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Democrats to GOP: Work with usBy BRIDGET HALL GRUMET, Times Staff Writer© St. Petersburg Times published April 30, 2003 NEW PORT RICHEY - A local Democratic club publicly called for Bill Bunting, head of the county's Republican Party, to show greater bipartisanship. They just haven't told him yet. The plea came Tuesday from the West Pasco Democratic Club in the form of a news release that criticized Bunting for opposing the Penny for Pasco sales tax proposal and challenged him "to work together with (the) entire Democratic leadership . . . to pass significant legislation of a bipartisan nature." But so far, Bunting said, no one from the club has contacted him. "I guess nothing surprises me anymore," Bunting said Tuesday afternoon with a chuckle. Chuck Kalogianis, president of the West Pasco Democratic Club, said the press release was a last-ditch effort to bridge the bipartisan gap with Bunting. He has talked to Bunting before about Penny for Pasco, among other issues, but said Bunting was unwilling to discuss compromises. "We would talk and say, "What do you think about this,' and it's his way or the highway," Kalogianis said. Kalogianis said he would write a letter to Bunting asking for a sit-down. But he issued the news release first, he said, "to cast a spotlight on (Bunting's) behavior. "If we can put some pressure on him publicly, maybe he will respond more favorably," Kalogianis said. He said the latest overture grows out of concern about the Penny for Pasco initiative. He believes the revenue is needed to build new county and school facilities, but Bunting has come out against the tax because he said the need for it has not been demonstrated. "I don't want to see an election cycle go by without this Penny for Pasco having a fighting chance to survive," Kalogianis said. But Bunting said he still is trying to get answers to his questions: How would the money be spent? Would the tax sunset? And how long would residents see a dip in their property tax rates? "I'm a conservative, but I'm also reasonable," Bunting said. "I'll sit down and listen to people and discuss things." Bunting said he would join forces with Democrats on humanitarian issues, but he could not change his political convictions just for the sake of compromise. "We're anti-tax; they're pro-tax," he said of the Democrats. "When it comes to things like that, we're going to have differences." - Bridget Hall Grumet covers Pasco County government. She can be reached in west Pasco at 869-6244 or toll-free 1-800-333-7505, ext. 6244. Her e-mail address is bhall@sptimes.com
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From today's Pasco Times Police report |
