The Republican primary special election in Florida’s 19th congressional district has already turned into one big circus, as the top three candidates in the race, Lizbeth Benacquisto, Curt Clawson, and Paige Kreegel, are all trying to out-mudsling one another with just under a month left in the race

First we have different Super PACs attacking all three candidates, and then you have Benacquisto and Clawson trading jabs over who is the most conservative of the bunch.

Then you have Clawson bashing both Kreegel and Benacquisto in a new TV ad. What’s next, attacking Benacquisto for her past support of tax increases?

Yup!

Benacquisto, Kreegel and Michael Dreikorn have all signed the Americans for Tax Reform’s “Taxpayer Protection Pledge,” and sure enough, Clawson’s campaign pounced on them by telling the Sunshine State News that “both Benacquisto and Kreegel supported raising taxes and fees during their times in Tallahassee and, in Benacquisto’s case, during her time holding local office in Wellington.”

Kreegel, who voted on bills in the Florida legislature that had tax increases attached to them, took issue with Benacquisto’s past tax hike record, which included increasing sales and property taxes, while she sat on the Village Council.

“I’ve looked at her record on the city council,” says Kreegel, “Year after year after year she has voted to raise taxes- millage rates and sales tax. Not a good thing.”

From 2003 to 2009 on the Village Council, Benacquisto has voted to increase the tax millage rate, a sales tax, as well as incrase property taxes for play-grounds ball parks and swimming pools.

The Benacquisto team responded with this statement, “The fact is, Lizbeth was a member of the Village council during a real estate boom. Budgets increased as a result of rising property values and the council used those dollars to expand and improve municipal services including garbage, water and sewer service.”–Fox 4

In attempt to corroborate Kreegel’s accusations, we did a simple Google search of “Benacquisto taxes” and found Benacquistorecord.com, a website solely dedicated to the demise of Lizbeth Benacquisto.

The website is an obvious opposition research dump site, with details of all of the tax increase she was supported while on the Village Council, including her embrace of the dollars Wellington received from the failed Stimulus Act of 2009.

“We were pleased to be awarded the stimulus dollars…I fought very hard on the Metropolitan Planning Organization.”
— Councilwoman Lizbeth Benacquisto, Sun-Sentinel, April 28, 2010

The site also outlines Benacquisto’s Stimulus support flip-flop, when she stated ” “It’s not about trying to get more government handouts that will further burden future generations,” but only before she flipped again when she “penned” a letter to Department of Transportation Secretaty Ray LaHood.

In her letter, Benacquisto sided with Governor Rick Scott in rejecting federal dollars alloted for the high-speed rail endeavor.

Both the Clawson and Kreegel campaigns responded to Benacquisto’s change in her tax increasing position.

This may mark the first time someone as liberal as Lizbeth Benacquisto on taxes has signed the ATR pledge; it’s laughable. Curt Clawson is the only candidate in this race who has presented a plan to fix the economy including cutting the corporate tax rate and adopting the Mack Penny Plan to eliminate the national debt in less than a decade. The Tea Party Express and grassroots activists in the 19th Congressional District know the only real conservative in the race is Curt Clawson.” – David James, Clawson Campaign Spokesman

Kreegel went as far as to compare Benacquisto to President Obama.

“Lizbeth increased taxes at a far greater rate than President Obama and in a shorter period of time. A candidate’s past record is the best indicator for their future performance. Whether it’s a government bailout or repeated tax increases, voters have reason to be concerned. Unlike my opponents, I am not hiding from my conservative record.”-Paige Kreegel

Benacquisto’s campaign responded to the tax-hiking allegations:

If Curt Clawson wants to talk about taxes, then he should explain the 94 million dollar tab he saddled tax-payers with because he failed to secure his employees pensions after he bankrupted his company twice.

Lizbeth has cut taxes every year in Tallahassee. She has balanced the budget and cut regulations every year. In just three short years, she has taken on special interests and fought to bring meaningful change to our state’s capitol. Lizbeth is a tireless advocate for southwest Florida’s shared conservative values.

Suggesting otherwise is just another desperate tactic from a candidate with a sordid past.

The fact is, Lizbeth was a member of the Village council during a real estate boom. Budgets increased as a result of rising property values and the council used those dollars to expand and improve municipal services including garbage, water and sewer services. The work of the council and improvements in the town earned a spot in the top 100 places to live in the entire US.

Benacquisto has voted to slash taxes as a state Senator, but if elected to Congress, will Americans be served by the once taxing hiking Village councilwoman, or the no-tax pledging state Senator from Southwest Florida?

By the way, Benacquisto is still opting to avoid confrontations, and is dodging candidate forums.