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Political Candidates Tackle Issues At CONA Forum

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By Carl  Orth | The Suncoast News

Published: May 26, 2008

Updated:

NEW PORT RICHEY - Most candidates in the Aug. 26 primary fielded questions at a forum Wednesday about, among other topics, possible pay cuts for teachers or school personnel, gap insurance for deputies and neglected homes in foreclosure.

The Council of Neighborhood Associations civic group set up the forum at New Port Richey City Hall.

Teacher pay cuts

One question concerned potential pay cuts for teachers or school personnel, a topic of discussion at Tuesday night's School Board meeting.

"We heard impassioned pleas by many of not only the teachers, but the school related personnel," said Joanne Hurley, a candidate in the nonpartisan race for the District 2 School Board seat. "They feel they've done an outstanding job with the resources they have. They don't want to be treated differently than other employees. They don't want to have their salaries cut. I happen to agree with them that that's probably the last place we should try to cut the budget." Hurley acknowledged, however, that salaries consume about 85 percent of the school district budget, so it might be tough to find enough cuts in other areas.

"I was very touched by the individuals" speaking at School Board last night, said Kurt Conover, another School Board District 2 candidate. "I do believe that these people are good quality people who work very hard. I do feel you need to reward your good employees. You need to keep them. It's very competitive out there now for teachers. So we need to do what we can and our actions will speak louder than our words." He, too, acknowledged salaries represent the bulk of the budget.

Peter Hanzel, another School Board District 2 candidate, said the district "might want to look at the administrative costs." He says he hasn't verified Pasco School District claims administrative costs represent 3 percent of the district budget, which is among the lowest in the state. "I think they could reduce some of the costs of contracts. Salaries is a very touchy area because you're dealing with people's income." But he might review salaries for principals first. "I think you can always reduce the administrative costs" by leaving some positions frozen. "The citizens have spoken. A lot of people voted for Amendment 1" property tax reforms.

Deputies 'gap' insurance

Republican sheriff's challenger Robert Sullivan, who retired after 26 years with the Pasco Sheriff's Office, said his campaign team already has identified up to $300,000 in "fat" in the $86 million Sheriff's Office budget. That money could be used for a "good running start" to fund gap insurance for Sheriff's Office retirees until they become eligible for Medicare coverage. "A lot of county employees get (gap insurance). I think the brave men and women of the Sheriff's Office should be afforded the same right." There are possible cuts of "frivolous, political programs" in the budget, Sullivan concluded.

Democratic sheriff candidate Jeff Deremer also believes money exists for gap coverage. "I believe there are other county programs that are getting gap insurance. Yet our men and women who are putting their lives on the line every day are not getting it." Deremer mentioned a plan for "taxation of criminals" similar to Pinellas and Hillsborough programs that fine offenders who violate probation. "We're investing our time to put them back in jail. We need to make them pay for it." Deremer also would check into tapping revenue from search and seizure programs for new purposes.

"Gap insurance is incredibly important," Democratic sheriff candidate Kim Bogart said. "We're having an exodus of very experienced deputies who are leaving Pasco and have applications in at other agencies around the state." County employees have been getting gap insurance benefit for years, Bogart emphasized. "I think it's very justified" for deputies to get it as well. Funding for it should be a priority.

Republican incumbent Sheriff Bob White said several years ago he and former Commissioner Steve Simon had discussed adding gap insurance. Then deputies went to collective bargaining. "This year we're looking at some significant cuts in our budget," White said. He fears starting gap insurance coverage only to have to cut it later. "I'm for the gap insurance. I think when law enforcement officers risk their lives, risk their homes and their families for 30-some-odd years, they're really entitled for us to take care of them a little bit better. But I can't afford to let that gap insurance go away once I've given it to those retirees. The problem is how do we make sure that money is going to be there year after year."

Neglected foreclosed homes

One questioner complained houses in foreclosure are being neglected. At the same time the county has less money to go ahead and mow tall grass and then recoup its fee through a lien when the home sells.

"There are going to be a lot of cuts of things that we were accustomed to having that we're not going to have in the near future," said Commissioner Ann Hildebrand, the Republican incumbent in District 3. Until a property sells, it can take quite a while for the county to recoup its $250 fee through a lien on the property.

Ginny Miller, a Republican candidate for County Commission District 5, said the city of New Port Richey had been using the Community Redevelopment Agency concept while she served on the City Council. CRAs raise revenue by neighborhoods, rather than citywide. The city shifted funding for its Code Enforcement Department away from property taxes in the general fund to a community redevelopment trust fund, Miller added. "We're dealing with things that really touch people because these houses are right next door to people like yourselves."

