Candidate Q&A: Janet Frevola, Florida State Representative District 45 (REP)

Editor's note: Candidates responses have not been edited for grammar and are presented as received.

JANET FREVOLA
BIO
Age: 50
City/town of residence: Windermere
Family: spouse, children, etc. Happily Married almost 26 years, 2 Adult children,  1 dog
Education: BA Criminal Justice & 2000+ hours law enforcement training
Qualifications: 22 years of Law Enforcement and Government experience but most importantly some of the most devastating “real life” experiences.

In a crowded primary race, what are the key differences between you and your opponents?
Poise and Discipline. During my tenure in law enforcement / government I have had a myriad of life experiences which I mitigated and/or mediated thousands of different cases and community concerns. The job of a State Representative is similar in nature. Bringing real life experience is something that is needed when legislating laws and community concerns.

What are the values and morals that have guided your life, and how will use them as District 45 representative?
The values and morals that have always and will continue to define my life is integrity, ethics, responsible, humility and courage. In order to lead in the community, you must lead by example.

What are the three most pressing issues facing our state today, and how will you address them
Public Safety, Rapid-growth/Infrastructure & Mental Illness

In recent weeks, District 45 voters have received several negative campaign flyers about candidates in this race. What is your opinion on this campaign tactic?
During times when our country and the community is looking for leadership everyone should lead by example. After knocking on several thousand homes in the last several months, the consensus from the constituents I have spoken to is that they want level heads to lead. As a constituent myself who has lived in the district, I agree. As the saying goes, level heads will prevail.

What is your plan to foster communication with District 45 constituents?
As a grassroots candidate, I have already begun to foster communications with District 45’s constituents with every door I’ve knocked on and every meeting I have attended throughout the communities. I’ve met thousands of folks from our rapidly growing community from all walks of life who in the end love the community they have chosen to live in.

As District 45 representative, describe how you will work across the aisle.
I will bring my experience as a law enforcement, whenever, I mediated or mitigated a problem in the community, the problem was addressed no matter what side of the aisle you were on. When I was saving a life, the last thing on my mind was what political party the person was affiliated with.

Recent state bills will have an effect on Florida’s public-education system and its curriculum. What is your position on some of these changes?
As a parent who’s had two children grow up in the public education system in Florida, I have seen a myriad of problems and concerns which needed to be addressed for years. We have only begun to address the concerns and problems that parents for years have been asking leaders to address in our evolving public education system. In the coming days, I think that you will see the effect at the end of this election based on the new school boards that will be in place based on the voter’s decisions.

What is your opinion on the dissolution of the Reedy Creek Improvement District?
The Reedy Creek Improvement District should have the same accountability and transparency that any other local government entity should have. Government is constantly being reviewed and, in some cases, accredited to receive funding fiscally.  Laws and standards must be reviewed and revised on a yearly basis for compliance. This should be the case in any entity. Corporations are also held to similar accountabilities but through different means such as their board of directors and through annual reports. In this case, what is the harm in reviewing something that was negotiated as long as I’ve been alive.

If elected, what would you like to have accomplished after your first term as District 45 representative?
Our community is unique in and of itself because of our rapid growth in West Orange and Osceola.

• Address the current concerns such as the Reedy Creek Improvement District, which is pondering on many constituents’ minds

• Tackle the enormous amount of traffic and/or public safety concerns that has no end in sight

• Working on a solution for the housing concerns throughout the district that affects renters to owners. Renters are being force out due to inflation and buyers can’t move in fast enough because of the supply chain. All these are compiling issues that need to be address on day one.

• Finally, one statewide issue that is of major importance and usually overlooked which needs to be discussed is mental health which affects everyone in one way or another.

In sum, the constituents in HD45 don’t want any more taxes, they want safer roads to commute in, more first responders, affordable housing, and make some progress and not just conversation about mental health.