Alex Sink

Alex Sink
2nd Chief Financial Officer of Florida
In office January 2, 2007 – January 4, 2011
Preceded by	Tom Gallagher
Succeeded by	Jeffrey Atwater
Personal details
Born	Adelaide Sink (1948-06-05) June 5, 1948 (age 63) Mt. Airy, North Carolina, United States
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Bill McBride (1987-Present)
Children	Bert McBride Lexi McBride
Residence	Thonotosassa, Florida
Alma mater	Wake Forest University
Profession	Banker, Politician
Religion	Presbyterian

Adelaide "Alex" Sink (born June 5, 1948)^[1] is an American politician of the Democratic Party. Sink was the Chief Financial Officer for the state of Florida and treasurer on the board of trustees of the Florida State Board of Administration. She was the Democratic nominee for Governor of Florida and faced Republican nominee Rick Scott in the 2010 Florida gubernatorial election, losing to Scott by a 1% margin.^[2]

Personal

Sink was raised in Mount Airy, North Carolina. She is a graduate of Wake Forest University. After graduating with a degree in mathematics, she taught in West Africa for three years.

Sink is married to Florida attorney and politician Bill McBride who was the unsuccessful Democratic nominee for Governor of Florida in 2002, making them the only married American couple to both run unsuccessfully in gubernatorial races. They have a son, Bert, and a daughter, Lexi.

She is a descendant of Chang Bunker, one of the famous conjoined "Siamese Twins" Chang and Eng Bunker.^[3]

Career

Sink is a former president of Florida Operations at Bank of America. She was appointed by former Governor Lawton Chiles to the Commission on Government Accountability to the People, and also served on Chiles’ Commission on Education. She was vice-chair of Florida TaxWatch. Sink has also served with the Florida Chapter of the Nature Conservancy, the Beth El Farm Workers Ministry, and as Chairman of the Board of the United Way of Hillsborough County.

Florida Chief Financial Officer

Sink was the Democratic candidate for Florida's office of Chief Financial Officer in 2006. She defeated Republican Tom Lee 53.5 percent to 46.5 percent.^[4] She also was the first Democrat elected to the state Cabinet since 1998.^[4]

2010 gubernatorial candidate

Heading into the 2010 cycle, Sink was mentioned as a possible candidate for the U.S. Senate or for Governor of Florida. In 2008, Sink stated that she would "assess the landscape after the first of the year, and make a decision then."^[5] In January 2009, Sink announced she would not run for either seat, preferring to stand for reelection as CFO.^[6] The announcement that Gov. Charlie Crist would forgo re-election to run for the Senate seat being vacated by Mel Martinez altered her position, and on May 13, 2009, Sink announced her intention to run for Governor.

On August 24, 2010, Sink won the Democratic primary for governor. She faced health care executive Rick Scott in the general election, as well as an independent (NPA) candidate, urban designer and policy analyst, Michael E. Arth.^[7][8] A former independent candidate, Bud Chiles, endorsed Sink in September.^[9]

On October 25, 2010, during a televised debate, Sink read a text message sent to her make up artist's cellular phone from a campaign official instructing Sink as to debate strategy, contrary to the rules of the debate. Sink fired the adviser who sent the text message.^[10]

After a close election, Sink conceded, giving victory to Scott. He carried 49% of the vote, and she 48%.

Political Issues

Fiscal policy

Sink is a consumer advocate and strict proponent of fiscal responsibility and accountability for government spending. She began measures of efficiency with her own department, the Florida Department of Financial Services, by saving an estimated $2.2 million in waste annually.^[11]

Florida Taj Mahal scandal

On August 30, 2010 Alex Sink sent letters to the Florida Supreme Court and Florida Department of Management Services that preliminary findings warranted an audit via her DFS, Bureau of Auditing for excessive spending on the First District Court of Appeal of Florida courthouse, referred to as the "Taj Mahal" by judges around Florida as their districts are facing budget cuts. The CFO's office states that money may have been misused and as much as $16 million may have spent in a financial raid on the state's Workers' Compensation Trust Fund.^[12] A $33.5 million bond for construction was attached to a transportation bill and passed on last day of the 2007 legislative session. This is an ongoing investigation by the CFO's office.