Wil Nickerson, a Republican running for County Commission District 3, said a civic association in the Holiday community in which he lives addressed the same issues. The county last fall mowed two properties going through foreclosures. Nickerson suggested associations find out which bank holds the mortgage on a neglected property and urge the bank to clean up the place. Association leaders might have to threaten a civil lawsuit at times.

Incumbent District 1 County Commissioner Ted Schrader explained commissioners have complete control over only $160 million in property taxes out of a total county budget of $1.2 billion. The county might not continue some services because of tight budgets. "It's going to be up to the communities to step up and be part of that," Schrader said about recruiting volunteers, such as leaders in the Dade City community Tommytown have done.

One of Schrader's Republican opponents, John Nicolette, wondered why the county pays $250 to have neglected lawns mowed. "I don't know any of you that pay $250 to get your yard mowed." Nicolette also countered that federal grants in large part had helped clean up areas such as Tommytown. Yet the East Pasco community still has many dirt roads.

Nicholas Planck, a Democrat running for County Commission District 3, would "work closer with the community, and try to get the community itself to maybe step forward." CONA members are typical community leaders. "You're not alone." To maintain neighborhoods, county could set up a self-help process for communities similar to Miller's CRA idea.

Recycling and incinerator

A question dealt with recycling programs and possible expansion of the incinerator plant where trash is burned at the Resource Recovery Facility on Hays Road.

Hildebrand said she personally has tried to save rainwater and switch to the more efficient Compact Fluorescent Light bulbs. "I didn't even get a dryer until I was 52 years old because I used to like to hang my clothes out." She bragged how 756 volunteers for Keep Pasco Beautiful, which she serves as president, picked up some 26 tons of trash during a recent cleanup.

The incinerator which opened in 1991 has served the county well, but the four boilers soon will reach full capacity. The county is looking at "new ways to provide for the future," although she couldn't elaborate because of public disclosure laws since the topic could come before commissioners.

Schrader said "we're somewhat of a throwaway society," but his architect wife is a green advocate. The regional hurricane shelter and health clinic will be built to "green" standards.

"We've got to learn to recycle much, much more," Schrader commented. "Certainly as we see energy costs increasing, we've got to make sure that we focus on recycling."

Nicolette would emphasize recycling more before expanding the trash-burning incinerator plant. "We have not put anything in place about priorities," Nicolette complained. "You give incentives to builders, if you build green, instead of taking 6 months to get a permit, you get 3 months. That gives them incentive. You have to get the people involved."

Nickerson agreed more incentives for builders to use environmentally-friendly green techniques are the way to go. "We need to make it easy for the people. We don't like to sort and all this." Hernando Count gave small bins to residents which spurred a 34 percent increase in recycling, he said. He would investigate incinerator expansion only to see "how it can be done reasonably."

Planck cited Hernando County, "which started with one zip code at a time so there wasn't a huge cost." Planck would contact homeowner associations "and say, if you can help us out, here's how we can help you out. We need to work together." New technology now exists if the incinerator is expanded, such as a plasma arc to burn cleaner.

Arriving late from a tourist development conference in Fort Lauderdale, Republican incumbent Commissioner Jack Mariano in District 5 pointed out green building techniques are part of Pasco's comprehensive plan. "We're working toward a great recycling program" across the county. "I see us picking up newspapers, we're just trying to work out the details with the haulers right now. Progressively I think we're making a lot of great steps."

Public access technology

The two Republican candidates for clerk of circuit court, Paula O'Neil and Dan Tipton, dueled over the state of technology at the office. Unopposed Democratic candidate Robert N. Altman was not invited to speak.

O'Neil, the current chief deputy at the clerk's office, hopes to succeed Jed Pittman, who is retiring after 32 years as clerk. Public records dating back to 1990 have now been placed online as required by law, O'Neil explained. "We were the fourth in the state to have electronic filing." Traffic tickets can even be paid online. As for privacy safeguards, "we're way ahead of the game on that," O'Neil said, implementing procedures ahead of a January deadline.

Tipton, the former mayor of New Port Richey, believes to the contrary "the clerk's office is way behind ... in technology. Any public document should be obtained over the Internet without fees the clerk's office now charges, Tipton thinks. "You should be able to come into the office and pick them up without any delays," he added about requests for documents. Public records "belong to you," Tipton said. He insists access could be much faster than it is now.

Carl Orth can be reached at corth@suncoastnews.com or 727-815-1068.

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