For the second time in four years, a group of central and east Pasco citizens wants to expand the Pasco County Commission from five to seven members.
The motivation both times is a belief, whether real or perceived, that their interests aren't being represented at the county level. In 1999, Pat Burke of Crystal Springs, through the citizens group Publicats, championed single-member districts for five commissioners, adding two at-large seats and term limits.
Burke acknowledged her angst was aimed at then five-term incumbent county Commissioner Sylvia Young, who retired three years ago. The movement never materialized and Burke has made two unsuccessful runs for public office in the meantime.
Now, a group of Wesley Chapel interests is considering a similar venture. The ad hoc group studying incorporation of Wesley Chapel as Pasco's seventh, largest and wealthiest city is turning away from that goal because of the looming Dec. 1 deadline to complete a feasibility study and forward it to the state Legislature. Among the options to be considered now are a community survey, an expanded citizens group and a push to broaden representation on the five-member Board of County Commissioners.
Expanding the commission requires a countywide referendum.
To be placed on the ballot, the group would need to collect valid signatures from 10 percent of the county's registered voters, or 23,828 people. They also would need to pay a 10-cent-per-signature verification fee to the Supervisor of Elections Office.
While the exercise in democracy is laudable, the notion of single-member districts is problematic.
Currently, the five commissioners are elected countywide, but must reside in one of five districts, boundaries for which are drawn every 10 years according to U.S. Census figures. Pasco's heavy population base on the west side means three of the five commissioners must reside there. That will not change even if the referendum is successful, because the population base remains constant. Essentially, a revamped board will include three single-member commissioners from west Pasco, representatives from central and east Pasco, plus two commissioners elected countywide.
Conventional wisdom suggests the two at-large seats also would be tied to west Pasco because of that area's political strength.
By pushing for a change, east and central Pasco residents would be diluting their own influence. In single-member districts, voters would cast ballots for a resident commissioner, plus the two at-large representatives, meaning only three of seven commissioners would be answerable to a particular constituent. Now, all county voters have a say in electing all five commissioners.
Concerns go beyond political to practical. A seven-member board would make consensus more difficult to achieve because five commissioners would be governed by parochial interests instead of countywide benefits. It is an invitation for vote swapping, provincialism and stalemates.
The easiest way to alter representation is in the voting booth, which makes this whole idea a bit curious. A sample of four Wesley Chapel precincts shows voters there preferred the resident commissioner, incumbent Pat Mulieri, by a 2-1 margin in the 2002 election.
Mulieri's platform mirrors much of the agenda from Wesley Chapel: better planning, a focus on aesthetics and being responsive to constituent concerns.
Before trying to change the system of county government, perhaps one of the agenda items for the ad hoc group should be a town hall meeting with their current commissioner.
