations and Health Innovation, and the important Select Committee on the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Obamacare).
Magar would not commit to a position on Medicaid expansion or whether Florida should establish and operate its own health care exchanges, saying she is still researching the relevant facts. She did, however, give some hints as to where she may be leaning.
The one thing that concerns me most with Medicaid and putting more people into it is that were putting more people into a broken system, she tells the News. The people who are disabled and elderly are the most fragile people in our society; we need to take care of them, and they are a different group from those who might just need a better job and higher mobility. We want that second group not to be in Medicaid forever.
As for health care exchanges: Generally, I think anything run by the state, which is closest to its people, is better, but at this point Im just not seeing any advantage to the state [operating its own exchanges]. Maybe as we learn more, I will see one."
Reach Eric Giunta at egiunta@sunshinestatenews.com or at (954) 235-9116.
