Former Orlando Sentinel Columnist and current Apopka Mayor Joe Kilsheimer sought $500,000 in state funds for his for-profit company.
By Jacob Engels
Beleaguered Apopka Mayor Joe Kilsheimer is facing yet another controversy.
Now Kilsheimer has been linked to a “For-Profit” entity that was created in the first week of February in 2017 and requested $500,000 a month later from the state budget. The first term Apopka Mayor is listed as an officer for Certified Second Chance, INC, according to sunbiz.org.
Sponsored by State Senator Randolph Bracy, Certified Second Chance, INC claims it wants to work towards felon rehabilitation, presumably in the West Orange/Apopka area.
Mayor Joe Kilsheimer is listed as the requester on behalf of Certified Second Chance and former Winter Garden Commissioner and State House candidate Bobby Olszewski is shown as the recipient. Olszewski failed to earn a seat on the Orange County Commission in 2016.
Sunbiz documents also show multiple time-failed candidate Deveron Gibbons of St. Petersburg and City of Light COO Allan Chernoff as board members of the for-profit Certified Second Chance, INC.
We have not identified any relevant background information in any of the board member’s past that would lead us to believe they have any idea on how to handle felon rehabilitation.
Several state legislators we have talked with don’t understand why a nearly month old for-profit business would be at the top of the list for a $500,000 giveaway from Florida taxpayers.
VIEW THE REQUEST HERE:
Bracy Funding Request by Jacob Engels on Scribd
Is this a legitimate cause or just some way for those involved to earn a “for-profit” paycheck on the backs of Florida residents? The fact that one elected official, a recently termed out Winter Garden Commissioner, and another failed candidate sit on the board should set off the alarm for most people.
Can someone explain a scenario in which two elected officials form a business and 30-days later request $500,000 from the state legislator? Is that not a conflict of interest or abuse of power? Certified Second Chance, INC is offering stock options, while relying exclusively on funds from Florida Taxpayers.
Apopka Mayor Joe Kilsheimer, a former Orlando Sentinel columnist, is showing Central Florida what it looks like to have Orlando Sentinel style government payola in Central Florida.
A for-profit business seeking state funds to the tune of $500,000 with elected officials and former candidates holding the stocks… how can anyone say this passes the smell test?
This Central Florida Post story is the first in several focusing on issues in West Orange County and Apopka during election 2018.
Jacob Engels is an Orlando based journalist whose work has been featured and republished in news outlets around the globe including Politico, InfoWars, MSNBC, Orlando Sentinel, New York Times, Daily Mail UK, Associated Press, People Magazine, ABC, and Fox News to name a few. Mr. Engels focuses on stories that other news outlets neglect or willingly hide to curry favor among the political and business special interests in the state of Florida.
