Candidate claims disclosure form was lost in mail

Len Trubia didn't file a financial form after his appointment to the Housing Authority.

By KENT FISCHER, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times
published August 27, 2002

When Pasco County School Board candidate Len Trubia fell behind on his property taxes, he blamed it on a bad mailing address. For two years, he said, he never got a bill.

Last December, Trubia offered a similar excuse to the Florida Commission on Ethics.

After being appointed to the Pasco County Housing Authority, Trubia failed to file a financial disclosure form and was hit with a $1,500 fine. In a letter to the commission, Trubia blamed the mail.

"All I know is that I mailed it," Trubia wrote to the commission on Dec. 14, 2001. "Apparently, it got lost in the mail system, for which none of us have any control over."

Trubia is a retired postal worker.

The commission apparently accepted Trubia's explanation and is poised to waive the fine at a meeting Sept. 5.

That recommendation, however, notes that the Pasco County supervisor of elections, who oversees financial disclosures, has lodged no complaints about lost mail. It also states that political appointees often blame the mail when they miss deadlines.

Trubia eventually filed the form, on Dec. 17, more than 60 days after it was due.

Trubia, 66, is running against incumbent Cathi Martin for the District 3 seat. He is the president of Coldwell Banker Action Realty.

It's not the first time Trubia has had a problem with financial disclosure forms.

When he filed to run for the School Board, Trubia failed to completely fill out the form required for that race. His form cited a net worth of $250,000 but listed no assets.

Trubia said he left the asset portion of the form blank because he "didn't think it was important to list all those little details."

He has pledged to file an amended form by Sept. 1.

Trubia did not return a phone message Monday seeking comment.

-- Kent Fischer covers education in Pasco County. He can be reached in west Pasco at 869-6241 or toll-free at 1-800-333-7505, ext. 6241. His e-mail address is kfischer@sptimes.com.

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