Doug Guetzloe facts for kids
Douglas M. Guetzloe (born June 15, 1954 – died February 6, 2018) was a well-known community leader and radio host. He started a group called Ax the Tax and also owned an internet radio network. He was known for his work in politics and helping people in Central Florida.
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Doug Guetzloe's Life Story
Doug Guetzloe was a community activist who led Ax the Tax, a group in Florida that worked against tax increases. He also hosted his own radio show on the Phoenix Network, which was an internet radio station he owned. His work focused on political and community issues in Central Florida, as well as state and national topics.
Doug went to Florida State University. While there, he was elected as the student body president. After graduating, he moved to Orlando, Florida. He worked in public relations for a group that helped fruit and vegetable farmers. Later, he worked for the Florida Medical Association, handling public relations and political matters in many counties across Florida.
Ax the Tax and Community Work
Doug Guetzloe started Ax the Tax in 1982. This group worked to stop tax increases. He also created a public relations and marketing company called Advantage Consultants. Doug believed his leadership at Ax the Tax helped win 17 battles against new taxes.
For example, his group helped stop a sales tax increase in 2003 that was meant for transportation. He was also praised for helping save a historic trailer park in Winter Garden, Florida. A city commissioner even called him "a knight in shining armor" for his efforts.
Florida Taxpayers Union
In 2004, Doug Guetzloe helped create the Florida Taxpayers Union. This group is connected to the National Taxpayers Union. Both groups work to lower taxes, make government smaller, and ensure public officials are responsible.
The Florida Taxpayers Union says it has over 140,000 members and supporters across the state. This group focuses on several important issues. They believe high taxes can hurt businesses and that government spending should be watched carefully. They also support parents having more choices for schools. The group also works to protect private property rights. They want a "taxpayer bill of rights" to help control how much government grows.
Free Speech and Political Messages
Doug Guetzloe was involved in discussions about political messages and free speech. In 2006, there were questions about a political flyer he shared. The issue was whether the flyer needed to clearly state who paid for it. Doug believed this was a matter of free speech. He argued that people should be able to share their political ideas freely. He pointed to a U.S. Supreme Court decision from 1995. This ruling said that stopping anonymous political messages could go against the First Amendment, which protects free speech.
In 2009, Doug Guetzloe helped start the Florida TEA Party. This was a new political party in Florida. This new party caused some debate. Doug and his lawyer, Fred O’Neal, were involved in these discussions. Later, these issues were resolved. Fred O'Neal believed the Florida TEA Party might have helped Rick Scott win a close election for Florida Governor in 2010. This was partly due to emails sent to many Floridians just before the election.
The Guetzloe Report Radio Show
In 2010, Doug Guetzloe started The Phoenix Network. He moved his long-running radio show, "The Guetzloe Report," to this network. His show began in January 1997. It usually had about 12,000 listeners each day, and some shows reached over 50,000 listeners.
In February 2011, Doug and the Phoenix Network were invited to broadcast live from the Ronald Reagan Library. This was during a big celebration for Ronald Reagan's 100th birthday. In 2011, Doug was also chosen to be a commentator on a Russian international radio service. The Orlando Sentinel newspaper said that Doug's work as a radio commentator, political helper, and anti-tax activist made him special among Florida's political figures. He often talked about local mayors, the Orlando Sentinel, and other lobbyists.
Doug Guetzloe was married and had three children. He passed away on February 6, 2018.
