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Fasano Cries Foul Over Sporting-Event Group's Spending Habits
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Published: February 25, 2009
NEW PORT RICHEY - If executives of Florida Sports Foundation want to play ball, then they better quit using state tax dollars for salaries and lavish spending, state Sen. Mike Fasano warns.
Fasano, R-New Port Richey, criticized the sports promotion group this week as chairman of the Senate committee that approves money for the foundation.
Fasano, the Senate's president pro tempore, directed much of his ire at the $600,000 in salaries at the Tallahassee-based foundation, including the $190,000 earned by its president, Larry Pendleton.
Pendleton insisted the organization does not waste money and was mystified by the criticism. The foundation helps lure major events to the state, including the Super Bowl.
Pasco County became a paid foundation member a few years ago. The promoters helped arranged lacrosse tournaments here the past few years.
With sports marketing as a thrust, Pasco set records in 2008 for revenue from its tourism tax, the 2 percent surcharge on overnight hotel stays and other short-term rentals.
During appearances before the Senate committee, Pendleton pledged to tap a private fund to pay salaries for the state's 2010 fiscal year, which begins July 1.
About $200,000 of general tax revenue makes up a small portion of the foundation's annual budget of $3.2 million according to Pendleton. Money from specialty license plates promoting professional sports teams goes into a trust fund that comprises the bulk of the budget for the promotion group.
The changes only came about after elected leaders called into question the group's spending habits, Fasano insisted Friday.
"They got the message loud and clear," Fasano commented.
Fasano said he supports the mission of the foundation, but tax dollars should go exclusively toward promoting sports events.
Fasano continues to inquire about foundation spending in connection with the 2009 Super Bowl, in Tampa. The foundation reserved a suite at the Super Bowl and dozens of tickets for board members, relatives and friends, Fasano noted.
"That's wrong, that's just wrong," Fasano said about such uses of tax money.
Carl Orth can be reached at 727-815-1068 or corth@suncoastnews.com.
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