Russel Tuff writes today

"The Republican ticket for Collier Commission District 5 is an easy choice. Incumbent Jim Coletta’s dedication, sincerity, and incorruptibility speak for themselves. In addition, he has represented his constituents well. He and I have had our differences, but he’s a politician who can set opinions aside and still move forward. He knows the issues and the challenges of his district better than anyone, and has made good progress on a board that doesn’t always see a need to invest in Eastern Collier County."

Read the complete article on this month's primary elections

We celebrated a great event last Friday morning (July 18)—we cut the ribbon marking the completion of the Immokalee Road Widening Improvement Project.  It took seven years to make it happen, but the project finished eleven years ahead of schedule.
We all remember the terrible traffic on Immokalee Road. In a recent Then and Now column in the Naples News, Laura May said it used to take her 50 minutes to an hour to go the seven miles to work. And, Laura Fricker described how she had to entertain kids on the school bus for as long as two hours as they sat in traffic.

               When I became a Commissioner, back in November 2000, I asked when the Immokalee Road would be widened. I was pleased to learn that a plan to build a four-lane road existed, but I was floored that the projected completion date was 2020.  I firmly believed twenty more years of gridlock was unacceptable. Intolerable. Ridiculous. So, with the help of many of you, I organized the "Road Committee." We worked together to ensure that eastern Collier County residents would find relief.

          By 2003, we were breaking ground for the project. My grandchildren were just awe-struck when they saw grandpa drive the bulldozer for the groundbreaking. To keep things in perspective, though, my granddaughter Mae Enlow was seven then. She’s with me in the picture above at the ribbon cutting last Friday -- a lovely and mature twelve year-old.

Well, the road project is complete now. The ribbon has been cut. We travel on the new road every day. I consider it a major accomplishment for the citizens of Collier County. I hope you do, too.

The Greater Naples Better Government Committee is the longest continuing Political Action Committee in the Area, having formed in 1991. In its role of educating the public regarding local issues and candidates and prior to the primary election,  the Greater Naples Better Government Committee (GNBGC) announced on July 2nd, 2008 its endorsement of me for the Collier County Commission Race for District #5.

I would like to express my gratitude to the GNBGC for this coveted endorsement and recognize the ongoing efforts of my many supporters in moving my re-election campaign forward.

Excerpt Endorsement Letter of July 2, 2008: (Click here for a PDF version of the complete document)

"In discussion, our group agreed that your high degree of professsionalism, intelligence and knwledge of issues facint Collier County will enable you to continure to deal with matter of imporotance in the future. (...)

We will be advising our friends and neighbors to support you in the upcoming election and which yout the best of luck."