VOTE AUG 18 VOTE THORNE

I am a voice and a vote for protecting animals, preserving nature and preventing further decimation of our natural lands and water ways because I am a steward of the land. Anyone who cares about nature will care about their fellow man. 

Mass development has created the flooding we're seeing today, and has placed an extreme burden on our utilities, our roads and YES the reason for TOILET TO TAP COMING TO YOUR CUP OF COFFEE. With all this unchecked development, I have to ask whether protecting our environment has ever truly been a priority for our current council. It's time to get back to REAL environmental protection in Volusia County.

Toilet to Tap (Reverse Osmosis is what they call it) is where "treated sewage," the non-potable water, is pumped directly into the aquifer. Our aquifer is our fresh water supply. Once POOPY WATER goes in, the contamination spreads through every well and every tap, and there is no way to pull it back out. 

And what's in "treated" sewage? Residue from medications, hormones, bacteria, flagella, viruses, PFAS (forever chemicals), cleaning chemicals. heavy metals, all of which can move straight through the aquifer and into your drinking water. 

 Deltona has already received approval and funding from Tallahassee to complete the POOPY WATER transition. Do you want to drink, bathe, fill your dog's or kitty's dish with POOPY WATER? What about the long term health consequences and the extensive detriment to our environment? Our manatees, the grasses, fish and the ecosystem as a whole are already compromised and suppose to be protected, why would this initiative be pursued and implemented? It's all because of development.

With a $1.4 Billion budget passed for approximately 600,000 Volusia residents, it's long past time for BIG BUSINESS and DEVELOPERS  to pay their fair share to acquire, build and operate in this county. Families shouldn't be carrying the financial burden while large developers profit. We need a top to bottom cleaning of house and a full DOGE style deep dive into why Volusia County residents rank 6th highest in the state for the property taxes, making housing increasingly out of reach for younger generations. 

It's time for Volusia to return to CORE GOVERNMENT RESPONSIBILITIES; roads, sidewalks, security, safety, public transportation, hospitals and schools. That's what taxpayers expect, and that's what they deserve.

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As a political activist, let me be clear, I am sick and tired of speaking to my representatives and not being heard. Their actions show it. I have written letters, sent emails, made phone calls, left messages, and sat across the desk from them. I have traveled  to Tallahassee spoken at Lobby Days and Delegation meetings, and where has it gotten me? Nowhere. 

I am running so that YOU Always have two ears truly hearing and listening, always have a loud voice taking a stand  for your needs,  and always have a vote for the unheard and unseen. I will respond to your emails, your phone calls, and your messages - and I mean it! Because I have been there. I know what it feels like to be ignored, and I refuse to let the people of Volusia feel that way any longer. 

As a true redhead, thank you mom and grandma, I have heard it all: "I love your hair," "My weakness has always been a redhead." There's an undeniable allure to us, maybe its because we're a dying breed. Truthfully, red hair will be bred out of mankind, and that rarity comes with a certain spark and strength all on its own. 

Redheads are known for being a little spicy, wired just a bit differently, but that's a good thing. We're loyal, feisty, frank and never afraid of a real discussion. That spirit is exactly what I bring to this campaign. My husband says it best, " VOTE FOR THE REDHEAD, TRUST ME."

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Melissa is a retired Cardiac/Stroke Rehabilitation Nurse of 12 years who went on to become a Yoga Therapist, choosing to care for clients in their home outside the construct of BIG MEDICINE so she could focus on healing. She also works as a clinical lab specialist and serves as  the Credentialing Director for her husband's medical education company. Never one to stop learning, Melissa is apprenticing in the restoration and repair of airplanes and boats mastering the fine craft of fiberglass. She also serves as the State Secretary for The America First Party of Florida. 

A Registered Republican for 28 years, Melissa grew tired of the inner politics of the Uniparty. She is a proud America First Conservative, and her outspoken leadership grounded in Christian morality led to her being pushed out by the official Republican Party of Florida, a badge of honor for someone who refuses to compromise her principles. 

Melissa has been a staunch activist for election security and integrity, meeting with legislators, traveling to Tallahassee, and corresponding with state leadership. She currently serves as Assistant Clerk during elections and has worked on several local campaigns. 

She has donated countless hours to improving her city, county, state, and country only to watch unchecked development continue, our water, land, and animal habitats deteriorate, flooding worsen, and taxes remain high while county spending grows. 

It's time for a big change Volusia! 

Time for a THORNE on VOLUSIA'S SIDE.

Melissa has a deep love for the outdoors of West Volusia. She spends her time gardening, birding, boating on our local waterways, motorcycles, camping in her vintage 1971 VW Bus, traveling, hiking, and painting the landscapes she will work so hard to protect. She attends Life Point church and lives in DeLand with her husband of 22 years. Melissa is a devoted caregiver to her father and sister, and she shares her home with her two dogs, Dixie and Orbit,  and her cockatiel, Winston. Her commitment to family, faith, and community is at the heart of everything she does, and it's the foundation of the leadership she will bring to Volusia.