Environment

• Opposition to oil drilling

Sink supports a ban on oil drilling in Florida's waters. She also supports developing a comprehensive ocean management plan to protect and preserve Florida's coastal habitats, marine ecosystems, and ocean waters by identifying appropriate areas that can be used by regulated entities.

• Land conservation

On land conservation, Sink supports all of the programs that make up Florida Forever. She desires to work with the Florida Legislature to restore Florida Forever funding. Sink wants the State of Florida to acquire more land for preservation of resources as well as land connecting larger parcels for safe travel corridors for migration and large wildlife species movement in a natural habitat. These lands for public use will also remain on local government tax rolls.

• Water conservation

Sink states that she would emphasize protecting and conserving water, improving water quality, and increasing the water supply through reasonable timeframes for citizens and business. Sink also supports alternative water supplies through stable and adequate funding to allow the creation of alternative water supplies.

• Everglades restoration

Sink is a supporter of acquisition of land north and south of Lake Okeechobee for conservation purposes. She is a supporter of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan to restore the Everglades while still providing enough water for the urban, agricultural and environmental concerns. Sink would like to expedite federal approval of restoration projects and to ensure more federal funding which was part of the 50/50 state/federal partnership.

Education

Sink supports improving Florida's public schools at the local level. Sink wants a timeline for transitioning pre-Kindergarten programs toward having at least one teacher with a college degree in every classroom, developing a statewide school dropout early warning system, reforming FCAT to raise student achievement standards, an updated curriculum, and use Florida Lottery funding to enhance educational programs, and as originally designed.^[13]

Florida's economy

Sink is for stabilizing small business for the immediate and incentives for employers to keep jobs in Florida and begin expansion of the workforce through promoting economic sectors that create jobs. She has long-term goals of a stronger emphasis on R&D and commercialization of new products and boosting partnerships between our university faculty and private industry.

Health care

Sink supported the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (H.R. 3020) passed by the United States Congress and enacted on March 30, 2010.^[14]

Social issues

Abortion

Sink supports the Supreme Court's 1973 ruling in Roe v. Wade (410 U.S. 113) which legalized abortion in the United States. Sink has been endorsed by Emily's List as pro-choice. In 2003, Planned Parenthood of Southwest and Central Florida honored Sink with its "Choice Award" for her outspoken support for women's rights and reproductive freedom. "She is the only pro-choice member of Florida's cabinet, and, as governor, will protect a woman's right to choose."^[15]

Adoption

Alex Sink believes in the placement of children in a home where it is in the best interests of children regardless of gender preference. She addressed a group of 300 gay and lesbian advocates at the Museum of Art in Fort Lauderdale. She said, "We need a system in which all of our children are assured that they live in a healthy, loving home -- a home that's determined not by any law." "The decision has to be made by the judge, in consultation with the experts, to determine what is the best for that individual child."^[16]

Immigration

Sink opposes an immigration bill modeled after Arizona immigration law (2010), saying that "The law passed in Arizona does not meet Florida's needs" and supporting that is the responsibility of the federal government to prevent immigrants from illegally crossing the border, stating that it is not the responsibility of the government of the state.

Electoral history

References

External links

• Florida Department of Financial Services
• Alex Sink for Governor official campaign website
• Biography, interest group ratings, public statements, vetoes and campaign finances at Project Vote Smart
• Campaign contributions at FollowTheMoney.org

v t e Democratic Party nominees for Governor of Florida (1953-) McCarty • Collins • Bryant • Burns • High • Askew • Graham • Pajcic • Chiles • MacKay • McBride • Davis • Sink