Opponents criticize Storms: Two men vying for Ronda Storms' seat say she picks too many fights. She says she's fighting for constituents.
By BILL VARIAN
Published August 24, 2004
When she ran for re-election two years ago, Hillsborough County Commissioner Ronda Storms faced an opponent who portrayed her as more interested in picking fights and promoting herself than solving problems.
It's deja vu time.
This go-around, Storms faces two opponents in the Republican primary, retired sheriff's Deputy James "Tag" Tagliarini and Dennis Cadle, a MacIntosh computer consultant. Both are recycling the 2002 critique of Storms.
Storms has dusted off her trusty response.
"It's about experience and loyalty and competence and hard work," Storms said. "We've done everything we've said we'll do."
In other words, you may not always like her style, but Storms says she has been consistently faithful to her socially and fiscally conservative ideals, which are shared by many of her constituents.
Love her or hate her, Storms has emerged as arguably the commission's best known member. She has done so by frequently and forcefully challenging other government leaders, by being proudly parochial and by waging war against public prurience.
Storms helped block a massive public redevelopment plan near downtown Tampa last year, helped kill a series of proposed tax and fee increases to address traffic, and moved to fire former County Administrator Dan Kleman, who later resigned. She says it's a big accomplishment to rein in spending.
"People say that budget matters are not important," Storms said. "They are important."
Cadle, 30, a native of Tampa who is new to the district, has tracked Storms' frequent tardiness to meetings. Using meeting minutes, Cadle said Storms missed 268 hours of commission meetings from 2001 to 2003 just by being late - not including the meetings she missed altogether.
"She misses the three most important elements of those meetings, the prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance and public comment," Cadle said. "She has what I consider a blatant complacency and disrespect for people."
Cadle says Storms' frequent tussles with other leaders have resulted in a lack of governmental home runs in the district. He says slow progress on improvements to Boyette Road and U.S. 301 is an example. He says she has been an inconsistent voice on growth controls as well, particularly when they work against her own family landscaping interests or those of campaign supporters.
Storms notes that county records show she responds to more citizen concerns than other commissioners do, ensuring they are addressed by staff. She takes credit for speeding up work on the two roads Cadle cited and says she has hardly been the darling of development interests, often ending up in their cross-hairs.
Tagliarini, 63, got into the race, in part, because of Storms' reaction to a proposed two-year, 14 percent wage increase for county employees that was meant to make their salaries more competitive. Storms opposed it. It wasn't so much the philosophical breakdown on the issue that irked him, he said.
"It was the way she talked down to some of the deputies who got up there and expressed their view," Tagliarini said. "Unless you've been in those shoes, I don't think you should be criticizing."
Tagliarini's father was in law enforcement, as are three of his grown children. His wife works for code enforcement with the county.
As a commissioner, the Hillsborough native says he would listen to the employees who are hired to give elected officials good advice. He says he would also listen to residents, as he says he did for 33 years patroling the streets of south and east Hillsborough.
He says he agrees that Storms is supportive of her constituents, but mainly those who support her. He says he would work with all comers.
The winner of the Republican primary will face Jean Batronie, who is running as a candidate without party affiliation, in the November general election.
THE JOB
Commissioners approve a $2.9-billion budget, run the Environmental Protection Commission, approve local ordinances and decide all zoning issues. The District 4 seat represents much of southern and eastern Hillsborough. The winner will serve a four-year term. The commissioner job pays $84,213 a year.
THE CANDIDATES
RONDA STORMS, 38, has been a commissioner for six years and, with her husband, owns Storms Landscaping Service Inc. in Valrico. She had a legal practice for two years before joining the commission. She previously taught English at Bloomingdale Senior High School and was an assistant teacher at McLane Junior High School. She graduated from Stetson University College of Law and from the University of South Florida. She has been on the board of directors of the Hillsborough County Farm Bureau and is a member of the First Baptist Church of Brandon, where she has taught Sunday school. She is married and has a daughter.
ASSETS: home, cash, bank account and stock in family business. LIABILITIES: home mortgage, home equity loan, student loan. SOURCE OF INCOME: county salary.
DENNIS CADLE, 30, runs a MacIntosh computer consulting business in Brandon. He is a former member of the Lutz Civic Association - he previously lived in Lutz - and Citizens for the Old Lutz School. He was previously a track coach at Tampa Catholic High School. He graduated from the University of South Florida with a bachelor's degree in political science. He is married and has five children. ASSETS: Home, cars, jewelry. LIABILITIES: Mortgage, car loans, personal loan. SOURCES OF INCOME: computer consulting, former disc jockey business, child support and father's business. WEB: denniscadle.com. E-MAIL: cadle2004@yahoo.com JAMES "TAG" TAGLIARINI, 63, of Dover retired as a captain from the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office last year. He served four years as a deputy commander of the organized crime bureau and four years as its commander. He owns a real estate business with his wife. He founded the Florida Narcotic Officers Association and has been a member of the Florida Sheriffs Association, Hillsborough County Mothers Against Drunk Driving and the Plant City and Brandon chambers of commerce. He received an associate's degree in police science administration at Hillsborough Community College and a bachelor's degree in behavioral and social science at the University of South Florida. He is married and has five grown children. ASSETS: cash accounts, investments and real estate. LIABILITIES: mortgage, vehicle loans, other debts, credit union. SOURCE OF INCOME: state retirement system, Social Security and real estate. WEB: gotag-cc4.org. E-MAIL: tag1@gte.net
