At the recent forum, I posed the following questions to the four candidates: Regarding the Florida regulation banning the use of foreclosure and distress sales as comparables for property tax valuation purposes, this policy was invoked at a time when foreclosures and distress sales were market anomalies. Today, this is no longer the case. In many communities, distress sales and REO sales make up a plurality of sales activity; in others, a clear majority. To continue this policy for purposes of property valuation is to ignore a market correction and penalize homeowners unjustly. What are your respective positions on this issue? Of the four candidates, the only response was given by Pedro J. Garcia, the only actual appraiser in the race. He said (paraphrased) that any homes acquired through a distress sale or REO should be compared to other distress sales in the same area for tax valuation purposes. While it is a marked improvement over the current ban, it still creates injustice for homeowners in the neighborhood who have purchased their homes through conventional non-distressed sales. There should be only one method for determining the taxable value of all homes. Use viable comparables in the surrounding area, regardless of whether or not they were acquired as an REO, distressed short), or conventional sale. There is only one market for residential homes in any given community, and foreclosures and distress sales clearly have a regressive effect on value. I voted for Mr. Garcia because he is clearly the only candidate qualified to assume the responsibilty of the position and had the courage to take the microphone in his hand to address my question.