Election 2004

Newcomer's win surprises even backers

Jack Mariano's bid for a County Commission seat had the support of high-profile GOP state Sen. Mike Fasano.

By BRIDGET HALL GRUMET
Published November 4, 2004

NEW PORT RICHEY - Jack Mariano seemed like a long shot.

Sure, he helped out with the bookkeeping for the Richey Suncoast Theatre, but he had no acting, dancing or singing experience. No one expected him to show up at last year's auditions for Annie, much less walk away with the role of Drake the Butler.

"It was absolutely astonishing," said Charlie Skelton, who directed the musical. "He got on stage and sang for the first time in his life in front of an audience. That shows me this is a man who has a lot of confidence."

"He worked hard, and he proved himself."

Mariano has a way of persuading others he's right for the part - a skill he exhibited again Tuesday with a surprise victory over County Commissioner Peter Altman for the District 5 seat. Mariano won with just under 51 percent of the vote, even though Altman had a 3-to-1 fundraising advantage, a record of accomplishments and the name recognition that comes from holding various public offices for 16 years.

"The people have given me a great honor, and I do not plan to disappoint anybody," Mariano, a Republican, said Wednesday.

The 44-year-old Beacon Woods homeowner holds several roles: husband, father, car salesman and civic supporter. He has sponsored more than 200 golf tournaments for causes ranging from youth sports to cancer research. He also serves on the board of Dayspring Academy, a charter school where his wife, Michelle, volunteers and their daughters, 9-year-old Amber and 7-year-old Lauren, attend school.

Born in Concord, Mass., Mariano earned his bachelor's degree in economics from Framingham State College near Boston. He moved to Pasco County nine years ago.

He is the first to note that, for the past 17 years, he has made his living in the commission-driven car sales industry.

"I find out what their concerns are, and I focus on making people happy," said Mariano, now a salesman for Coastal Cadillac in Port Richey.

He said that would be his philosophy as a public official as well - a contrast with Altman, whom Mariano criticized as unresponsive to constituents.

State Sen. Mike Fasano, R-New Port Richey, said he encouraged Mariano to run for the seat.

"I always felt there was a good chance of picking up that County Commission seat," Fasano said. "I thought, and so did other people, that Jack Mariano would be the perfect candidate: someone who is very much involved in the community, someone who is a hard worker and someone who is going to put constituents first."

Indeed, Mariano projects a sunny optimism: "I will approach every situation as an opportunity, not a problem," he wrote in a candidate questionnaire.

He also has a scatterbrained side: He answered that questionnaire with pencil or red pen on some pages, computer-typed responses on other pages.

He ran for School Board two years ago, but lost his spot on the ballot after failing to file his paperwork on time. This year, with the help of friends like Fasano and a dedicated band of volunteers, Mariano ran a tighter, more focused campaign.

He used his limited campaign cash to mail brochures to people who requested absentee ballots: guaranteed voters. He walked door-to-door in Beacon Woods and Embassy Hills, areas with high voter turnout.

And he spent most of the past two weeks outside the West Pasco Government Center, shaking hands and giving campaign cards to thousands of early voters. Ultimately, half of Mariano's margin of victory came from the 1,683-vote lead he got from early and absentee voters.

"Money is very important in a campaign, but money does not outweigh sweat," said Chris Sprowls, head of the the Pasco County Young Republicans and the West Pasco Republican Club.

By contrast, Altman posted hired hands at polls Tuesday. For an hourly wage, they wore campaign T-shirts and held signs to drum up support for the incumbent. Not that they knew much about him: Some had only met Altman that morning, they said.

Even with the party's backing, GOP officials were surprised by Mariano's win.

"Our eyes kind of bounced when we saw that one," said Gary Willner, a member of the Pasco County Republican Executive Committee. "That's the one that caught everybody by total shock."

Mariano still is adjusting to the idea of being Pasco's next commissioner. Legally he assumes the role Nov. 16, although he won't be sworn into office until the Nov. 23 meeting. In the meantime, he is meeting with County Administrator John Gallagher and other staffers to get up to speed on the issues.

He vowed during the campaign to approach the role "with a full-time job mentality," although he has not yet decided to what extent he will continue selling cars. For now, he said, he's got plenty on his plate: He could be casting a vote on the controversial Cypress Creek Town Center, an open-air mall planned near Interstate 75 and State Road 56, at his first commission meeting.

"Over the next three weeks or so, I'll be looking to find out exactly what is going on," Mariano said, "so that as I sit up there in that commission seat, I can make a good decision."

Times staff writer Colleen Jenkins contributed to this report. Bridget Hall Grumet covers Pasco County government. She can be reached in west Pasco at 869-6244 or toll-free at 1-800-333-7505, ext. 6244. Her e-mail address is bhall@sptimes.com

[Last modified November 4, 2004, 00:41:23]