Kyc: District 61 State House

The Republican incumbent touts his experience. The Democratic challenger says it's time for a change. The Libertarian candidate says he's tired of both major parties.

By CHASE SQUIRES, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times
published October 31, 2002

The race for the District 61 state House seat -- a seat that has been held by a member of the Littlefield family since it was created in 1992 -- pits two-term incumbent Ken Littlefield against two challengers, including the first bid for the seat by a member of the Libertarian Party.

Littlefield says he is running on his record and experience, his knowledge of the workings of Tallahassee and the accomplishments of the Republicans.

Democrat Pat Burke said she is fed up with Gov. Jeb Bush 's agenda and said Littlefield appears uninterested in Pasco.

And making his first run for office, Joe Preta Jr. said he is tired of both parties spending the state into a crisis while venturing into aspects of people's lives where they are unwelcome.

"Everybody seems to have a good program, but there are some things the state government is not intended to do," Preta said.

Among his goals would be the decriminalization of so-called victimless crimes, such as drug use and prostitution.

The way the state Constitution is amended easily through petition drives needs to be revised, he said.

Preta said he's not unhappy with Littlefield in particular, just the Legislature's goals.

Burke said she is unhappy with Littlefield and would do a better job.

"Littlefield goes to Tallahassee and schmoozes with big business, but he does not represent the county," she said.

She said her goals would center on education. FCAT testing is wrong, she said. In the future, the entire key to Florida's economic stability lies in educating its children, she said.

Burke ran against Charlotte Kiefer for the Democratic nomination for the District 1 Pasco County Commission seat in 2000 but lost narrowly.

Although her fundraising has been dwarfed by Littlefield's, Burke has seen small donations as well as checks from teachers' groups, unions and the National Organization for Women.

Littlefield, coming off two big wins in his first runs for office, said he is feeling no pressure.

Littlefield said he is most proud of his record dealing with human issues: supporting cancer awareness bills; working for victims of domestic violence, earning an award from the Florida Coalition Against Domestic Violence and having the award named permanently for him.

The economy will be among his chief concerns in the coming session, he said. If the state can't attract business, everything else grinds to a halt.

"I think we've done a pretty good job of keeping the economy rolling. Everything else is relative," Littlefield said. "If the economy is good, we have money for education. If the economy is good, we have money for social services."

Littlefield's extensive fundraising has tapped into police and fire unions, and business interests including tobacco, utilities, medical groups and banking.

In the House, he sits on the Council for Healthy Communities. He has been chairman of the Health Promotion Committee as well as the Council for Ready Infrastructure, Utilities & Telecommunications Committee and the Health & Human Services Appropriations Committee.

THE JOB:

State House District 61 includes east and central Pasco County and dips into Hillsborough County along Bruce B. Downs Boulevard. State representatives are elected to two-year terms and make $29,328 per year.

REPUBLICAN

Littlefield

KENNETH W. "KEN" LITTLEFIELD, 58, won a special election in 1999 to fill the seat formerly held by his brother, Carl. He has held the seat since, twice defeating Democrat Larry McLaughlin. Littlefield is a full-time lawmaker, after leaving the furniture store his family used to own north of Dade City. Littlefield was born in Mississippi and earned a bachelor's degree from Central College in Springfield, Mo., in 1967. He is a member of several area chambers of commerce and Main Street programs and the Dade City Crescent Theatre project. He is a past member of the United Way of Pasco board of directors and a member of the Wesley Chapel Kiwanis club. He and his wife have two grown daughters. ASSETS: commercial property LIABILITIES: bank loan SOURCES OF INCOME: rental property, legislative salary

DEMOCRAT

Burke

PATRICIA "PAT" BURKE, 55, is a retired accountant from Crystal Springs making her second run for public office. She fell 774 votes short of her Democratic primary opponent for a Pasco County Commission seat in 2000. Burke, born in Baltimore, has attended colleges but does not hold a degree, although she reported certificates from technical training courses. She has an extensive list of involvement in community projects including schools, the Crystal Springs Community Association, the guardian ad litem program and the Hillsborough River Greenways task force. She is a widow and has one daughter. ASSETS: real estate in Florida and Louisiana LIABILITIES: mortgage, bank loans SOURCE OF INCOME: part-time employment

LIBERTARIAN

Preta

JOSEPH F. "JOE" PRETA JR., 42, is making his first bid for public office. Preta is a self-employed computer programmer from the New Tampa sliver of District 61 who said he is serious about the Libertarian philosophy and his willingness to serve in Tallahassee. He has been a member of the party, which advocates dramatically reducing government's role, since 1988. He is a native of Niceville and lived in several areas along the East Coast before settling in the Tampa area four years ago. He has a degree in electrical engineering from the University of Florida and a law degree from the University of Virginia but does not practice law. He is raising no money for his campaign. He is married and has an infant son. ASSETS: home, land in Virginia LIABILITIES: mortgage, student loans SOURCE OF INCOME: employment