Kyc: District 43 State House

With incumbent Nancy Argenziano leaving to pursue a state Senate seat, the race for House District 43 has attracted a slew of candidates with diverse backgrounds and distinct personalities.

Three Republicans and two Democrats are vying to represent the newly redrawn district. Winners will face each other as well as Libertarian Neil Polimeni in the November general election.

THE JOB
Members of the Florida House of Representatives debate policy and make laws for the state. District 43 includes all Citrus and parts of Levy and Hernando counties. Members serve two-year terms and are paid $29,328 per year.

Charles Dean, the best known of the Republican candidates, is running largely on his background, having been a cattle rancher, teacher and Citrus County sheriff.

He said the last job, which he held for 16 years, taught him about the role of local government -- and as a legislator, he would be an advocate for increased local control.

Dean said he wants to preserve the quality of life in District 43, which is still relatively rural, but does not want to hinder growth. Dean wants to streamline permitting, saying the requirements of various agencies are redundant and limit development to those who can afford lawyers.

The lifelong Citrus resident said he would actively seek appropriations to enrich his district. "If I can find any turkey that helps constituents of Citrus County, I'm going to be gobbling all the way back to the county line."

The centerpiece of Nancy Dunwoodie's campaign is the controversial lien law. It allows subcontractors who are not paid by builders to seek compensation from the home's owners, including putting a lien on the property.

She said the law hurts many local residents, and she wants to require bonding for builders. "I do not agree the lien law provides equal representation and equal protection to all of our citizens."

Beyond that, Dunwoodie is geared toward senior issues, saying she wants to increase funding for VA medical centers, provide better prescription drug benefits and reduce fraud against the elderly through education programs.

While Dean sees his life experience as an asset, Michael "Joey" White views his "youth and vigor" as qualities voters will find attractive. "I'm not part of the good old boy clique or been around here all my life and owe people favors," he said.

A former member of the Rainbow River Advisory Board, White said he considers water issues his main concern.

He says government is reacting to shortages by building reservoirs and desal plants rather than restoring natural systems such as the Lake Tsala Apopka lake chain and Lake Rousseau.

More money, he said, should be devoted to conservation education; and he wants to strengthen water protection provisions under the Growth Management Act, the 1985 law that required local comprehensive plans.

White also supports abolishing the intangibles tax on investments. Doing so, he said, could entice more corporations to the state because executives with large stock holdings would not lose income.

As for the Democrats, Jimmy Carr says he has a built-in advantage over his opponent, Alex Ilnyckyj, who switched to Democrat from Republican only months ago.

"I'm the only true Democrat," Carr said.

Like Ilnyckyj, Carr has made education and the environment the cornerstones of his campaign. He is critical of the Gov. Jeb Bush's education plan, which created the school grading system and provided vouchers for students at failing schools. Carr said the program works against poor districts that cannot score well on standardized tests.

The state, he said, needs to attract better teachers and emphasize the basics of writing, reading and arithmetic.

He said he would seek federal funding to replace septic systems throughout Citrus County, not just near the rivers and lakes. "Septic tanks are as obsolete as men's garters," he said.

Ilnyckyj, the tough-talking former Crystal River City Council member, said he decided to run as a Democrat not because he had a change of heart but because the leaders of his former party would not back his candidacy.

He also fondly remembers the crystal clear water along Citrus County's coast. As a council member he was involved in efforts to clean up Kings Bay, but they never took off as much as he hoped. He said he wants to continue that effort and feels higher political office will help him obtain federal grants.

As for education, Ilnyckyj said he would introduce a bill to create a teachers bill of rights, in part to free teachers from paperwork and protect them from "frivolous" lawsuits brought by parents who think their child has been mistreated.

As a way to increase funding for environmental or education initiatives, Ilnyckyj said he would call for an increase in the cigarette tax, perhaps by 50 cents per pack.

REPUBLICANS

CHARLES DEAN, 63, is a lifelong Citrus resident who lives in Inverness. He was a teacher and school administrator before becoming Citrus County sheriff in 1980, a job he held until 1996, when he mounted an unsuccessful state Senate campaign. Dean has a bachelor's degree from Florida State University and a master's degree from Rollins College. He is married and has two children. ASSETS: real estate, stock, annuities, savings accounts. LIABILITIES: mortgage, car loan. SOURCES OF INCOME: state pension, cattle farm.

NANCY DUNWOODIE, 65, is a retired FBI employee who moved to Citrus Hills two years ago after many years in the Washington, D.C., area. She has a degree from Frederick Community College in Frederick, Md. She is a vice president of the Citrus Federated Republican Women and a member of Citrus Hills Women's Club. She is married and has five children. ASSETS: home, savings bonds, stocks and savings account. LIABILITIES: mortgages. SOURCES OF INCOME: Social Security, securities, pension.

MICHAEL "JOEY" WHITE, 31, works as a rancher and designs systems for A-1 Lightning Protection Services in Dunnellon. He is a graduate of Dunnellon High School and holds a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from St. Leo University. Prior to moving to Crystal River, he served one year on the Dunnellon City Council. He has served in the Army, been a Little League coach and a member of the Sertoma Club. He is married and has one child. ASSETS: real estate, stock. LIABILITIES: student loan, mortgage. SOURCES OF INCOME: job, rental property.

DEMOCRATS

JAMES "JIMMY" CARR, 58, a newcomer to elective politics, was born in Baltimore but grew up in the Tampa Bay area. He attended Northeast High School in St. Petersburg and went on to St. Petersburg Junior College. He owned a food distribution company and is now a food broker. He has lived in Crystal River since 1992. He is married and has four children. ASSETS: stock, bank accounts, real estate. LIABILITIES: loans. SOURCE OF INCOME: business.

ALEX ILNYCKYJ, 63, is a businessman and former Crystal River City Council member. He was born in Ukraine and arrived in Brooklyn, N.Y., after World War II. He received a degree in applied science from Suffolk County Community College. After working as a real estate broker in Crystal River, he opened a recycling business. He is married and has three children. ASSETS: house, property, communication tower lease. LIABILITIES: business contract. SOURCES OF INCOME: Social Security, business.