State House of Representatives District 61
Betty Reed and Tatiana Denson
Incumbent Betty Reed will take on Democrat newcomer Tatiana Denson, a managed health care consultant, in this race. — Caitlin Johnston, Times staff writer
| Tatiana Denson, 33Managed health care consultant | Betty Reed, 71District 61 representative | |
| Democrat | Party | Democrat |
| Denson, whose background is in health care, has worked with insurance companies such as WellCare, Humana and Blue Cross/Blue Shield. This is her first time running for public office. Prior to this election, she worked on county Commissioner Les Miller's campaign and the Moving Hillsborough Forward campaign to build a light rail system. She volunteered for Betty Reed's campaign in 2008, handing out fliers. | Experience | As the incumbent representative for District 61, Reed has focused on education and health care. She served on the higher education and health care appropriations subcommittees, in addition to the education committee and congressional redistricting subcommittee. Prior to her time in office, she was the director of career services for Remington College and director of financial aid services for Education of America. |
| She is pursuing a degree in public administration from St. Petersburg College. | Education | Bachelor of science degree in behavior science from National Louis University |
| My top priority in the Legislature would be economic development by working to encourage and increase business along state-maintained roads. | What would be your top priority in the Legislature? | Continue work to stabilize the education system and work to improve the job market of Florida. |
| My priorities for transportation as previously mentioned would be to advocate and encourage a mass transit system in the Tampa Bay area that promotes infrastructure and job creation. | What would your priorities be for transportation, including mass transit? | I would still like to see us bring the high speed rail or some type of transportation to where we can travel from Tampa around the state in a short amount of time and take some of these cars off the roads. |
| Teachers should be held accountable for a certain part of a student's academic success. However, it should not be based on one test. ... No, the state should not stay the course with standardized testing. | Should the state stay the course on standardized testing? | FCAT should be used for a diagnostic test to measure where a child is starting that year. ... I believe it is wrong to hold teachers to a test that I do not believe the legislative body would be willing to take while believing they would not pass it. |
| Corporate taxes should be raised to increase state revenue and have this legislation sunset when the state reaches a surplus. In addition, I would encourage mass transit in the Tampa Bay area that promotes infrastructure and job creation. | What else can the Legislature do to grow Florida's economy and create more jobs? | Work as a nonpartisan team and focus attention and some resources on small to medium size businesses that can help the middle income community. |
| Clothing, television, washer and dryer, car | Assets | Home, vacant lot, bank accounts |
| Car loan, bank loan | Liabilities | Mortgage, student loan, bank loans |
| $12,084 | Income | $43,500 |
| Single; three children | Personal | Husband, James; five children |
| votedenson.com | Website | Under construction |
| votedenson@gmail.com | Betty.Reed@myfloridahouse.gov |
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